The summer heat has arrived with a vengeance, and naturally, everything that’s cooling—from clothing to food—is in high demand. Among fruits, watermelon has always been a favourite, but when it comes to vegetables, gourds are the stars of the season.
Ash gourd (petha) juice becomes particularly popular during the summer months. It is often hailed on social media as a miraculous superfood for weight loss, blood sugar reduction, and improved digestive health. However, while ash gourd is indeed a healthy addition to any diet due to its high water and fibre content, it's important to note that it isn't a magical solution. There's no substantial evidence to suggest that ash gourd juice alone can achieve weight loss or detoxification, despite what the social media influencers say!
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A word of caution about Lauki
Another gourd worth mentioning this summer is the bottle gourd (lauki). Lauki juice is also touted for its benefits by health enthusiasts, but I feel compelled to issue a caution rather than a recommendation. I recall writing about a serious health incident a decade ago involving this juice. The issue arose from the consumption of bitter bottle gourd juice, which can become toxic due to high levels of cucurbitacins—a compound that plants use as a defence against pests.
This bitterness can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and even gastrointestinal bleeding.
To avoid the harmful effects of bitter bottle gourd, discard it completely if the juice or the vegetable tastes bitter. You can also taste a small piece before juicing or cooking it. If there's no bitterness, it's safe to consume. However, attempting to remove the bitterness through boiling or any other cooking method is ineffective.
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How to consume Lauki safely
Bottle gourd bitterness can increase when exposed to high temperatures, which are common in summer. This can also occur due to improper storage or over-maturation. When purchasing bottle gourd, choose those that are smooth-skinned, heavy for their size, and free from cuts and bruises. Store them in cool, dry places to prevent toxin buildup.
There are many other refreshing drinks to enjoy during the summer, such as kokum, khus, raw mango panna, jal jeera, and the sattu drink, which are renowned for their cooling properties.
Instead of juicing gourds, it's better to consume them cooked, preserving their valuable fibre.
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This summer season, enjoy the benefits of gourds wisely and remember to be skeptical of the unscientific claims often found in social media posts.
What are your favourite summer vegetables?
Insightful information, more so when we get all types of wrong feedback on social media.
Thanks for the practical information, Mrs Singh. Please suggest some preparation/recipe for kokum juice