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From Controlling Diabetes To Curing Fever, Here Are The Amazing Health Benefits Of Snake Gourd

By Nupur Jha

Snake gourd, which is also known as serpent gourd and chichinda, belongs to Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family which also includes cucumber and squash. Though not popularly known across the world, this vegetable has numerous health benefits. It is found in South and Southeast Asia which include countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and China.

This vegetable gets its name from its unusual shape and is filled with numerous nutrients which is why this veggie should be consumed more often.

snake gourd side effects

Nutritional Value Of Snake Gourd

  • Vitamins - A, B and C
  • Carbohydrates
  • Minerals - Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Iodine, Potassium, Phosphorous, Manganese and Magnesium
  • Soluble Fibre
  • Water Content

Ways In Which Snake Gourd Benefits Your Health

1. Lowers the impact of diabetes
2. Treats bilious fever & malaria fever
3. Treats jaundice
4. Improves heart health
5. Curbs constipation
6. Aids weight management
7. Keeps dandruff away
8. Detoxifies the body
9. Strengthens teeth & bone
10. Treats scalp disorders

1. Lowers the impact of diabetes:

1. Lowers the impact of diabetes:

Snake gourd is great for people with type 2 diabetics, it is low in calories and helps in weight management. This veggie is also used in Chinese therapy for treating diabetes because it's believed to have properties that can lower the impact of diabetes on the health.

2. Treats bilious fever & malaria fever:

2. Treats bilious fever & malaria fever:

Using snake gourd as a decoction is known for reducing bilious fever. Bilious fever refers to any fever which is accompanied by vomiting or nausea and diarrhoea apart from increasing internal body temperature. Adding a bit of honey and a herb called chiretta to snake gourd decoction helps in making it even more effective in treating the bilious fever. Snake gourd and coriander juice also aid in treating the bilious fever effectively. This humble veggie induces vomiting to curb any form of food poisoning and is also known to treat malaria fever.

3. Treats jaundice:

3. Treats jaundice:

People suffering from jaundice should eat foods that are light and easy to digest. Consuming snake gourd leaves with coriander is found to be really effective in treating jaundice. Having this home remedy thrice a day helps in reducing the bilirubin levels and treating jaundice.

4. Improves heart health:

4. Improves heart health:

The extracts of snake gourd are known to curb issues related to heart health, such as palpitation and also lowers the blood pressure by easing the nervous system. Consumption of snake gourd extract aids in reducing stress and pain related to the heart. As per health experts having at least 2 cups of snake gourd extracts per day aids in getting rid of heart-related issues.

5. Curbs constipation:

5. Curbs constipation:

Constipation is an outcome of lack of water and fibre intake in your diet and not exercising. It can also be a symptom of an underlying health condition which can be serious like Parkinson's disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. Snake gourd aids in curbing constipation; just consume 1-2 spoons of snake gourd juice every morning to improve your bowel movement. This veggie helps in clearing the stomach by acting like a mild laxative.

6. Aids weight management:

6. Aids weight management:

Snake gourd has low calories and no fat content in it. It also contains important nutrients along with water and fibre, thus aiding weight management. So if you are looking forward to shedding weight naturally include this veggie in your diet.

7. Keeps dandruff away:

7. Keeps dandruff away:

If you suffer from dandruff, you can get rid of it easily by rubbing snake gourd juice on your scalp. The juice is really effective in treating dandruff-related issues, apply the juice on your scalp leave it for 30 minutes and wash your hair to get the best results. This way to treat dandruff is still better than using any other product like chemical infused shampoos which damage your hair.

8. Detoxifies the body:

8. Detoxifies the body:

Detoxifying once in a while is good for the body, it helps in enhancing the functioning of your organs by flushing out toxic elements from your body. Snake gourd helps in detoxification due to its diuretic properties. It also helps in improving the functioning of the liver.

9. Strengthens teeth & bone:

9. Strengthens teeth & bone:

This veggie aids in strengthening your teeth and bones as it contains calcium. Lack of calcium can lead to various diseases like osteoporosis, osteopenia and hypocalcemia. These health conditions are caused by lack of vitamin D which promotes calcium absorption by our body. Calcium plays a very important role when it comes to bone health and this mineral becomes even more necessary as we age.

10. Treats scalp disorders:

10. Treats scalp disorders:

Scalp disorders like alopecia are caused by excess stress or when your immune system attacks your hair follicles. The main symptom of this condition is hair loss which can be temporary or permanent. If you suffer from this condition you need to apply snake gourd juice in the affected areas of your scalp to get good results naturally.

Side-effect Of Snake Gourd:

Avoid snake gourd consumption in excess during pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding. Having this low-calorie veggie in small amounts can be beneficial for both the mother and the foetus but eating it in large quantities can harm the foetus.

Story first published: Saturday, September 1, 2018, 16:29 [IST]