Lauki juice

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Lauki juice

Lauki is also called as white-flowered or calabash gourd. Lauki juice is a densely-packed nutritional drink. Lauki or bottle gourd is considered a healthy vegetable. You can add it to your diet for increased nutrition . Lauki is scientifically known as Lagenaria siceraria and belongs to the family Curcurbitaceae. Lauki vegetable grows in tropical and subtropical countries such as India, Srilanka, South Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Lauki is also called calabash, doodhi, ghia and kaddu in India. It is a pale green vegetable and is a staple in Indian cuisine. If you don’t like taking lauki directly , you can still consume the vegetable in the form of fresh juice. Lauki juice has a delicate nutty taste. It is a nutrient-packed beverage with naturally available antioxidants and minerals. You can make lauki juice by grinding the vegetable in a juicer and then filtering using a muslin cloth. You can also preserve lauki juice by adding basil for up to six months.
See also : Calabash

Health Benefits and Uses of Lauki Juice

Lauki has a long history and was used in medicines. Lauki juice might be recommended for consumption in the regular diet for all the nutrients it contains. Some of the potential uses of lauki are described as follows:

  • Potential uses of lauki juice for weight management : Lauki juice for weight loss might be a great idea given it is 96% water!. Lauki vegetable is considered a good option for weight management owing its low calorie content. It is said that lauki juice might help trim that extra belly fat. Lauki juice has a very low fat and cholesterol content and provides a good amount of dietary fibre, which may be beneficial in rapidly losing those extra inches. Unfortunately, the present studies are insufficient to support this claim. Therefore, more studies are needed to support the potential use of lauki juice for weight management. Therefore, it is preferable to seek medical advice from a doctor before consuming lauki juice to keep a check on your weight.
  • Potential uses of lauki juice for cholesterol : Lauki juice benefits include potentially lowering cholesterol levels. According to a study by Aslam & Nijam (2013), drinking lauki juice might decrease high cholesterol levels, fats and lipid proteins. It might also increase the levels of good cholesterol in the body.. The dietary fibre present in lauki juice may be beneficial in lowering cholesterol. The phytochemical saponins found in lauki may increase lipoprotein activity and may prove useful in removing harmful fatty acids from the blood. However, these studies are not sufficient. We require more proof of the benefits of lauki juice in managing cholesterol levels in humans. Therefore, before using lauki juice for cholesterol management diet, it is recommended to speak with a doctor.
  • Potential uses of lauki juice for blood sugar. The benefits of lauki juice include potentially lowering blood sugar levels. A study report performed on animals was published in Food and Functionin 2011. It showed that drinking lauki juice might lower blood sugar. Researchers observed that the antioxidant properties of lauki juice might be helpful in regulating blood sugar levels after a meal. This information is insufficient as these studies are not done on humans. More studies on humans are required to back this claim. Therefore, it is essential to first speak to your doctor and only then have lauki juice as a anti-diabetes medicine.
  • Other potential uses of lauki juice
  • Lauki juice might be helpful in acidity and digestion.
  • The anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties of lauki juice might make it a good option for pain, fever and cough.1
  • Drinking one glass of lauki juice daily might help maintain healthy hair.1
  • Fresh lauki juice has antioxidants that might be beneficial for free radicle scavenging.
  • Lauki juice has an anthelmintic activity that may benefit against tapeworm infestation .
  • Freshly prepared lauki juice may have a cooling effect on the body.
  • Lauki juice might help produce collagen, a protein important for tissue strength.

Although there are studies that show the benefits of lauki juice in different health conditions, this information is insufficient. And hence, there is a need for furtherstudies to establish the true extent of the benefits of lauki juice on human health. Furthermore, every person may respond differently to these herbs. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor before using lauki juice for any medical condition.

Special Precautions of Lauki Juice

  • According to the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology and the Indian Journal of Medical Research, drinking bitter lauki juice might pose serious side effects. Bitter lauki juice contains toxins (cucurbitacins) that might harm the upper digestive system.4 The most common side effects of lauki juice are as follows:
    • Diarrhoea
    • Abdominal pain
    • Bleeding
    • Severe vomiting (sometimes include blood)
    • Inflammation
    • Drop in blood pressure
    • Ulceration throughout the digestive tract.

However, if you experience any of such side effects, seek immediate medical attention from your physician. They will be the best guide to provide you with proper treatment.

  • Drinking lauki juice in small quantities is safe. However, general precautions need to be followed.
    • There is not sufficient scientific information currently available to consider the safe use of lauki juice for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Thus, it is vital to consult a physician before having it as a herb as it contains certain toxins which might affect health.
    • One must take extra precautions while giving it to small children and older people due to their low immunity and might develop harmful reactions.
    • Without consulting a doctor, people should not use lauki juice to self-medicate themselves.

References:

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