Ivy Gourd or Kundru, which tastes like bitter melon, is used for food and numerous medicinal purposes.
The vibrant green vegetable Ivy Gourd is popular in traditional medicine as well as regional cuisines across Asia and Africa. Gradually, this vine plant is getting recognition for its wonderful nutritional value. In this article, we'll discuss unique health benefits of ivy gourd and how to consume this humble vegetable.
100 grams of Ivy gourd provides 18 calories energy, 3.1 g carbohydrates, Potassium, Calcium, Iron and Vitamin C in large quantities.
Say Goodbye to Sugar Spikes: In conventional medicine, Ivy gourd has been used to treat diabetes. Raw ivy gourd leaves can effectively improve glucose tolerance. Thus, ivy gourd deserves a place in your diet if you are suffering from diabetes.
Slim Down Naturally: Suffering from obesity and not getting time to perform exercise? Ivy gourd might help you. Ivy gourd’s anti-obesity properties prevent pre-adipocytes from converting into fat cells.
Beat the Burnout: Why do we feel fatigued immediately after some hardwork? It might be linked to iron concentration in your body. Iron-rich diet is advised for people who feel burn out frequently. Naturally loaded with iron, ivy gourd can reduce deficiency of iron in your body. It will make your body balanced and energized.
Guard Your Nerves: Abundance of Vitamin B complex along with other minerals and antioxidants help nervous system function effectively if you consume ivy gourd daily.
Your Green Shield: Ivy Gourd is effective against various common diseases like fever, asthma, jaundice, leprosy because of its antioxidant properties which destroy the damaging free radicals.
Soothe the Swell: High concentrations of phytochemicals including saponin, alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, and glycosides in the Ivy gourd protect the body against various anaphylactic disorders as well as allergies. As per recent reports, Ivy gourd can reduce inflammation in the body linked to chronic diseases. It also provides anti-cancerous properties by preventing cancer cells from multiplying.
Gut Guardian: Abundance of fiber in ivy gourd aid in digestion by improving regular bowel movements as well as preventing constipation. It also acts as a prebiotic helping beneficial gut bacteria to grow.
Ivy gourd is a staple in Indian, Indonesian, and Thai cuisines. You can daily enjoy the health benefits of ivy gourd with tasty recipes. Prepare nutritious and colourful stir-fry of ivy gourd along with other veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and beans.
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Traditionally, ivy gourd has been consumed as curry prepared with tomato, onion, and other spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Ivy gourd pickle is another famous dish in southern part of India. It is prepared with mustard seeds, fenugreek, chilli powder, and vinegar which can be a great accompaniment to your lunch or dinner. Thinly sliced ivy gourd can also be consumed as salads for amzing crunchy texture. Interestingly, the taste of ivy gourd might vary based on how to cut it before cooking. The long and thin cut is ideal for curry based items, while you can cut into ring-like pieces also.
Some experts raised the concerns about Ivy gourd consumption as it might interfere with diabetic and hypertension medicines. So, before consuming, you must consult with your doctor.
