Food & Nutrition
Health & Fitness
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Parenting Preparedness
Introduction
Gourds are members of the Cucurbitaceae family and are usually found growing on vines. When kids and parents hear the term ‘gourd’ their mind automatically flits to either bottle gourd aka lauki, or bitter gourd, better known as karela, whichever they fear or dislike the most. But these are just fussy food choices, as these vegetables are a rich source of nutrients with little scope of harming your kid’s health. Strangely enough, gourds have a high moisture content, which accounts for more than 90 percent of the edible weight portion. So, essentially, they are just healthy nutrients and water in a big vegetable. Many kids make faces when it comes to feeding them gourds, but here is the reveal. There are many other kinds of gourds to feed your kids other than bottle gourd and bitter gourd, though those are nutrient powerhouses on their own. Also, it is vital to introduce kids to all kinds of fish, fruits, and vegetables from a young age, to lower the risk of intolerances, allergies, and fussy eating. Here is a quick guide to gourds and why Indian kids need to eat more of these veggies for health.
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Kinds Of Gourds And Why Kids Should Eat Them
Gourds are of many kinds, but usually, these resistant varieties of nutritious vines grow on and off, throughout the year. Though multiple members exist of the gourd family, the popularly available ones in India are listed below.
Ridge Gourd
Ridge gourd, which is commonly known as turai or jhinge in India, is used in various kinds of curries and sauteed preparations across India. It is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A, and C, calcium, magnesium, iron, and antioxidants like phenolic compounds and flavonoids. As a result, ridge gourd is highly beneficial for kids as it reduces oxidative stress, prevents chronic diseases, improves digestive health, regulates blood sugar levels, and increases satiety. As a result, ridge gourd is also suitable for kids on a diet or requiring weight loss.
Pointed Gourd
Parwal or potol is a popular gourd variety seen in every Indian household. The humble vegetable possesses antibacterial and antiviral properties while preventing diseases ranging from influenza to jaundice. Rich in vitamins A, B, and C, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, pointed gourd also helps in monitoring and managing high cholesterol and high sugar levels.
Parwal or potol can be cooked in a variety of dishes, curries, or simply fried on their own, to enjoy with rice and chapatis.
Ivy Gourd
Ivy gourd, also known as tindora or kundru in the Indian subcontinent, resembles a cucumber internally, and in calories, being mostly water. With zero fats and cholesterol and a peel rich in dietary fiber, ivy gourd is full of antioxidants, vitamins A and B, potassium, zinc, and manganese. The vegetable also has antimicrobial, antiulcer, antidiabetic, anticancer, and hepatoprotective properties.
Ash Gourd
Also known as winter melon, wax gourd, or petha in India, ash gourd is full of fiber, vitamin C, zinc, copper, riboflavin, iron, carotenes, and flavonoids, making it a mini granary of nutrients for kids. Carotenes and flavonoids in ash gourds help protect kids from cell damage, diabetes, and heart diseases. Due to its inherent sweetness, ash gourds are also used to make sweets and desserts in Indian culture.
Bitter Gourd
Bitter gourd or karela, is a tropical, spiky vegetable, reputed for its bitterness and nourishment. So, the vegetable has quite a buzz, thanks to its appearance, taste, and benefits, since bitter gourd is a benevolent source of vitamins A, C, folate, iron, zinc, potassium, and fiber, it promotes healthy vision, good skin, strong bones, optimal blood sugar levels and maintains a healthy heart. Due to its rich levels of antioxidants, bitter gourd also has cancer-fighting and anti-metastasizing properties.
Bottle Gourd
Bottle gourd or lauki is named so for its bottle-like shape and elongated structure. One of the more popular gourd varieties, bottle gourd houses multiple nutrients ranging from calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium, to fiber, vitamins C, K, and more. Low in calories and high in hydration, bottle gourd boosts digestion in kids, improves liver function, and regulates blood pressure, thanks to its low sodium content.
Conclusion
Gourds have gained mass popularity in recent years, while Indian mothers and grandmothers have been harping on their benefits for generations. Still, if this fitness trend gets kids into the habit of consuming more gourds in their meals, so be it. But parents need to take care and ensure that their kid eats the seasonal gourds available at various points throughout the year. Since kids are smarter than computers nowadays, instead of trying to sneak gourds into their diet, it is ideal to sit them down for a conversation, address their displeasure regarding the vegetable, and prepare gourd dishes accordingly. After all, the goal is to incorporate more of these veggies into your kids' diet, not wage war on it.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
