It’s not often that we hear about Chinese Preserving Melon. In fact, I didn’t hear about this until I studied Chinese Medicine.
This Melon, also known as Benincasa Hispida or Ash Gourd, has unique healing properties when ingested into the human body. Descriptions of the gourd’s medicinal value can be found in Chinese texts from the 5th-6th century AD (well over one thousand years ago).
Ash gourd or Benincasa hispida, is a unique melon eaten mostly in India and China. It is often cubed and added to soups in Asian cooking. However, the Yogis of India have long regarded ash gourd as one of the most naturally energizing foods due to its high quotient of what Yogic science refers to as “prana”, or vital life energy.
Below are the benefits of Ash Gourd written by the Isha foundation;
“Four Ash Gourd Benefits
#1 Sharpness of Mind
If you drink one glass of ash gourd juice in the morning you will see tremendous amounts of coolness in the body, while at the same time it brings alertness into you. Daily consumption of ash gourd greatly enhances your intellectual capabilities. In particular, children must drink ash gourd juice. If you drink it for one week, you will notice a distinct change in the sharpness of your mind. Every day, if you drink a glass of ash gourd juice in the morning, you will see it will do wonders for your intellect. Your intellect will be very sharp and it brings energy without agitation in the system. Daily consumption of ash gourd will do miracles to you.
#2 Increased Energy
Consumption of ash gourd brings an enormous amount of energy, at the same time it keeps your nerves very calm. If you drink coffee, it gives you energy with agitation. If you drink a glass of ash gourd, it gives you enormous amount of energy, and still keeps you calm.
#3 Constipation, Piles, Boils
If you consume a little bit of ash gourd juice, it cools down the system. This is beneficial for people who excess heat in the body, which can produce problems like boils, piles (hemorrhoids) and constipation problems.
#4 Cooling Caution
People who are susceptible to problems such as colds, asthma, and sinusitis should be a little careful with ash gourd because it creates too much coolness in the system. Such people should always mix it with honey or pepper and drink it, so that the cooling effect is neutralized to some extent.
Additional Ash Gourd Health Benefits:
According to a 2001 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, ash gourd extracts inhibited the development of ulcers when tested in rats. The extracts were also found to be nontoxic.
A 2005 study also published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology indicates that ash gourd seed extracts illustrate anti-angiogenic qualities. Simply put, the plant inhibited the essential supply of blood to cancerous tumors.
As per a 2000 preliminary study published in Fitoterapia, ash gourd juice significantly suppressed morphine withdrawal symptoms in rats. Thus, the juice holds the potential in treating patients with opioid addiction.
A 1995 study published in the Jiangsu Journal of Agricultural Sciences found that compounds in ash gourd illustrated strong kidney protection benefits when tested in rats with kidney damage.
A 2005 study published in the Iranian Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics affirms ash gourd’s traditional use as an anti-diarrheal agent.
According to a 2010 study published in the International Journal of Pharmacology, methanolic extracts of ash gourd seeds showed strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential.
A 2003 study outlined in the Korean Journal of Nutrition affirmed ash gourd’s traditional use as an anti-diabetic agent: when measured in rats, the vegetable’s powder positively affected glucose, insulin, cholesterol, free fatty acid, and HDL-cholesterol levels.
According to a 2003 study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology, ash gourd extracts illustrated anti-depressant activities in rats. “
As you can see from the above, Ash Gourd has been enhancing human life for over a thousand years. In order to buy Ash Gourd, you must locate an organic grocery store that has no additives or genetically modified tampering with the vegetable.
The fruit can be bought for well under $10.
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We The People
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