Bitter gourd is the vegetable that every child hates. Do you recall when, as children, our mothers actually sprinted after us? All this for us to consume our fair share of bitter, healthy concoctions? As we’ve grown older and healthier, we’ve realized that the concoctions we used to avoid drinking as children are actually beneficial to us. The bitter gourd (also known as bitter melon) is one such vegetable that our mothers prepared in a variety of ways and that had numerous benefits.
Even though we may have laughed at the time, it’s time to embrace the advantages of the bitter melon. Also, believe us when we say there are lots. Even if it is not the most pleasant to taste, bitter gourd is great when it comes to providing your skin with the necessary nourishment. But with a few recipes, we can also solve that.
We’re going to discuss all the advantages of bitter melon that you may have known about but chose to overlook since, let’s face it, you didn’t want to eat it. This fruit and vegetable combination, known as bitter melon, balsam pear, or, more commonly, bitter gourd, is, however, unusual. This edible Cucurbitaceae pod is eaten by people all over the world.
Bitter melon is often made fun of because of how bitter it tastes, but it can actually make us healthier. Its phytochemical components, which support health and combat disease, are to blame for its bitterness. Bitter gourd is also beneficial to people with diabetes, digestive, intestinal, and other conditions. Let’s explore the benefits of this cuisine, which has enriched our lives since childhood.
Different varieties of Bitter gourd
People grow bitter melon in tropical regions of the world like Asia, South America, and Africa. However, it is particularly prized in China and India. It is the main ingredient in most of their food.
The Indian version has sharper tips, a smaller look, and rough, jagged spikes on the rind. The Chinese kind, on the other hand, is often lengthy and covered in bumps that resemble warts. If you’re not familiar with the magical advantages that bitter melons can provide, read the informative details about these pods in the parts that follow.
Composition of Bitter Gourd
Raw bitter melon weighing 100 grams contains
- 16 calories
- Dietary Fiber: 2.6 grams
- Carbohydrates: 3.4 grams
- Fats: 158 milligrams
- Water: 87.4 grams
- Protein: 930 milligrams
Benefits of Bitter melon on Health
The effectiveness of bitter gourd for human health is examined in a number of clinical studies. According to the vast majority of this research, eating bitter gourd is good for one’s health. Due to the harsh flavor of the bitter melon most people dislike it. However, if you learn about the many health advantages, you might reconsider.
Bitter melon for Losing Weight
Bitter melon has substances that stop your body from absorbing excess sugar because of how bitter it is. As a result, it aids in regulating and maintaining your body’s blood sugar levels. Also, it makes your pancreas make more beta cells, which are the cells that release insulin into your bloodstream. Your blood sugar levels gradually fall when your body’s insulin levels are under control, which causes you to lose weight.
Vitamin C, potassium, iron, magnesium, and fair amounts of protein and fiber are all present in bitter gourd. All of this helps you feel full all day long, which keeps you from snacking at strange times. Additionally, fiber helps suppress hunger. The small amounts of carbs and fat make sure that your food is properly digested and help keep your body from getting too fat.
Recent studies show that bitter melons may make the conditions that lead to hyperlipidemia, or too much fat in the blood, and obesity worse.
Bitter melon for Gut Health
Eating bitter gourds on a regular basis is beneficial for gut health. It aids in the treatment of digestive conditions such as constipation and stomachaches. Consuming it, also kills parasites that get into the digestive system, so it can help with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) as well.
Bitter gourd also contains antioxidants, which aid in digestion by activating digestive enzymes. It is good for your digestive health because it has natural laxative properties and is high in fiber. A microbiological study found that bitter melon changes the types of bacteria in the gut.
Bitter melon to cure Diabetes
Diabetes patients are advised to consume bitter gourd by physicians and nutritionists. One of the most significant and well-known health advantages of bitter melon is this: There are three active ingredients in it that have anti-diabetic actions. The active ingredients have properties like insulin and can lower the amount of sugar in the blood.
These substances both function in concert and alone to reduce blood sugar levels. Bitter melons help those who are hungover feel more energetic by lowering alcohol intoxication.
Bitter Gourd To Prevent Cancer
The main factor that causes cancer is free radicals. They may also have an impact on how our bodies work. So it’s important to keep your body clear of free radicals. Free radicals are a by-product of our metabolism. Because of pollution, stress, sadness, and smoking, their population is expanding.
