According to us, Lauki juice for the heart is GRAVE.

What is Lauki juice?

Lauki, also known as bottle gourd, is that pale green skinned vegetable we all despised as kids.

It is commonly found in the Tropical Africa, and North-eastern India region. 

It has a white flesh,and seeds are edible.

The juice extracted from this vegetable is called lauki juice, or bottle gourd juice.

Around 100ml of lauki juice every morning is known to be effective.

The taste is neutral.

Also, one needs to consume the juice immediately as it oxidizes quite fast.

How does it help the heart?

Bottle gourd juice is said to have

• High water content
• Essential micro nutrients (vitamin C, K and calcium)
• Low saturated fats

Owing to these properties, it is said to be a great cure for:

• Lowering blood lipid levels 
• Reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. 
• Cholesterol
• Inflammation

It is also popularly recommended post bypass surgeries.

The high water content helps with metabolism, and flushes out toxins from the body. Due to this, the risks of heart burns or inflammation decreases. You can also lose weight due to this.

Low saturated fats and nutrients helps in maintaining a healthy heart and brings down bad cholesterol levels. 

The juice is also beneficial for diabetic patients as it stabilizes the blood sugar level and maintains blood pressure.

Why must you avoid it?

As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, bottle gourd contains toxic tetracyclic triterpenoid compounds called cucurbitacins. These are responsible for the bitter taste and toxicity. This causes poisoning if consumed regularly.

There is no known antidote for this poisoning.

Management includes control of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and management of shock, for example, adequate isotonic fluid resuscitation and blood transfusions if necessary. Antibiotics are frequently administered to prevent and treat supervening infections. However, no sustainable method is available in the immediate market.

Some personal experience:

Alisha, 31 years old, living in New Delhi, India, tried lauki juice for 1 month. 

She was a patient of high cholesterol and diabetes.

It did not work for her.

In fact, she faced issues of:

• Nausea
• Ulcers
• Vomiting blood
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain
• Kidney problems

Can it happen to you too?

Yes.

Lauki might be effective…..

….but look at the side effects.

DEFINITELY NOT worth it.

Which is why, consuming lauki juice everyday is a big no no.

What to do next?

It is important to find more sustainable alternatives.

Some of them are:

• Food choices
  • Eat plenty of whole foods:  fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, fish (preferably oily fish-at least twice per week), nuts, legumes and seeds. 
  • Select lower fat dairy products and poultry (skinless). 
  • Limit sugar-sweetened beverages 
  • Avoid red meat
• Lifestyle choices
  • Exercise regularly
  • Manage stress
  • Get good sleep
  • Avoid tobacco and alcohol
• Health drinks: You can opt for organic health drinks with whole foods ( no extracts or supplements). A lot of options are available in the market, explore and see what’s the best for you.

We personally stand by Kalmegh bitters. Its goodness of organic whole foods and antioxidant properties can help you prevent a lot of chronic illnesses, especially heart diseases.

Make a switch in your life for a better tomorrow.

Follow the regime that makes you the best of you.

Is it safe to drink bottle gourd juice?

It is safe to drink bottle gourd juice, but only in moderate amounts. Daily consumption can lead to accumulation of several toxins in your body, causing:

• Nausea
• Ulcers
• Vomiting blood
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain
• Kidney problems

Hence, once in a while to feel fresh and good. YES.

Everyday as a routine. NO.

Why should we choose Lauki juice over powder? 

This can largely depend upon your personal requirements and preferences. However, a general direction of why Lauki juice is better than Lauki powder are: 

• Cost effective: Due to the high moisture retention of lauki, the processing into powder is generally expensive. Hence, they are sold at around Rs. 500/ kg in the Indian market. This is relatively expensive with respect to bitter gourd juice, which is sold at around Rs 150/ L. 
• Organic: Bitter gourd juice is more organic and raw when compared to bitter gourd powder. It requires less processing and fortification. 
• Convenience: Lauki juice can be made and stored in the fridge, with a shelf life of 2 weeks. This way, it requires less energy, less resources, and less dishes. While lauki powder requires you to mix a glass of it in water, which means more resources and dishes. It is also time consuming in the long run. 
• Nutritional advantage:

Lauki juice holds more nutritional value than lauki powder. Here’s a table of nutrition facts:

	LAUKI JUICE ( per 100 ml/ serving size)	LAUKI POWDER ( per 30g / serving size)
Potassium	170mg	150mg
Sodium	2mg	2mg
Carbohydrate	3.69g	3.47g
Dietary fiber	1.2g	0.5g
Protein	0.6g	0g
Sugar	0g	0.7g
Saturated fat	0.02g	0g

Hence, lauki juice is generally better, and Kalmegh juice is even safer.

Is raw bottle gourd harmful?

Yes.

As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, bottle gourd contains toxic tetracyclic triterpenoid compounds called cucurbitacins.

It could harm the stomach and digestive system, causing ulcers and rarely multi-organ damage. 

Cooking it can help break down the organic compound, hence, raw lauki is a big no no.

Can Lauki juice cause death?

In severe cases, yes.

The bitter bottle gourd contains compounds that may cause complications and even death.

Hence, you must be extremely careful with it, and not consume it on a daily basis.

How to treat lauki juice poisoning? 

There is no such solid antidote for lauki juice poisoning.

Antibiotics are given under medical supervision to prevent further contagion of infection.

If the patient is lucky enough, they can be saved with adequate isotonic fluid resuscitation and blood transfusions if necessary. 

Antibiotics are frequently administered to prevent and treat supervening infections.