The Bottle gourd , Lauki .. Dudhi ...

It is one of the earliest vegetables cultivated by man,
believed to be originated in Africa.
Bottle gourd, not very familiar to the western world,
is one of the favorite vegetables in Indian Cuisine. 
It grows in humid weather of India, Sri Lanka and 
other tropical countries.
The Bottle gourd is a common vegetable in India. 
It is yellowish green, having a shape of a bottle.      It has white pulp, with white seeds .
Lauki (Dudhi in Gujarati) have lot of medicinal 
value. 
Bottle Gourd or Lauki has many properties that 
are valued in traditional healing.
It is low in Calories and Fat. Also low in cholesterol
yet high in dietary fibre.
It contains 96% water. It is rich in iron and also
has vitamins C and B complex.
It has sodium,  potassium making it suitable 
vegetable for hypertensive patients.
It is excellent for light, low cal diets, good for 
small children, people with digestive problems,
diabetics and convalescents.
Its high water content makes it very cooling. 
The cooked Bottle Gourd is cooling, calming,
diuretic and easy to digest. It is also effective 
against constipation and other digestive disorders. 
Bottle gourd is very valuable in treating urinary 
disorders. A glassful of fresh juice prepared by
grating it then make it's juice and mix  with 
teaspoonful of lime juice and include it in daily
diet.
Benefits of Bootle Gourd the ' lauki '  Juice :
The Bottle Gourd juice is used in treatment
of stomach acidity, indigestion and ulcers.
A glass of lauki juice with a little salt added
to it prevents excessive loss of sodium, quenches
thirst & helps in preventing fatigue. excessive loss 
of sodium, satiating thirst and keeping you refreshed
in summer. Juice from its leaves is good for jaundice.
Bottle Gourd or Lauki is one of the best vegetables 
we have from our mother nature but it is pity that
lots of kid in India do not like to eat it.
This  veggie soothes the body's nervous system and
helps you relax.
It also cures constipation.
Remember always choose small size lauki instead 
of the larger ones because there are less chances 
that the smaller one grows with the help of injections.
Do not buy very green and smooth surface lauki.