According to Ayurveda Ash gourd is used in men for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation and low sperm count. It helps in weight gain, relieves constipation, Cystitis, and UTI, is very good for brain health and improves skin glow and fairness.
Related Article Ayurveda Food and Diet for Erectile Dysfunction
Helps to improve male fertility
This fruit is eulogized as vrushya or aphrodisiac. Acharyas recommend using this fruit as an Ayurveda remedy for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. It is also beneficial in oligospermia ( low sperm count and motility) ayurvedic treatment. Regular consumption of this fruit helps to increase the quality and quantity of semen.
The pulp of the matured fruit helps to increase the quality and quantity of semen. Hence it is used in Vajikarana Therapy preparations. The herbal preparations of this fruit help to increase the body’s energy level and strength. It improves stamina and energy.
Helps in Weight Loss and PCOS
People who are suffering from obesity and want to lose weight can add this fruit to their ayurvedic PCOS or PCOD and weight loss diet. But you have to select a fully developed fruit. Finely chopped fruit can be added to salads and curries. It fills the stomach, has very low calories and more water, reduces hunger pangs, and satiates thirst.
Helps to Relieve Constipation
Ayurveda vaidyas praise this fruit as “vinmutraglapanam” . This means it helps in the easy evacuation of stools and urine. Cut the matured fruit’s pulp into big cubes and boil them in water, till they are half cooked. Use this water for soups and consume the cooked fruit. This helps to relieve constipation. Including cooked pulp in diet or consumption of juice helps in conditions like bleeding piles. This is a very good natural ayurvedic remedy for constipation.
The seeds of ash gourd are very effective on intestinal parasites.
Benefits brain to improve memory power
This fruit is classified as “medhya” which means it acts as a brain tonic. Ash gourd normalizes sleeping patterns and is very helpful in patients with insomnia.
Grate pulp of fully matured Benincasa Hispida (ash gourd) fruit. Squeeze it and extract its juice. Mix it with an equal quantity of water. Drink this juice on an empty stomach daily. This helps to increase memory power, heal stomach ulcers and reduce acidity. It also acts as a brain tonic.
Improves skin health and Glow
Its pulp can be applied to burns and skin rashes. This reduces burning sensation and irritation. The juice of leaves helps to reduce irritation caused by dry skin. Apply the crushed pulp of ash gourd on the skin which is affected by burns. It cools the burns and helps to heal quickly. The juice of leaves can be used in the same way.
Ash Gourd Face Pack
This vegetable improves the moistness of the skin. Grate the pulp of the fruit and mix a teaspoon of masoor dal flour (red lentil flour). Apply this face pack in summer. It helps to reduce acne, pimple, scars, and blemishes. It also increases the glow and fairness of skin.
When heat boils appear on the skin, mix the juice of this fruit with besan flour or gram flour and apply it as a pack on the affected skin.
Helps in Cystitis and UTI
The seeds help to reduce the internal heat of the body in summer. It helps in cystitis and acts as a diuretic. The pulp and seeds are very useful in kidney stones. Grate the pulp of this fruit (around 1 cup). Squeeze the water into a glass. Blend the pulp with half a glass of water and squeeze again. Drink this juice twice daily for CYSTITIS and UTI.
Help to gain body weight.
Persons who are skinny and want to gain weight can rely on this fruit. It is recommended in Ayurveda weight gain therapy or brumhana therapy. Kushmanda helps persons who are recuperating from illness to gain back their lost energy and nutrients.
Regular consumption of slices of ash gourd treated with sugar syrup help to increase body weight. This is useful in patients who have lost weight due to tuberculosis. Patients affected by tuberculosis of the lungs are benefited from the use of this fruit. It strengthens the lungs and body.
Ash Gourd in Ayurveda
The fruit Kushmanada belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae. Its botanical name is Benincasa Hispida . It is also known as ash gourd or wax gourd. This plant trails on the ground and has hairy leaves. The young fruit is hairy. The fruit loses its hair and gets a waxy coat when matures. The length of matured fruit will be 1-1.5 ft. This plant is cultivated in South East Asia. The seeds of this fruit are flat and white in color.
Fruits of this plant are widely used for cooking in India, Pakistan, and China. Many delectable dishes like peta, (a sweet dish), soups, and curries are prepared with this fruit.
Texts of Ayurveda mention this fruit with different names.
- kushmaanda- the seeds of this fruit do not have hot properties. that means they act as body coolants.
- pushpaphala – this fruit grows along with the flower
- bruhatphala – a very huge fruit
- valleephala – it grows on a creeper.
It is known by different names in Indian local languages.
Hindi – peta, rakasaa, bhatua
punjabi – peta
bengali – kumadaa
gujaraati – bhuru kohal
telagu – gummadi
marathi – dudhi bopla
malayalam – kumpalam
arabic – mahadab
Texts of Ayurveda explain the health benefits of this fruit as follows
Matured Fruit is light to digest (laghu) and sweet to taste (madhura rasa). It cools the body (sheeta veerya) and acts as a brain tonic. It improves the moistness of tissues (snigdha). It balances Vata Dosha and Pitta Dosha
Moderately ripe ash gourd increases Kapha dosha and matured fruit balances all three doshas.
WhatsApp or email Dr.Savitha Suri @ drsavithasuri@gmail.com, + 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatment and Remedies
Author – Dr.Savitha Suri. Consultant ayurvedic physician.
Reference – The Pharmacological Importance of Benincasa hispida. A review
Call us at +91 9945995660 / +91 9448433911
WhatsApp + 91 6360108663/
