Is Bottle Gourd Good for Diabetes Patients?

Last updated on September 27th, 2023

Diabetes is becoming one of the major metabolic disorders that are taking a toll on health and one of the leading causes of death. Diabetes doesn’t come alone but brings life-threatening health conditions such as diabetes-related health complications. They are cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, renal failure, liver diseases, retinopathy, neuropathy, etc. It is essential to manage your sugar levels to prevent these complications. Besides medicines, your diet plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy sugar levels. There are enormous healthy foods you can add to your diet to control your spiking sugar levels. One such food is Bottle Gourd or Lauki. Let’s read how bottle gourd helps to maintain sugar levels and is bottle gourd good for diabetes patients.

What is Bottle Gourd?

Lagenaria siceraria or calabash, commonly known as bottle gourd in English and Lauki in Hindi. It comes from the family Cucurbita. It is also called doodhi in some parts of India. Lauki is one of the ancient vegetables with so many medical benefits. It is considered one of the healthiest vegetables because of its high-fibre and dense-nutrients content. It has been cultivated majorly in Asia, Africa, Europe, and America for thousands of years. It comes in various shapes, like a bottle, dumbbell, or oval. The most common shape is a bottle that is widely cooked in India. It is very popular amongst people who want to lose weight because of its high nutrients and fibrous properties. Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is also a good option due to its healthy nutritional profile.

Nutritional Value of Bottle Gourd

Generally, a bottle gourd for diabetes patients is a healthy choice. It’s loaded with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fibre and water content. It is a low-calorie food, one of the likeable choices for weight loss. These qualities make bottle gourd good for diabetes. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), a 100-gram of bottle gourd or Lauki has the following nutrients:

It is a high-fibrous, high-water content vegetable with 92% of water. Since it is low in calories and high in nutrients, it has various health benefits. To get maximum benefits, bottle gourd is often used as bottle gourd juice. Below we have also provided the answer to the popular question, how to make bottle gourd juice? To make it more tasty and healthy, one can add some other healthy ingredients and vegetables. It is also extensively used as bottle gourd soups.

Read More: Is Rice Good For Diabetes? 

Bottle Gourd Glycemic Index

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is considered the safest food choice. It is one of the lowest GI foods with a glycemic index of 15. Lauki is considered safest for diabetes as it doesn’t disturb the sugar levels at all. On the contrary, it is used to control blood sugar levels.

A glycemic index is a unit that measures about any particular food’s impact on blood sugar levels. It is majorly decided by the carbohydrate content in a particular food. Based on a scale of 0-100 glycemic index or GI, food is divided into three categories:

Low Glycemic Index Food – 55 or less,

Medium Glycemic Index Food – 56 to 69

High Glycemic Index Food – 70 and above

The more low GI food, the healthier the impact on your blood sugar levels. So always go for the low GI food in your diet to control unwanted sugar spikes. Bottle gourd is one such vegetable.

Read More: Is Cauliflower Good for Diabetic Patients?

Bottle Gourd for Diabetes

Now lets answer the big question, Is bottle gourd good for diabetes patients? The answer is Yes! This green bottle-shaped vegetable is filled with powerful nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It is a low glycemic food with low-carb content so it does not affect blood sugar levels and helps to keep it under control. Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is preferred for its various anti-diabetic properties that make it diabetic-friendly food. It has been used since ancient times as medicinal food for diabetes and high sugar levels. It is high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and micronutrients which help in maintaining healthy sugar levels. It is majorly used in the form of bottle gourd juice and bottle gourd soups to extract its maximum benefits.

Reasons Why Is Bottle Gourd Good for Diabetes

Following are the top reasons and benefits of eating bottle gourd for diabetes patients:

Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

As we know, bottle gourd is made of 92% water, fibre, and very limited to zero carbohydrates. It makes it a healthy anti-diabetic food. When we consume food with carbs, it breaks into the glucose in the body, which increases the sugar level. For normal individuals, this glucose is well-taken care of by the insulin hormone, and cells use it properly. But in people with diabetes, the production of the insulin hormone either stops or body cells become unable to use this insulin properly, resulting in increased glucose levels in the blood.

This sugar in the blood then impacts various organs and causes different health diseases. It is essential to manage these sugar levels in the blood to protect other organs and tissues. Bottle gourd for diabetes helps a diabetic patient greatly as it has zero carbohydrates. Therefore, it does not spike sugar levels in the body. It is also a high-fibre vegetable. Fibre in lauki delays the absorption of glucose by the cells and facilitates the slower release of sugar into the bloodstream. That way, it maintains the sugar levels.

