White Gourd Porridge

[Porridge Recipes]

[Porridge Composition] 80-100 grams of fresh white gourd with skin, or 10-15 grams of dried winter melon seeds and 30 grams of fresh ones, and an appropriate amount of japonica rice.

[Efficacy and Indications] Promotes diuresis, reduces edema, clears heat and toxins, helps with occasional restlessness and thirst. Applicable for edema with abdominal distension, difficult urination, including acute and chronic nephritis with edema, cirrhotic ascites, beriberi edema, obesity, heat-induced restlessness and oppression, dry mouth and thirst, cough due to Lung heat, and phlegm-associated dyspnea.

[Boiling Method] First, wash the white gourd, cut it into small pieces, and boil it together with an appropriate amount of japonica rice to make a thin porridge, which can be consumed at will. Alternatively, boil the seeds of the white gourd in water, strain out the dregs, and use the liquid to boil rice into porridge.

[Explanation of Congee Efficacy] White gourd, also known as wax gourd, pillow gourd, winter melon, and water melon, is an ideal everyday food for relieving heat and promoting diuresis. Its seeds, skin, flesh, and pulp can all be used as medicine.

White gourd is an excellent vegetable in summer and autumn and has a long history of medicinal use. It was first recorded in China’s earliest pharmacopoeia, Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, which stated that white gourd could “make the skin smooth and radiant, nourish qi to helps with occasional hunger, and with long-term use, promote lightness of the body and delay aging.” Subsequent medical texts in later dynasties provided even more detailed descriptions. For example, Tang Dynasty’s Meng Shen’s Shi Liao Ben Cao stated that it could “nourish qi and delay aging, helps with occasional fullness in the chest and Heart, and reduce heat in the head and face.” Ben Cao Cong Xin recorded that it could “clear Heart fire, purge Spleen fire, promote dampness elimination and dispel wind, reduce swelling and quench thirst, and helps with occasional summer heat and transform heat.” Qing Dynasty’s Wang Shixiong’s Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu further noted that it could “clear heat, nourish the stomach and generate fluids, eliminate filth and supports restlessness, resolve abscesses and promote diuresis, supports abdominal distension, helps with occasional diarrhea and cholera, and detoxify fish and alcohol poisoning. It also supports edema and helps with occasional summer damp-heat.” Using white gourd to make porridge for consumption is actually an effective folk supports for edema. Qing Dynasty’s Huang Yunhu collected the porridge therapy experiences of the masses and included them in his book Zhou Pu. He believed that white gourd porridge could not only promote diuresis and reduce swelling but also “dispel heat, benefit the stomach, and nourish the Spleen.” He also mentioned that “the seeds (i.e., white gourd seeds) nourish qi and awaken the Spleen, and can be stir-fried and ground for inclusion in porridge.”

In traditional Chinese medicine, white gourd is considered sweet and bland in taste, cool in nature, and non-toxic. Its skin, seeds, flesh, and pith all have diuretic and heat-clearing effects, with the skin having a particularly pronounced diuretic action. Someone once conducted an experiment: For patients with non-renal edema, 2 liang of white gourd skin was decocted and taken alone, along with drinking 1000 milliliters of water. It was found that the volume of urine excreted significantly increased within 2 hours after ingestion. Therefore, when cooking porridge for consumption, it is better to cook it with the skin on for better results.

White gourd is also rich in nutrients, containing proteins, sugars, crude fiber, inorganic salts, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B2, vitamin C, etc. Due to its low sodium content and diuretic effect, it becomes an ideal food for individuals with Kidney wellness, edema, and obesity.

[Precautions] For the supports of edema patients with white gourd porridge, it should be consumed regularly and persistently to achieve satisfactory results. Generally, a course of supports lasts for 10 to 15 days, with the porridge taken twice a day, in the morning and evening. Do not add salt when cooking the porridge.

Q1: How to make white gourd porridge with skin?

A1: To make white gourd porridge with skin, use 80-100 grams of fresh white gourd, ensuring the skin is thoroughly washed but left intact to maximize nutrients. Combine it with an appropriate amount of japonica rice and cook until the rice is soft and the porridge thickens, typically simmering for about 30-40 minutes.

Q2: What are the health benefits of white gourd porridge?

A2: White gourd porridge offers several health benefits, including promoting diuresis, reducing edema, and clearing heat and toxins from the body. It is particularly helpful for conditions like acute or chronic nephritis with edema, cirrhotic ascites, and occasional restlessness or thirst.

Q3: Can white gourd porridge help with weight loss?

A3: Yes, white gourd porridge is beneficial for weight loss due to its diuretic properties, which help reduce water retention and edema. It is also low in calories and can be part of a balanced diet to support obesity management, as noted in traditional uses for weight loss.

Q4: Why is white gourd porridge good for edema?

A4: White gourd porridge is effective for edema because it promotes diuresis, helping to expel excess fluid from the body. This makes it suitable for conditions like abdominal distension, difficult urination, and edema associated with nephritis or cirrhosis.

Q5: How does white gourd porridge promote diuresis?

A5: White gourd porridge promotes diuresis through the natural compounds in the white gourd, especially when the skin is included. The ingredients like fresh white gourd with skin or winter melon seeds enhance urine production, aiding in relieving water retention and supporting kidney function.