You may not be a fan of the humble lauki, but it has so many health benefits that you can’t afford to ignore it. Here’s why bottle gourd is the vegetable for you.

Ghiya, we can all agree, is one of the most ignored vegetables out there. Blame it on the simple way of eating this humble vegetable or on the lack of taste, we don’t think twice about leaving it out of our regular diet—not even for the sake of our health.

However, you’re going to change this habit and want to eat more of it when you get to know about the multiple benefits that can literally turn your health around for good.

With a high water content of almost 92%, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and fibre, lauki is anything but a lowkey vegetable.

If you don’t believe us, check out its scientifically-proven health benefits and start consuming its juice or your mom’s lauki ki sabji, got it?

1. It’s a great memory booster
As per a study published in the International Research Journal of Pharmacy, lauki has the highest content of choline (an essential nutrient) among all the vegetables known to man till date which plays an important role in retaining and enhancing memory. So, if you’re a student trying to cram theories or an adult, who wants to prevent memory-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s during old age, consuming lauki is all you need.

2. It’s great for your heart health as well
The study quoted above also mentions the high potassium content present in lauki, which makes it a natural blood-pressure regulator—for those, who suffer from hypertension. Apart from this, it can even help keep your cholesterol in check. Both these factors make bottle gourd the perfect heart-friendly food.

3. The best part—it can help you lose weight
The same study also talks about the weight-loss promoting properties of lauki—thanks to its high-fibre content. Since fibre takes time to get digested, eating lauki means feeling satiated for a long time and avoiding unnecessary food cravings. It’s high water content also ensures that you stay hydrated, keeping your metabolism fast and working with full force.

4. It boosts immunity as well
In a study published in February 2014, researchers observed that consuming lauki on an empty stomach protected the subjects of the study from several diseases such as artery diseases, liver problems, diabetes, etc. This is because lauki is packed with antioxidants that help fight off harmful toxins in the body and boost immunity.