Bitter Melon otherwise known as Momordica Charantia, Karela and bitter gourd, is a dark or light green fruit that tastes very bitter as indicated by it’s name. It is a member of the same family of Cucurbitaceae which include squashes, melons and gourds.
However this particular fruit houses a variety of unique and beneficial antioxidants, essential vitamins and important nutrients. Bitter melon is medicinal in nature and is native to the regions of Asia, Africa and several parts of the Caribbean. People have been using it throughout history in China and in Ayurveda medicine— a system of healing that has been used for thousands of years in India.
Many records indicate that it’s use in food preparation and medicinal use began in India and was further introduced into Chinese medicine around the 14th century. It is known that bitter foods have a tendency of cleansing and are very therapeutic for the body while simultaneously boosting the liver’s health. The Chinese culture have been long attracted to the bitter melons sour taste; they would often use it in many recipes and also juice it to create elixirs and tonics to assist individuals in treating indigestion, skin problems, coughs and respiratory infections.
Bitter Melon has been the topic of discussion for over 100 clinical studies. It has been best attributed in assisting with hypoglycemic patients, and studies have shown that the juice from the melon, the fruit itself and the dried powder can and have all been used as a substitute for insulin in its effectiveness for treatment with diabetes.
Bitter melon has over a dozen varieties of species and have been found growing through many parts of the world. According to a National Bitter Melon Council, there are 32 active chemicals within the fruit it self. The sour flavor stems from an alkaloid momordicine compound that is produced within the plant’s fruit and leaves.
There is a form of this fruit when it is in the immature stage which is a vegetable, in this form it can be an excellent source of nutrients for Vitamin A, C, iron and phosphorus. Benefits of Bitter Melon?
Benefits of Bitter Melon
Diabetes Treatment – Bitter melon has been one of the most potent fruits to keep diabetes in check for a number of reasons. It naturally contains high levels of charntin— a compound that is very similar to insulin. When ingested these components begin immediately their work in the reduction of blood sugar levels. (Article)
Blood Purifier – When ingested bitter melon has been known to be an effective blood purifier because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. It further promotes skin health because of this and has also been used as an effective treatment for eczema and psoriasis. (Article) (Article)
Relief for Hemorrhoids – A growing number of research has found that there are anti-inflammatory qualities within this melon that can be made in a soothing salve. (Article)
Immune System Boost – Because bitter melon has a wide variety of antioxidants, it has been shown to be an amazing fruit to assist in combating illnesses within the body. These antioxidants search throughout the body for free radicals and other compounds that are released during cell metabolism. (Article)
Hang Over Cure – We know there are times when you want to have a night out on the town. Having a little bitter melon the morning after cleanses the liver and removes the alcohol content that has remained in the liver. (Article)
Ulcer Cure – This fruit has been used often in the Turkish society as a medicine to treat ulcers. A study on this treatment showed that ulcers created by alcohol were treated with an extract of the bitter melon and given to rats. It was deduced that this treatment was successful at having an anti-ulcer effect. (Article)
Pain Relief – A study done on mice and rats showed that when given an extract of the seeds from the bitter melon had an analgesic effect. When compared to a control group which used morphine as the pain medication, the total maximum effect of the extract was similar to the effect that the morphine had for the analgesic properties. (Article)
Blood clots – A compound located within the bitter melon labeled as trypsin inhibitor which is also a subset of proteins deemed proteases. These same inhibitors were important factors when blood clots begin to form. By neutralizing these components, the span of which it takes a blood clot to form increased. (Article)
Obesity – This amazing fruit increases AMPK activity within the body. AMPK is an enzyme that plays a role in cellular energy balance. AMPK activation initiates liver fatty acid oxidation, ketogenesis, skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake, inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, lipogenesis, and triglyceride synthesis, inhibition of adipocyte lipolysis and lipogenesis, and modulation of insulin secretion by pancreatic beta-cells. (Article)
AMPK Activator / Anti Cancer– Bitter melon being a natural AMPK activator has been shown to inhibit ovarian cancer cell growth and might be useful as a supplement to improve the outcome of ovarian and other cancers. (Article)