Read More: Is Fish Good for Diabetes?

Keeps you hydrated

Benefits of eating bottle gourd include keeping diabetics hydrated as it contains 92% water. It is also known for its cooling effects. To maintain a healthy blood sugar level, one needs to stay hydrated. Bottle gourd for diabetes patients helps them stay hydrated and maintain their sugar levels.

Good for Digestion

Bottle gourd or Lauki has 0.5 grams of fibre per 100 grams. It makes it a high-fibre food. Fibre eases the digestion process and relieves constipation. A better digestive system is one of the blessings for a diabetic patient. Bottle gourd for diabetes patients helps them in this regard. It maintains sugar levels by keeping your gut health and a smooth bowel movement.

Supports Weight Loss

Obesity or being overweight is one of the major reasons for developing type 2 diabetes and high sugar levels in existing diabetes patients. Lauki or bottle gourd for diabetes is a healthy choice. It is a zero-carb, zero-fat, high-fibre, and high-water content vegetable. It makes it the best food option for people with weight loss plans. Bottle gourd juice can be added to the weight loss diet plan to keep you full without adding extra carbs. It also keeps your stomach healthy and allows you to follow a proper diet.

Read More: Are Peas Good for Diabetes?

Reduces Inflammation

The benefits of eating bottle gourd for diabetes patients include relief from inflammatory pain. It has anti-inflammatory properties. Consumption of bottle gourd for diabetics also helps in reducing the risks of various chronic illnesses and disorders like various heart diseases, cancer, etc.

Diuretic Properties

Bottle gourd has 92% water and diuretic properties. Bottle gourd for diabetes is good as it promotes urination which helps in discarding excess glucose from the blood. Having good urination helps in controlling sugar levels.

Read More: Is Ghee Good For Diabetics?

Other Health Benefits of Bottle Gourd for Diabetes Patients

Promotes Heart Health

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is good as it’s rich in potassium and zinc. They are essential nutrients to keep your heart and blood pressure healthy. It also contains magnesium that helps in maintaining a regular heartbeat. The zinc of bottle gourd protects the heart from oxidative stress and keeps it healthy from various artery diseases.

Cooling property

Bottle gourd is used extensively in Ayurveda to treat pitta and acidity problems. It has a cooling property that keeps your body temperature normal and cools off your stomach from pitta and acidity. The benefits of drinking bottle gourd juice are rapid. Bottle gourd cools the body. You can also add some mint, tulsi, and black pepper to enhance its taste and benefits.

Immunity booster

Bottle gourd or bottle gourd juice is packed with multiple nutrients, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and anti-inflammatory compounds that help in building strong immunity. These minerals help the body to combat various infections and free radicals. Some of the nutrients are magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, thiamin, potassium, calcium, folate, vitamins B6, C, etc.

Read More: Are Grapefruits Safe for Diabetics?

Treats Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

As with traditional medicines, bottle gourd juice is used to treat UTIs. Its alkaline properties help to fight against infection, and its diuretic properties help to treat UTIs. The benefits of eating bottle gourd include giving a cooling effect on the burning sensations caused by UTIs. To make it more effective, add some lemon and mint to the bottle gourd juice. It acts as a fast and effective drink to relieve burning sensations in the urinary tract and treat UTIs.

Improves Liver Health

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is beneficial as it also promotes liver health benefits. There are some compounds and enzymes in the bottle gourd that improve liver health.

Relieves Acidity

Bottle gourd has high fibre and water content and is alkaline in nature. Bottle gourd for diabetes patients helps in relieving acidity and improves digestion.

Anti-Stress Properties

The benefits of drinking bottle gourd juice include working as a stress-buster and mood lifter. Bottle gourd contains the nutrients Choline which acts as a neurotransmitter and helps regulate conditions like stress, depression, low energy levels, memory, and reflexes. It also has some calming effects on the central nervous system.

Anti-Cancer Properties

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is also beneficial because it has some anti-cancer properties that fight against cancerous cells. This can be due to its antioxidant properties that reduce oxidative stress and kill free radicals. It helps in preventing the development of cancerous cells. Some studies have shown bottle gourd’s anti-cancer properties. However, more research is needed.

