Bitter Melon - Health Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

Bitter melon, often known as bitter gourd, is a nutritious vegetable. Improves the condition of your skin, helps your lungs, and lowers your risk of developing diabetes.

Eating bitter melon can help reduce the risk of cancer and help eliminate any existing symptoms. In addition to its expectorant properties, bitter melon can help with inflammation, fungus, allergies, viruses, parasites, and more.

What is bitter melon? 

The vine known as bitter melon, bitter gourd, or Momordica charantia is native to the tropics and subtropics and is cultivated throughout Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. It has three distinct names since it is commonly found in different parts of the world and is a member of the same family as squashes, melons, and gourds.

The exterior of a bitter melon is exceedingly warty and ridged, and it is picked before it is fully mature to prevent it from being overly bitter. The benefits of this fruit, like those of other bitter fruits, are concentrated mostly in its flesh. After the fruit matures, a brilliant crimson pith develops, which is used by some cultures as a culinary ingredient.

Other names of bitter melon:

Bitter squash, bitter apple, bitter cucumber,  balsam pear

Nutritional value of bitter melon: 

Vitamin A, B1, B2, C, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, copper, and phosphorus can all be found in healthy quantities in bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd. Not only is it a wonderful source of dietary fibre, it also provides twice the amount of calcium that is present in spinach.

Furthermore, bitter melon is low in salt and very low in cholesterol. Incorporating this fruit into your diet is associated with numerous health benefits.

Taste of bitter melon: 

The flavour of bitter melon is extremely bitter and not at all sweet like that of other melons. Indeed, the riper the fruit is, the more bitter it becomes. Harsh melon is a fruit that can be eaten both for its green husk and its white flesh. While some people enjoy it fresh, the bitter taste is often lessened by cooking.

Bitter melon and diabetes:

Research has linked the consumption of bitter melon with a reduction in blood sugar levels. This is due to the fact that the bitter melon contains characteristics similar to insulin, which aid in transporting glucose into cells to be used as fuel.

Consuming bitter melon can improve glucose transport to the liver, muscles, and fat. The melon may also aid in nutrient retention by preventing glucose from being produced from them.

Health benefits of bitter melon: 

1. Aids in keeping blood sugar levels stable:

Polypeptide-p, also known as p-Insulin, is an insulin-like molecule found in bitter melon and contributes to the natural regulation of diabetes. Blood glucose levels in Type-2 Diabetics have been proven to be dramatically lowered by the regular use of optimal doses of bitter melon juice. Additional studies have indicated that bitter lemon enhances glucose uptake and glycemic control. Even those with Type 1 diabetes benefit from it.

2. Bitter melon relieves heartburn:

By reducing LDL cholesterol levels, bitter melon promotes cardiovascular wellness. Because of the potassium content, it helps keep blood pressure steady by counteracting the effects of sodium. Bitter melon's iron and folic acid content can protect your heart from a stroke.

3. Bitter melon is an effective blood purifier:

It aids in blood purification due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities. This, in turn, contributes to your skin's health and radiance. Incorporating bitter melon into your diet can help alleviate the symptoms of skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

4. Protects from various diseases

Antioxidants in bitter melon can boost defence mechanisms. By neutralising free radicals and other harmful substances produced during cellular metabolism, antioxidants provide an effective line of protection against a wide range of diseases. As a result, bitter melon helps prevent three potentially fatal conditions: heart disease, renal disease, and liver failure.

5. Helps you lose weight

You can't lose weight healthily without eating bitter melon if that's what you're trying to accomplish. The bitter melon has little calories, and it contains almost no carbs or lipids. Bitter melon is a great addition to any diet since it helps you feel full for longer after eating a smaller amount. Extracts from the bitter melon have been demonstrated in research to disrupt existing fat cells in the human body and halt the formation of new fat cells.

6. Helps with respiratory issues

Eat more bitter melon to help with respiratory issues like asthma, the common cold, and the cough. A morning dose of bitter melon leaf paste, combined with tulsi leaf paste and honey, is an effective treatment for respiratory issues.

7. Prevents cancer

Additionally to its antioxidant effects, bitter melon also inhibits the growth of tumours and prevents cancer. Tumour growth in patients with cervical, breast, and prostate cancers can be slowed or stopped by eating bitter melon. Inducing apoptosis, or cell death, in malignant cells is the primary reason for this.

8. Anti-fungal properties

Consumption of bitter melon in optimum quantities help to fight off various fungal infections as it possesses antifungal and antibacterial properties. These properties also help to remove toxins from the bloodstream which may cause various diseases in your body.

9. Helps in haemorrhoids problem

Hemorrhoid or piles is a very uncomfortable illness that may jeopardise your daily life. Bitter melon has anti-inflammatory properties which help to reduce or prevent the uncomfortable symptoms that are associated with this disease.

A paste created from the roots of the bitter melon plant when applied topically to the affected areas helps to reduce inflammation and also helps to reduce pain and bleeding.

10. Bitter melon good for eyes

Bitter melon is rich in compounds like beta-carotene and Vitamin A which are very beneficial for your eyes. It helps to deal with vision-related problems like cataract. Including bitter melon in your diet will help to prevent or at least delay the onset of this disease called cataract which causes partial blindness in your eyes.

Ways to use bitter melon in daily diet: 

• Incorporate it into broth-based dishes.
• Use it in curries and stir-fry dishes
• Eating it in bean dishes and omelettes
• Prepare it as juice