Small levels of lutein, vitamin A, and zeaxanthin are present in bitter melon It also has lycopene, lignans, and carotenoids. It also contains essential minerals and antioxidants. Each of these works to combat free radicals. Consequently, it ultimately lessens the development of tumors within your body.
A study found that bitter melon has anti-tumor and anti-carcinogen properties that protect against prostate, breast, and cervical cancer.
Bitter Gourd controls Cholesterol
The arteries may develop fatty plaque due to high cholesterol levels. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood as a result. As a result, the risk of cardiovascular disease rises.
Several studies show that bitter melon may lower “bad” cholesterol while keeping “good” cholesterol levels the same, which is good for your health as a whole. Bitter melonis also good for the heart because it has a lot of potassium, magnesium, and calcium in it.
Bitter melon Aids in lowering Obesity
The bitter gourd is good for weight loss because it has a simple but high-quality set of nutrients. A 100-gram serving of raw bitter melon, for instance, has only 16 calories, 0.15 grams of fat, 0.93 grams of protein, and 2.6 grams of fiber. As a result, it guarantees that you will feel full without gaining weight.
The fiber content keeps you full for hours, while the nutrients boost metabolism in general. So, it helps people digest well and keeps them from eating too much junk food and unhealthy snacks. The best way to combat obesity is to consume raw bitter melon juice.
Additionally, it measures blood sugar levels, which are crucial for controlling weight. Finally, it stimulates insulin to stop sugar from being stored as fat.
Bitter melon Conditions your Hair
Bitter melon nourishes healthy hair and encourages hair development. The bitter gourd has nutrients, including protein, zinc, and vitamin C, that support strong, healthy hair. Applying bitter melonjuice to your hair will keep it looking bright and lustrous. In addition, it ensures that the hair roots are strengthened and that problems like split ends and hair loss are prevented. It also addresses itching, dandruff, roughness, and graying of the hair. and relieves the injury’s tension.
Bitter melonfor body Energy
According to studies, drinking bitter melon juice regularly helps the body produce more energy. Additionally, it helps to regulate the sleep cycle and even treats conditions like insomnia. Bitter gourd gives the body more energy and endurance when it is eaten regularly.
Promotes liver health
Bitter melon detoxifies the liver and is good for it. Because it reduces alcohol deposits in the liver, it boosts liver enzymes and is a great hangover cure. Consuming it is also healthy for the intestines and bladder. Bitter melon is a powerful detoxifier as well. It is therefore very advantageous for the liver. It also makes more enzymes inside and improves the health of the gut and digestion as a whole.
Protects against early aging
Premature aging is another significant advantage of bottle gourd. With several things inside and having bitter melon in your diet, you’ll have a better chance of preventing problems like heart disease, kidney damage, and liver issues.
Enhances Respiratory Wellness
Bitter gourd has been shown in many studies to ease the symptoms of lung diseases like bronchitis, asthma, and rhinitis. Because it is an antihistamine, a suppressant, an anti-inflammatory, an expectorant, and an anti-viral, it is the best supplement for respiratory health.
Relief from Hemorrhoids
Bitter melonis a strong anti-inflammatory that works well as a lotion for piles, which is a painful condition. When put on the skin, a paste made from the root of the bitter melon plant helps to reduce swelling, ease pain, and stop bleeding. Additionally, consuming bitter gourd juice instantly relieves hemorrhoids.
Bitter melon removes Kidney Stones
Passing kidney stones is painful. They are calcium phosphate or calcium oxalate deposits that have solidified. Incorporating bitter melons into the diet aids in their natural breakdown. Lowering the high acid content also prevents the formation of kidney stones. It also enhances cardiac health.
How to Eat Bitter melon
There are numerous methods for consuming bitter melon. It’s simple to include bitter gourd in your diet on a regular basis. Bitter melon is easy to eat raw in a salad, blend into a drink, or make into tea.
Strong Gourd Tea
The bitter melon can be used to produce a nutritious tea at home. You may prepare the recipe on a daily basis because it’s not too difficult.
Bitter gourd slices, either fresh or dried, should be cut into three to four pieces (bitter melon leaves can also work), along with 200 ml of water and natural sweeteners such as honey or agave syrup (optional).