Good for the Skin

Since bottle gourd is full of vitamin C and Zinc, it can help to support skin health. Bottle gourd for diabetes patients helps in preventing ageing and increases skin barrier lipids. It also prevents skin from external pollutants and UV rays.

Antibacterial Properties

Bottle gourd seeds contain phytochemicals that are effective not only against bacteria but also against fungi.

Read More: Is Dragon Fruit Good For Diabetics?

How to make Bottle Gourd Juice?

The benefits of drinking bottle gourd juice for diabetics and non-diabetics are numerous. Bottle gourd juice for diabetes patients is the most effective recipe you can have to receive all its benefits. It is easy to make. So let us know how to make bottle gourd juice as when it comes to its benefits, you can’t stay away from it. To prepare bottle gourd juice or bottle gourd smoothie, follow some steps:

• Wash bottle gourd and cut it into pieces
• Blend it finely
• To make it tastier, add mint leaves, lemon juice, basil leaves, ginger, some rock salt, cumin seeds or jeera, and black pepper while grinding.
• Have it without straining and keep its fibre intact.

Try to have it on an empty stomach in the morning for better results. It helps people with type 2 diabetes.

Read More: Are Peanuts Good for Diabetics?

Tasty Dishes of Bottle Gourd for Diabetes Patients

The Benefits of drinking bottle gourd juice are numerous, but some might not like it on the scale of taste. So here are some recipes for bottle gourd for diabetes patients which might suffice your taste buds:

Bottle gourd raita

Raita is one of the most loved cuisines in India. You can prepare bottle gourd for diabetes patients, popularly known as lauki ka raita in India. Grate the bottle gourd and boil it for some time. Now add this grated lauki or bottle gourd into the curd. You can add rock salt, jeera powder, fine-chopped green chilli, dhaniya leaves (cilantro), and some red chilli powder if you wish. These additional ingredients enhance its taste even more.

Add in pulses and lentils

You can add bottle gourd for diabetes patients in pulses and lentils while making them. The recipe will have proteins and fibres, and water benefiting you in multiple ways.

Vegetable salad

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients can be used and mixed in a vegetable salad. Add some black pepper, rock salt, and olive oil to this salad.

Read More: Top 6 Dry Fruits For Diabetics.

Side Effects of Bottle Gourd

Although the benefits of eating bottle gourd are many, an excess quantity of  bottle gourd for diabetes patients can be harmful and can show some side effects:

Toxicity

Excess consumption of bottle gourd for diabetes patients can be toxic. The symptoms of its toxicity can include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloody stool, etc. In such cases, consult your doctor immediately. The bitter taste of bottle gourd is caused by the terpenoid compounds cucurbitacins. If consumed in heavy amounts, they can make your stomach upset.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients can also cause gastrointestinal problems like esophagitis and gastric ulcers. Try to avoid excess bitter gourd juice for medicinal purposes.

Allergy

Some people can show an allergy to bottle gourd, so stop using it immediately.

Hypoglycemia

Since bottle gourd helps in lowering high sugar levels, excess consumption of bottle gourd juice can cause hypoglycemia or low sugar levels. So consult your doctor before starting it.

Read More: Best Vegetable with Low Glycemic Index for Diabetics.

Conclusion

Bottle gourd for diabetes patients is rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water content. It is also a good source of potassium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper, selenium, vitamin C, folate, thiamin, niacin, etc. The benefits of eating bottle gourd for diabetes patients are that it is a zero-carb food facilitating diet control. Its high fibre content helps maintain sugar levels and keeps your gut healthy. Bottle gourd has anti-acidity, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.

These help to strengthen various systems in the body. It also helps boost immunity and prepares the body to fight against various infections and illnesses. Bottle gourd juice is the best way to avail of its benefits in a complete raw form. Bottle gourd or Lauki helps to reduce sugar levels, stress, acidity, constipation, inflammation, and weight and also prevents infections like urinary tract infections (UTI) and fungal infections. Also, it has cooling properties that keep your body cool and treat acidity. So, adding a glass of bottle gourd juice or smoothie can lead you to a sugar-free and healthy life. Bottle gourd is good for diabetes due to its immense health benefits and powerful nutrients. However, If you are on diabetes medication, consult our Diabetes Reversal Expert at Breathe WellBeing beforehand to prevent hypoglycemia.

FAQs: