Winter melon and ways to process it into medicine

Squash is a healthy food - Illustration photo

Healthy plants

Master Hoang Khanh Toan - former head of the Oriental Medicine Department (108 Central Military Hospital) - said that squash is a very healthy vegetable. The water content of squash is high, the young flesh is smooth, light and delicious without any fat.

According to modern research, in addition to protein, sugar and crude fiber, squash also contains vitamins and inorganic salts that the body needs. Every 500g of squash contains 8g of sugar, 1.5g of albumin, 6.1g of vitamin C and calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1 , B2 ...

In addition, squash contains high levels of vegetable oil, which is very beneficial for the skin and hair. Squash is effective in preventing and treating a number of diseases such as constipation, reducing inflammation, fighting coughs, asthma, etc.

Doctor Dinh Minh Tri (Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy) confirmed that processing squash properly can help prevent and support the treatment of many diseases:

- Overweight, obesity: Squash contains a lot of water, low energy, no fat at all, eating squash will help you feel full for a long time without worrying about the amount of calories you just consumed.

In particular, the chemical compound called hyterin-caperin in squash has the ability to prevent sugar from converting into fat, reducing fat accumulation in the body, making it ideal for treating obesity.

Drink 0.2 - 0.5 liters of squash juice every day to help lose weight quickly. However, note that squash is cool, so for those with cold constitutions, you should start with a small dose and gradually increase it to adapt.

The flesh of squash contains a lot of fiber which is very good for digestion. Vitamin B9, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A and minerals potassium, phosphorus, magnesium in squash also help to slim the waist, avoiding fat accumulation in the abdomen. The squash skin contains a lot of vitamins and minerals so instead of throwing it away, you can eat the skin, especially when the fruit is young.

- Detoxify the liver and cool the body: Winter melon is cool and sweet, has the effect of detoxifying, cooling, reducing phlegm, and diuretic. People with fatty liver and liver failure should use winter melon tea regularly to bring the best liver detoxification effect.

- Improve eyesight: Winter melon contains very high levels of vitamin B2, so eating winter melon helps reduce the risk of eye disorders and helps reduce oxidative stress in the retina.   Squash also helps reduce the risk of macular degeneration.

- Good for the heart: In addition to vitamins B2 and C, squash also contains a lot of potassium, which is why squash is called the "golden food" for the heart.

- Good for the digestive system: Winter melon contains fibrous fiber, which is extremely good for the intestines, helps the digestive system stay healthy and prevents constipation, stomach pain, bloating, etc. Winter melon's low calories, high fiber and high water content help improve digestion and promote healthy body weight.

- Beauty: Winter melon is also used in skin care and acne treatment. Winter melon extract is a remedy trusted by women, because it contains many vitamins A, B, C, E, anti-aging active ingredients and countless minerals necessary for the skin.

Knowing how to prepare it, squash is not only a delicious dish but also a medicine - Illustration photo

Delicious food - medicine

Master Toan said that according to Oriental medicine, squash is sweet, cold, has diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, cough-relieving, and weight-loss effects, and is an extremely good nutritious food in the hot season.

Regularly eating squash can not only be diuretic, eliminate dampness, but the coolness, heat-clearing and detoxifying properties of squash are beneficial for people with respiratory diseases with cough and phlegm due to heat, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, edema, liver disease, edema during pregnancy, constipation, cough, asthma, inflammation...

- Winter melon porridge to treat obesity : Winter melon 100g fresh squash with skin, 50g rice. Wash and cut squash into small pieces, wash rice, simmer both ingredients until porridge, eat several times a day, 1 small bowl each time.

Uses: Clears heat and detoxifies, diuretic, reduces swelling and quenches thirst; very suitable for overweight and obese people, people with edema, diabetes, sunstroke, heatstroke, urinary tract infections, children with skin diseases in the summer.

- Winter melon sweet soup to treat high fever and severe cough : 250g winter melon, peel, wash, slice and cook until soft, add a little rock sugar, divide into several servings a day, use continuously for 5-7 days. Suitable for cases of high fever and severe cough.

- Winter melon soup to treat broken bones: 150g winter melon, 100g pork ribs. Simmer the ribs until tender, remove the fat, then add winter melon, onions and spices to cook into soup. Used in cases of severe swelling at the fracture site.

- Winter melon peel water is diuretic and prevents kidney stones: 60g winter melon peel, 60g corn silk, 30g areca nut shell. Wash all, boil with 4 bowls of water until there is 1 bowl left, add a little rock sugar, divide into several drinks during the day. Has the effect of clearing heat, promoting urination, and eliminating fossils.

- Winter melon peel to treat edema: 100g winter melon peel, 100g horse bean, 2 liters of water. Put all in a pot and cook for 2 hours, then remove the residue and drink the water during the day. Uses: strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness, promotes urination and reduces edema.

- Treatment of prostate enlargement: 350g squash, 50g raw coix seed, sufficient amount of white sugar. Peel the squash, wash it, cut it into pieces; clean the coix seed. Cook both ingredients, add sugar, divide into several meals a day. This dish is good for people with prostate enlargement due to low heat in the bladder...

- Treatment of lipid disorders: 200g winter melon, 1 lotus leaf, 1 liter of water. Wash winter melon, cut into pieces; chop lotus leaves. Put both ingredients in a pot and cook for 1 hour, add a little salt, use as a soft drink.

Uses: clears heat, relieves irritation, promotes urination and reduces swelling, produces body fluids and quenches thirst. Very good for people with acne, mouth ulcers, obesity, lipid disorders, urinary tract infections...

- Prevent heatstroke, sunstroke: Squeeze 500g of squash to get the juice, add a little salt, divide into several servings to drink during the day. Or 500g of squash, 500g of watermelon, enough white sugar, squeeze to get the juice, add a little white sugar, divide into several servings to drink during the day.

Uses: good for the spleen, cooling and detoxifying, diuretic and edema-reducing. Very good as a summer beverage, effective in preventing sunstroke, heatstroke, acne, itching, prickly heat...

Although squash is very good, you should only eat squash 1-2 meals/week.

Losing weight with squash needs to be combined with a nutritious menu to avoid deficiencies that reduce the body's resistance.

Do not eat or drink raw squash because it has soapy properties and can cause digestive disorders and diseases.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bi-dao-va-nhung-cach-che-bien-thanh-thuoc-chua-benh-20240915223811217.htm