Directions:
Water should be added to a tea pan and brought to a boil. For around 10 minutes, bring the water to a boil on medium heat. Slices of the bitter gourd should be added to the boiling water and properly stirred. It enables the water to completely engulf the nutrients.
After adding honey, turn the stove off and set the mixture aside for a few minutes. Apply a strainer to the material and filter it. Serve warm and enjoy.
Bitter Gourd crispy chips
Wash and dry the bitter melon before producing bitter melon chips. Remove the ends and thinly slice (the slices should be neither too thin nor too thick). Don’t de-seed.
Add both flour and spice powder to the bitter rmelon slices. Blend. Sprinkle a few drops of water or 1-2 teaspoons of heated oil to coat all slices with the masala mixture. (Adding water will saturate them.) Deep-fry in a pan or kadai with hot oil. Once hot, add the masala-quoted bitter gourd segments in batches.
Fry bitter gourds on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides. Drain the oil from them onto a paper towel. Serve bitter melonchips with hot masala tea and baked Namak Masala Para at teatime.
Bitter melon Juice
To prepare bitter gourd juice, leave the peel on. Tender seeds don’t need to be removed.
Juice bitter gourd and ginger in the juicer. Add water to the juicer and squeeze the pulp to extract the juice from the initially concentrated juice.
Add lemon juice, turmeric powder, black salt, honey, salt, black pepper powder, and mint leaves to a jar and stir. Adjust with water. Check and adjust the salt and flavor. Bitter gourd juice should only be consumed to boost immunity and health.
Potato-stuffed bitter gourd
Clean the bitter gourd before making Stuffed Bitter melon with Potato. Rinse with salt and turmeric to remove the bitterness. Wait 20–25 minutes. Slit each bitter melon vertically. Remove the seeds and pulp from the potato masala.
Make potato masala: Boiled potatoes should be mashed. turmeric, red chili, chat masala, garam masala, and salt. Integrate everything. Potato masala packs the karelas tightly. A filled bitter gourd was shallow-fried in oil for a minute. Cover and simmer the stuffed bitter gourd on low-medium heat until done. Once the bitter melon is tender, turn off the heat and serve.
Precautions and Conditions: when not to consume
Studies show that women should not eat bitter gourd during the first few months of pregnancy to avoid bleeding, contractions and losing the baby. It might cause a miscarriage by starting contractions and causing vaginal bleeding. Preterm labor may also be brought on by the bitter melon. Bitter melon seeds can cause favism even in pregnant women, who are more likely to have anemia.
Too much insulin: Bitter gourd, when consumed by diabetic patients using external insulin, works as natural insulin to lower blood sugar. Hence this can be a double dose and therefore can cause the blood sugar to fall to a dangerously low level. Therefore, diabetics should exercise caution when eating bitter melon. In the worst-case scenario, this could lead to hypoglycemia coma, a condition in which a person goes into a coma as a result of receiving an extremely high or low insulin dose.
Bitter melon should also be avoided if you plan to have surgery or have just had surgery since it might cause the body’s glucose levels to become unstable.
Liver damage: The key organ in our body that controls homeostasis, or stability, is the liver. When eaten in large amounts, the monorcharins in the bitter gourd can be harmful to the liver. If you eat bitter melon for a long time, it may cause your liver to make more enzymes, which can lead to atherosclerosis, a condition in which the walls of your arteries thicken and harden. Further complications from atherosclerosis include kidney and cardiac problems.
Favism: Favism causes the body to break down red blood cells. It may also result in unconsciousness, anemia, fever, and stomach aches. A person with G6PD (a type of glucose) deficiency may develop a favism after consuming bitter gourd seeds.
Questions and Answers.
What are the bitter gourd’s health advantages?
A. Bitter melon can help you control your weight, keep your digestive system healthy, boost your immune system, and clean your liver and blood. It works well to treat kidney stones, control blood sugar levels, and heal wounds. Bitter melon helps keep your eyes healthy, makes your skin look better, and gives your hair more shine.
Who should avoid consuming bitter gourd?
A. People with diabetes or taking blood sugar-lowering medications should stay away from bitter gourd. Bitter melon should also be avoided by pregnant or trying to get pregnant women because it can cause vaginal hemorrhage and miscarriage. Bitter gourd should not be consumed if you have just undergone surgery or plan to do so since it may cause your blood sugar levels to become unstable.
What negative impacts does the bitter melonhave?
