Bottle Gourd (lauki) or Ridge Gourd (turai): Which vegetable is better for weight loss

Green vegetables are part of a well-balanced weight loss meal. Low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber, veggies can keep you stay fuller for a longer time, provide you with nutrients essential for your body to function well and also help in an easy bowel movement.

In summers, lauki (Bottle gourd) and turai (Ridge Gourds) are two green veggies that are available in abundance. You can add these low in calories veggies to your diet as much as you want. They are also easy to cook and are extremely versatile. But if you have to choose one for weight loss, it can be quite difficult to make a choice. Let's find out which of the two veggies is healthy for weight loss.

116 grams of uncooked lauki contains 16 calories. The same serving of the veggies can provide about 13 per cent of the daily dietary recommendation of vitamin C and 7.3 per cent of zinc. Besides, it can provide a fair amount of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, riboflavin, thiamine and iron. It contains less than 1 gram of fat and 96 per cent water content.

Read more: Weight loss: Snack on THESE summer fruits to lose weight

The fiber content in lauki helps to increase satiety and promotes healthy digestive health. The vitamins and minerals in it can help to boost metabolism which can enhance the weight loss process. Regular intake of lauki can help to manage digestive health, reduce sleep issues, improve heart health and also promote better sleep at night.

Rich in dietary fiber, Ridge Gourd is loaded with healthy vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, zinc, iron, riboflavin, magnesium and thiamine. Just like lauki, ridge gourd is also low in calories. 100 grams of this green vegetable contains 15 calories and 94 per cent water. It is also rich in several health-friendly anti-oxidants.

Read more: Weight loss: Why 5:2 Intermittent fasting is the best for perimenopausal women to shed kilos

This summer special vegetable is also low in calories and packed with dietary fibres that are easily digested. Including it in your meal can help to improve digestion, leading to high metabolism and speedy weight loss. The compounds present in it can prevent the accumulation of fat in the body tissue. Moreover,the veggie helps to control blood sugar levels and manage cholesterol levels.

Both the veggies are extremely nutritious, low in calories and health-friendly. They help to lose weight in different ways and can be a great addition to your weight loss diet. You can add both of them to your meal alternatively. You can also have lauki juice on an empty stomach to reap more benefits of this green veggie.