Apple gourd is also known as Indian baby pumpkin, Indian squash, or Tindi. Apple gourd origins from India but can also be found in South  Asia, Southeast Asia and the other warm tempered countries. Just like the Health Benefits of Tiger Nuts, it can also be considered as Indian super food for apple gourd benefits.
Apple Gourd Benefits and Its Nutrition Value
Apple gourd might seem like light green round fruit, but it is actually a kind of vegetable. The diameter of an apple gourd is about 2 inch with 50-60 grams in weight. Just like melon, pumpkin, and cucumber, apple gourd also contain much water. 94% part of this vegetable is made of water. The water composition makes apple gourd to have cooling and refreshing effect for our body. Besides, apple gourd has many nutritious values which is beneficial for our body. In every 100 grams of apple gourd contains:
- 94% water content
- 21 calories
- 1.4% protein
- 0.2 grams fat
- 3.6 grams carbohydrate
- 1.6 grams fiber
- 25 mg calcium
- 24 mg phosphorus
- 0.9 mg iron
- 0.04 mg thiamine
- 0.08 mg riboflavin
- 0.3 mg niacin
- 18 mg vitamin C
- 18 mg carotene
Since Apple gourd contains many nutrition, it leads some opinion to arise that this vegetable has some benefits for health such as Benefits of Eating Apple for Breakfast. Here are the health benefits of apple gourd.
- Prevents constipation
Since most part of the apple gourd consists of water, apple gourd is very good for the digestion system. It will also avoid constipation since the dietary fiber and the containing water will ease the digestion system’s work during the excretion. In addition, the dietary fiber is able to control bowel movement while blocking toxic absorption.
- Relieves stomach acidity
Apple gourd is good for those in the recovery stage since it is very light in the stomach. The apple gourd extract can also reduce the stomach acidity by balancing pH in stomach.
- Maintain healthy skin
Besides the benefits for the digestion organs, the water in apple gourd is very good for the skin. It is able to provide the hydration needed by the skin. Therefore, skin will remain smooth and glowing.  Apple gourd can also be used as facial masker to rejuvenate skin. The seed of apple gourd is also surprisingly beneficial for skin since it provides healthy nutrients for skin. We can use the apple gourd seed as body scrub to lift all the dried and dull skin. You can also check the other natural Skin treatment
- Slows aging process
Apple gourd contains ample of antioxidant. Antioxidant is the main components in slowing the aging process. It will also keep the skin healthy and prevent wrinkle. The ability to slower the aging process is not only appearing on skin. It will also slower the other sign of aging such as cataract formation in the eye, grayish hair, bone degeneration, and even dementia which hit the brain.
- Keeps healthy hair
The combination between antioxidant and the dominant water in the apple gourd are very beneficial to maintain healthy hair. The water will properly hydrate hair, so that it is bale to repair dry and dull hair. In addition, the antioxidant prevents the hair of getting decolorized. The other plant which is able to maintain the healthy hair is attaches in  Benefits of Apple For Hair
- Strengthens brain
Besides the fruit meat, apple gourd benefits can also be found from its seed. The seed even provides omega 6 fatty acid which is good for brain. It helps the brain cells growing. It will also help the body repair system. The other kinds of seed which is beneficial for health is attached in Health Benefits of Apricots Seeds
- Reduces fever
As we know that the antidote to a fever is water. Therefore, it is true that consuming apple gourd is praised by its ability to reduce fever. In order to do so, we can either consume the apple gourd or make paste from apple gourd and put in on to the forehead to lower the body’s temperature. this is one of the apple gourd benefits which had been used for a long time.
- Loses weight
The high dietary fiber  in apple gourd is very good for those with weight loss program. The composition of water and fiber in apple gourd is able to make a sense of fullness in a longer time, so that we don’t feel like eating for some time. By delaying eating time, it enables the body to optimize the metabolism system and allow the nutrition optimally absorbed. Apple gourd will also help the detoxification process which is good for weight loss.
- Maintains healthy kidney
One of the Apple Gourd Benefits for Health is that the consumption of apple gourd will be able to release toxin easier, since the water composition of apple gourd is able to promote urine. It can also help in preventing kidney stones.
