Let us know about bottle gourd during pregnancy. Many people do not like to eat gourd due to its taste, but you will be surprised to hear that gourd is included in very healthy vegetables. It offers many health benefits especially for pregnant women! Pregnant women have a great need to strengthen their immunity because after delivery, the nutrients from the woman’s body are used up rapidly for the development of the baby and this need can be met by eating bottle gourd.
Can pregnant women eat bottle gourd?
Bottle gourd can be consumed by pregnant and lactating women. Eating bottle gourd during pregnancy can help keep you hydrated as it is rich in minerals and water. It is also rich in antioxidants which help in keeping your skin cells healthy. If you are breastfeeding your baby, consuming bottle gourd during this time is even more beneficial, it increases milk production and helps you reduce your post-delivery weight. Including bottle gourd in your pregnancy diet can prove to be very nutritious and beneficial for both you and your baby.
Nutritional Value of Bottle Gourd
Have a look at the table given below to understand the nutritional value of bottle gourd.
| Important | nutritional value |
| Energy | 14 kcal |
| carbohydrates | 3.39 grams |
| protein | 0.62 |
| total fat | 0.02 |
| cholesterol | 0 mg |
| dietary fiber | 0.5 |
| vitamins | nutritional value |
| folate | 6 mg |
| niacin | 0.320 mg |
| pantothenic acid | 0.152 mg |
| pyridoxine | 0.040 mg |
| riboflavin | 0.022 mg |
| thiamine | 0.029 mg |
| Vitamin A | 16 IU |
| vitamin C | 10.1 mg |
| electrolytes | nutritional value |
| sodium | 2 mg |
| potassium | 150 mg |
| minerals | nutritional value |
| calcium | 26 mg |
| copper | 0.034 mg |
| Iron | 0.20 mg |
| magnesium | 11 mg |
| Manganese | 0.089 mg |
| phosphorus | 13 mg |
| selenium | 0.2 mg |
| Zinc | 0.70 mg |
Benefits of Consuming Bottle Gourd During Pregnancy
Consuming bottle gourd has many health benefits for you and the baby. Here’s how consuming bottle gourd during pregnancy benefits you
1. Helps Prevent Constipation
The amount of fat and cholesterol in bottle gourd is low and fiber is present in high quantity. Bottle gourd is very beneficial for pregnant women who are overweight or have constipation problems, as it is healthy as well as eases your bowel movements.
2. Helps in releasing body heat
Many people may not be aware that by consuming gourd, it helps in taking out the heat of your body. Bottle gourd has a cooling effect and cooling a slice of bottle gourd and rubbing it on the sole brings out body heat.
3. Curbs Junk Food Cravings
During pregnancy, you may have cravings for junk food like cakes and ice creams. Since bottle gourd contains about 96% water, it will also keep your stomach full and you will not have any food cravings. It also helps in quenching your thirst.
4. Provides Essential Minerals
Minerals like sodium and potassium are found in bottle gourd. During pregnancy, you may feel tired due to lack of sodium in the body. Consume bottle gourd to meet the deficiency of sodium in your body, as it is a good source of sodium. If you want, you can also drink bottle gourd juice during pregnancy.
5. Relieves Headache
You can cook and consume bottle gourd vegetable, it is very low in calories. Even bottle gourd seeds can be used to cure headaches, especially the ones you experience with morning sickness during pregnancy. If you consume bottle gourd at least once every day, then you can get rid of the side effects and problems of pregnancy.
6. is alkaline
Bottle gourd juice is alkaline, hence, it balances the acidic juices in your stomach. Many pregnant women suffer from acidity and heartburn during pregnancy. In such a situation, gourd helps you to overcome this problem and reduces the acidity effect in the stomach.
How to include bottle gourd in pregnancy diet
You can consume bottle gourd in the form of juice, in sweet or as a cooked vegetable. You can also use it by including it in salads, you can enhance its taste even more with dressing. Apart from this, you can make gourd pudding or eat it after frying. Keep in mind that before using gourd, always wash and clean it thoroughly.
Bottle Gourd Juice Recipe
Bottle gourd juice cures urinary tract related issues and sleeplessness. It improves your health and gives you healthy and glowing skin. It is very easy to extract bottle gourd juice and you should consume it fresh. Below are the steps to make bottle gourd juice:
do you want it
- a gourd
- half a cup of water
- Ginger, mint leaves or amla
- rock salt
- ice cube
- Blender and peeler for gourd peeling
how to make
- Firstly, wash and clean the bottle gourd thoroughly with water.
- Peel the skin of the bottle gourd with a peeler.
- Take out its seeds with the help of a spoon.
- Cut the bottle gourd into small pieces.
- Put in a blender and add ½ cup of water.
- You can also add ginger, mint leaves or amla for taste.
- Now blend it all together.
- Finally add rock salt and ice cubes.
- Take your bottle gourd juice is ready!
As we told you here, bottle gourd is very nutritious and beneficial during pregnancy. Hence, you should consume bottle gourd during pregnancy without any worries.
