Gourd

The calabash, bottle gourd, or white-flowered gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, also known by many other names that include: opo squash, long melon, suzza melon, New Guinea bean and Tasmania bean is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe. The fresh fruit has a light-green smooth skin and a white flesh.

Bottle gourd is a very important crop in India. The fruit in green stage and leaves with stem are used as vegetable. The hard shell of the fruit is used for different purpose.

The seed is sown from January to end of February for summer crops. June – July for rainy season crop in the plains and April in the hills. Layout is ring and basin used.

•  Bottle gourd juice has a cooling effect on your body and keeps your body hydrated especially during summers.

•  Bottle gourd juice is widely used for weight loss.

•  Bottle gourd is rich in dietary fibre, both, soluble and insoluble. Hence, it helps in curing constipation, flatulence and even piles. It is also easy to digest.