It is known that people have been consuming pointed gourd for many years. The pointed gourd has appealing texture which is followed by the vista of health benefits upon the intake of pointed gourd is the reason for the massive popularity. The pointed gourd is obtained from the perennial vine of the Cucurbitaceae family. The scientific name of pointed gourd is Trichosanthes dioica. In South Asia it is known as “Parwal”.
The pointed gourd is lush with lot of nutrients and phytochemicals which are responsible for the health benefits of it. The pointed gourd has very low calories which is reason why it can be used for weight management. You can use the pointed gourd as an ingredient for soup, stew, curry, sweet or eaten fried.
The young and immature pointed gourds are the most effective for cooking. The skin is bright green colored and the flesh inside is white. Also, the seeds are small and tender. You should not use the mature pointed gourds because they are usually less flavorful. The fully ripe fruit turns orange and mushy and it is too sweet to consume.
Health benefits of pointed gourd
Contents
Skin care
It has high amounts of Vitamin C and flavonoids which are very beneficial for the skin health. The Vitamin C and flavonoids are antioxidants and they fight against free radicals. They can help you to stay away from free radicals that are causing oxidative damage to the skin. It is protects the skin from many different kinds of skin problems that are caused by free radicals, such as signs of aging, dark spots and wrinkles.
Bone health
The pointed gourd has high amounts of magnesium, calcium and phosphorus which are very beneficial for the health and strength of our bones. The most important minerals for our bones are calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and all of them are found in the pointed gourd. They can help to increase the bone density in our body which will keep the bones stronger as we are getting older. Also, It has Vitamin C which is very beneficial for absorbing calcium in the body. You should add this in your diet on regular basis so in this way you can keep your bones strong and it can prevent bone related diseases, such as osteoporosis.
Reduce the risk of diabetes
The pointed gourd has dietary fiber which can help to improve the production of insulin in the body. This is helpful to slow down the glucose absorption in the blood. There are some studies in which are shown that people who suffer from diabetes can add this on a regular basis to control their sugar levels and this can help to prevent or control the type 2 diabetes. Also, this has flavonoids and trace elements, such as magnesium, copper and potassium which are very beneficial to reduce the glucose levels in the body.
Improve cardiovascular health
The pointed gourd has high amounts of dietary fiber which is very beneficial for the cardiovascular health. There are many different studies in which are shown that the consumption of this gourd on regular basis can reduce the bad cholesterol levels in the body, such as LDL cholesterol and improve the good cholesterol levels in the body, such as HDL cholesterol. This is very important for the cardiovascular health and it can help to prevent many different types of heart related diseases, such as heart attack, heart stroke, etc. Also, It has Vitamin C which can help to fight against free radicals and it can protect the cardiovascular cells from the oxidative damage which is caused by free radicals.
Good for eye health
It has Vitamin A which is very beneficial for keeping the health of eyes. The Vitamin A is strong antioxidant which can help to fight against free radicals and it can protect you from the macular degeneration and other age – related disorders, such as cataract. You should add pointed gourd in your diet, so you will keep the health of your eyes in a good shape.
