Ash gourd is one of the popular vegetables in many Indian households. Whether it is a sweet dish or a savory, or even juice, this vegetable serves the purpose. Ash gourd is fuzzy, thick white flesh and is famous as a wax gourd, Chinese watermelon, white gourd, and winter melon. In this article, we have presented you with the list of Ash gourd benefits and some quick recipes you can try to reap those benefits. Read on to know more!

What is Ash Gourd?

Ash Gourd’s botanical name is Benicasa Hispida, whose roots are in Southeast and South Asia. This vegetable weighs 3-5 kg, is about 8-12 cm in length, is round, greyish with a waxy finish. This vegetable has a neutral taste similar to cucumber, making it an excellent addition to stews, salads, curries in Indian and Chinese cuisines.

The name of this fruit comes from its powdery ash-colored coating, and it has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese traditional medicine. However, not all these benefits are backed by science. Ash gourd is also called as

• Neer poosanikai in Tamil.
• Kumbalanga in Malayalam.
• Bodidha gummadi kaaya in Telugu.
• Budugumbala in Kannada.
• Petha kaddu in Hindi.
• Komara in Assamese.
• Chal Kumro in Bengali.

Ash Gourd Nutrition Facts:

Ash gourd is very low in carbs, protein, fat, calories, and 96% of Ash gourd is water. Here is the list of nutrients you can find in 100 grams of raw ash gourd:

• 13 calories.
• Less than one gram of protein.
• 3 grams of carbs.
• Less than one gram of fat.
• 14% DV of Vitamin C.
• 8% DV of Riboflavin.
• 6% DV of Zinc.
• It also has small amounts of several B vitamins, copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron, not exceeding 3% DV.

Ash Gourd (Winter Melon) Benefits:

Here is the list of Ash gourd benefits that can be helpful for the healthy maintenance of your body.

1. Improves Digestion:

One of the main Ash gourd health benefits is that it improves digestion because it is high in water and low in calories and fiber. Which in turn helps you maintain healthy body weight. According to research, consuming water-dense, low-calorie foods like ash gourd might help people lose weight (1).