Winter Melon

Often, we buy, cook, and eat the same vegetables over and over again. We enjoy the familiarity and routine. We know 'what it is', 'how to cook it', and 'how it'll taste'. I too was stuck in this cycle. I bought, cooked, and ate the same things.

Sometimes, like Taylor Swift sings, it's good to "Shake It Off". Just dust off the cobwebs, break from the monotony, and introduce something fresh and new to our meals. I started by adding some vegetables which I was apathetic towards, when in fact, they have good nutritional value and taste good. That's how the Winter Melon returned to my palate.

Even though it`s widely available in India, I rarely ever incorporated them in our family`s diet. Recently after reacquainting myself with the health benefits of the Winter Melon, I have added it to our diets and consume it more often, in various forms.

As prepared in India, one way I cook Winter Melon is with lentils. It can also be juiced, or served in a salad. And because of its natural sweetness, it can also be used to make desserts.

In other Asian cuisines, it can be the base of a simple stir-fry or prepared in a soup. One of my favorites though, is the Winter Melon tea. I like to make concentrate from a big fruit and drink it through the day to keep my body cool.

All the these dishes are quite simple, but with huge benefits to our health. My husband and I enjoy Winter Melon as we feel it maintains our immunity levels and helps us lead a healthy life. 

The Winter Melon is native to South and Southeast Asia, and is known by different names in different parts of the world - ash, wax, or winter gourd. It's low in calories, high in fiber, and has a high water content, which is said help improve digestion and promote a healthy body weight.

The Winter Melon is also loaded with nutrients. It contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C, and possesses various minerals such as calcium, sodium, zinc, iron, and much more. Especially with its high potassium content, it helps maintain blood pressure levels.

If you find Winter Melon where you live, I suggest you buy, cook, and eat them too. Enjoy the benefits.