- Relieves pain and swelling
The other health benefits of apple gourd that it has cooling and healing effect to our body. It is also beneficial to relieve pain and swelling. We can use fresh apple gourd paste and apply it on to the body of which it feels painful. The water in apple gourd will help to cool down the pain and reduce swelling.
- Beneficial Anthelmintic
One of the surprising apple gourd benefits is that apple gourd is able to be the Anthelmintic medicine. Anthelminthic is a substance which is able to fight parasite in the body such as tapeworm, round worm, and other parasites. Experts suggest to drink apple gourd juice, since the apple gourd extract will be able to paralyze the parasite. The effect is similar with common anthelmintic medicine.
- Boosts immune system
Among the nutrition values of apple gourd, there is certain type of protein named globulin. Globulin is protein contained in apple gourd seed as well in our blood. It acts to boost immunity and circulate the nutrients transportation in blood. Therefore, some experts recommend to consume apple gourd along with the seed since its health benefit to boost immune system by providing the needed of globulin. another  seed which has health benefits is attached in Health Benefits of Apricots Seeds
- Prevents cancer
Apple gourd with its antioxidant property is very good to fight against free radicals. Free radical is one of the factors to cause cancer. In addition to the apple gourd benefits, it is able to protect men from prostate cancer for its ability to avoid the inflammation on the prostate.
- Prevents heart disease
As the ample antioxidant  in apple gourd, this fruit-vegetable can also protect heart from any disease such as coronary heart. Apple gourd is low in fat and high in fiber which is effective to control blood pressure and maintain the healthy heart. It will also reduce cholesterol absorption in intestine. We know that cholesterol is the main cause of many heart diseases. People in Pakistan even use the leaves of apple gourd as traditional medicine to regulate blood pressure.
- Maintains healthy genital
We can see the result of the other health benefits of apple gourd to cure leucorrhea by regularly consume apple gourd juice. Leucorrhea appears in the state of unbalanced pH in women genital organ. The symptom can be notified by whitish yellow mucus excretion from the genital organ. In this case, apple gourd is able to restoring the natural pH balance in our body, including in women’s genital. in addition, keeping the genital hygiene will support the treatment using apple gourd benefits.
- Good for diabetics
A research concluded that apple gourd has low calorie but high dietary fiber. It is very useful for people with diabetes, since it helps to control sugar absorption and able to lower the blood sugar. Just like cucumber, apple gourd’s peel is also edible. And surprisingly, the peel also has its benefits for health, such as the photochemical  in apple gourd peel which is effective to lower the blood sugar. Therefore, consuming the immature apple gourd freshly along with the peel is good for diabetics.
- Antibacterial property
A study revealed that extract of apple gourd seeds was effective to fight Candida albicans. Candida albicans is the bacteria  in the mucus membrane such as genital organ, and mouth. It is also the main culprit of the genital infection. We can find Candida albicans in people with HIV infection. Tannins and phytocemicals in apple gourd attribute big role in becoming the antibacterial property for human body.
Cautions in consuming apple gourd
Despite the apple gourd benefits for health, it also has its side effect. Nevertheless, apple gourd only has minor side effect. The side effect will only appear during long term excessive consumption. For example, the consumption in 4 weeks a row will drastically lower the blood pressure. This case is not good for those with the low blood pressure. The excessive consumption of apple gourd also lowers body semen production.
Recommended intake to gain apple gourd benefits
Among  the health benefits of apple gourd, there is no certain study result recommends the exact amount of apple gourd intake to limit the consumption since this vegetable has very little side effect. Further, we can consume apple gourd regularly in the proper amount by adding it to our meal and drink. We can cook Apple gourd into any kinds of cooking, since it goes will with spices such as curry.
We can also add the fresh cut of apple gourd to our vegetable salad. Apple gourd will also good to make as apple gourd pickle for its crunchy and refreshing taste. The last, you can also consume the apple gourd in a form of juice. You can add the juice with natural sweetener to optimize the health benefits of consuming apple gourd. You can also use honey as it has Health Benefits of Honey