Bottle Gourd (Lauki)

The vegetable with a PR problem.

92% water, nearly zero calories, rich in vitamin C and fibre — and easier to digest than almost anything on this list.

Lauki has spent centuries being the unsung hero of Indian kitchens while everyone else hogged the spotlight. Here's the truth: it's deeply hydrating, incredibly gentle on the gut, and — when cooked right — genuinely delicious. Our bottle gourds are picked young, when the skin is tender and the seeds are barely formed. Fold it into a kofta curry, simmer it into a halwa, or juice it for a wellness drink that doesn't taste like penance.