A. Too much bitter melon can make you have diarrhea, throw up, and have other stomach problems. Additionally, it may cause women to experience vaginal bleeding, labor pains, and abortion. Bitter gourd has a negative impact on liver function and blood sugar levels.
Can you eat bitter melon every day?
A. You can have bitter melonin moderation on a daily basis. It maintains a healthy digestive tract, increases immunity, and detoxifies the body. Bitter melonis also a great way to treat skin problems, diabetes, being overweight, and high cholesterol. It beautifies the skin and maintains the health of the eyes.
Which vitamin is included in bitter melon, you ask?
A. Vitamin C is abundant in bitter melon. Also a good amount of Vit A is present which serves beneficial to your eyes
Is bitter melon harmful to the kidneys?
A. No, bitter melon benefits renal health. By naturally dissolving kidney stones, it removes them. It also stops kidney stones from forming over time by lowering the amount of acid in the body. But eating too much bitter melon over a long period of time can hurt kidney tissue and make it hard for the kidneys to work.
Do bitter gourds have an acidic or alkaline pH?
A. The bitter melonhas an alkaline pH.
Can I regularly use bittermelon juice?
A. In moderation, you are allowed to drink bitter melonjuice every day. It will help keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range, lower dangerous cholesterol levels, and make skin and hair look better.
Why shouldn’t people consume bitter melon at night?
A. This is more of a myth, but from a scientific standpoint, it might be the case that very low blood sugar levels cannot be controlled at night.
Is bitter gourd a source of hypertension?
A. No, eating bitter melon won’t raise your blood pressure. Since bitter melon is high in sodium, it aids in regulating the body’s blood pressure.
Do bitter gourds help with acidity?
A. Yes, bitter gourd helps treat dyspepsia by getting the digestive system to work better. It encourages the formation of digestive enzymes and stomach acid while increasing saliva production.
Is bitter gourd effective for lowering blood sugar levels?
A. The blood sugar level is immediately lowered by bitter gourd juice in about 30 minutes.
Is bitter gourd bad for you?
Bitter gourd juice only poses a health risk if improperly prepared or drunk in excess. It could result in vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems. It could cause women to experience vaginal bleeding, labor pains, and abortion. Bitter melon has a negative impact on liver function and blood sugar levels.
Is the juice from bitter gourds bad for the kidneys?
A. The bitter melon is safe for renal health. By naturally dissolving kidney stones, it removes them. Lowering the body’s acidity, also prevents kidney stones from forming. But eating too much bitter gourd over a long period of time can hurt kidney tissue and make it hard for the kidneys to work.
Is bitter gourd healthy for the digestive system?
A. Regular ingestion of bitter melonimproves the condition of the digestive system. It aids in the treatment of digestive conditions such as constipation and stomach discomfort. To a large extent it helps get rid of parasites that get into the digestive system when it is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
It also contains antioxidants that improve digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes. Bitter melon is good for your digestive health because it has natural laxative properties and is high in fiber.
What happens if you consume karela daily?
A. It maintains a healthy digestive tract, increases immunity, and detoxifies the body. Bitter gourd is also a great way to treat skin problems, diabetes, being overweight, and having high cholesterol. It beautifies the skin and maintains the health of the eyes.
What foods should be avoided when eating a bitter gourd?
A. It is never advisable to combine milk and bitter gourd. Your digestive system will be upset, and among other things, you may throw up.
Summary
Bitter gourd is a crucial nutritional component that can keep your health strong and disease-free. Even though tea tastes bitter, it is full of nutrients and other things that are good for your health.
When eaten in moderation as a fruit or vegetable, bitter gourd can be a nutritious addition to your diet. Making linkages between the many bitter melon varieties and the treatment of medical diseases requires additional investigation.
Products made from bitter gourd should be used with caution. Before using them, speak with your doctor.
Disclaimer:
The author’s views are his or her own. The facts and opinions in the article have been taken from various articles and commentaries available in the online media and Eastside Writers does not take any responsibility or obligation for them.
Note: Contact our Writers at www.eastsidewriters.com for writing Blogs/Articles on any niche. We have experts in various domains from Technology to Finance and from Spirituality to Lifestyle and Entertainment.
Pingback: The Multiple Benefits Of Safed Musli In Maintaining Health And Boosting Energy - Eastside Writers