Don't overlook the health benefits of gourds.

Gourd is a familiar food, containing a lot of water and little energy, making it suitable to add to a daily diet. (Source: Suckhoedoisong)

Gourd is a familiar food in the meals of many Vietnamese families. This fruit contains a lot of water, is low in calories, and contains several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, B vitamins, iron, and phosphorus.

According to physician Bui Dac Sang of the Hanoi Traditional Medicine Association, 100g of fresh gourd provides only about 14 kcal, 0.6g of protein, and 2.9g of carbohydrates. Because of this, gourd can be added to meals that require increased vegetable intake, especially when prepared in simple ways such as boiling or making soup.

In traditional medicine, gourds are sweet and slightly cooling, used to clear heat, detoxify, relieve discomfort, promote bowel movement, and act as a diuretic. Some sources note that gourds are used in cases of internal heat, thirst, or difficulty urinating.

However, these are the uses noted in traditional medicine. Eating gourds cannot replace medication or treatment for conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, or urinary tract disorders.

The water in the bottle only contributes to supplementing fluids obtained through diet and does not replace medically prescribed fluid replacement.

Not only the fruit, but also the leaves, tendrils, flowers, and seeds of the gourd are used in folk medicine for various purposes. However, remedies from these parts are mainly based on experience or the theories of traditional medicine, and people with health problems should consult a doctor to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

An important note is that you should choose young, fresh gourds with a normal taste for cooking. If the gourd tastes unusually bitter, you should not continue to eat it because some bitter gourds may contain cucurbitacin, a compound that can cause poisoning.