Confused with the name? More commonly bitter gourd in hindi is known as “Karela”. This vegetable is called as Bitter Gourd, Bitter Melon and Bitter Squash in english. First thing that comes to my mind seeing it is the bitterness in the name. They are dark or light green in colour depending on the region where they are grown. Though they taste very bitter, they are filled with many beneficial antioxidants and essential vitamins.
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Bitter melon can be consumed in various ways like drinking its juice, pickle or using them in recipes.
Bitter Melon Benefits:
Let us quickly look at some of the most well known health benefits of Bitter Melon:
1. Respiratory disorders:
Fresh pods are an excellent remedy for curing respiratory problems like asthma, cold, cough, etc.2. Liver tonic:
Drink one glass of Bitter Melon juice daily to heal liver problems. Keep consuming this continuously for a week to see results.
3. Immune system:
Boil bitter melon leaves or fruits in water and consume it every day to fight against infections. This also helps to build your immunity.
4. Acne:
Consuming Bitter Melon can help to get rid of acne, blemishes and deep skin infections. Bitter melon is useful in treating blood disorders like blood boils, scabies, itching, psoriasis, ring-worm and other fungal diseases. The free radicals in it are also useful for anti ageing.
Consume juice of bitter melon mixed with lemon on an empty stomach daily for 6 months or till you get the required results.
5. Diabetes:
Bitter melon juice benefits to overcome type 2 diabetes. It has been a part of the Chinese and Indian ancient medicine for a long time but only recent research has proven that it is no folk lore. Type 2 diabetes is caused partially due to the inability of a cell to absorb the sugar in the blood due to insufficient insulin or due development of resistance to insulin. In both cases, the cells are unable to absorb the sugar due to the ineffectiveness of insulin produced. The absorption of sugar occurs due to the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase in the cells. Bitter gourd activated these kinases due to which the absorption of sugar increases. And hence aids in bringing diabetes in control.
Green juice for diabetics: cucumbers, green apples, bitter melon, celery, ½ green capsicum (bell pepper). Bitter melon contains certain chemicals that are like insulin which help to reduce blood sugar levels.6. Constipation:
Bitter melon helps in easy digestion as it contains fibre properties. The food is digested and waste is thrown out of the body which helps in curing indigestion and constipation problems.
7. Kidney and bladder:
Bitter melon helps to maintain healthy liver and bladder. It is also useful in curing kidney stones.
8. Heart disease:
Bitter melon is very good for the heart in many ways. They help to reduce the bad cholesterol levels which clog the arterial walls and thereby reduce the chances of heart attacks. Also it is known to lower blood sugar levels that help in maintaining good heart health.
9. Cancer:
Bitter Melon can prevent cancer cells from multiplying.
10. Weight loss:
Bitter Melon contains antioxidants, which help to flush out your system. This improves your metabolism and digestive systems thus helping you lose weight quickly.The two other major factors that aid in weight loss is the calorie control and filling components. Calorie control happens as such because vegetables are low on calories which allows you to consume more quantities of them. Filling component in this vegetable is water. We know that water is a universal suppressant of hunger. And the pods of this vegetable contain on the whole 80-85% water.
Skin Benefits for Bitter Melon:
The appearance of your skin is largely determined by what you put inside your body. In other words, getting proper nutrition is a pre requisite for healthy and damage free skin. Being a natural blood purifier, bitter gourd helps in improving the appearance of your skin. It provides the following benefits to your skin:
11. Prevents Skin Problems:
Regular consumption of bitter gourd helps in keeping your skin glowing and free from blemishes. It also helps prevent acne thanks to its blood purifying properties.
12. Skin Infections:
Bitter melon benefits in treating skin diseases or skin infections, eczema and psoriasis. Regular consumption of bitter gourd juice helps in improving psoriasis condition as well as other fungal infections like ring worm and athletes foot.
13. Anti-ageing:
Bitter gourd contains vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant. By fighting and eliminating the harmful free radicals, it helps to prevent wrinkles by slowing down the ageing process. It also protects the skin from damage by Sun’s ultraviolet rays.
14. Healing Qualities:
Bitter gourd helps in controlling blood flow and clotting, causing wounds to heal faster, preventing further infections.
Hair Benefits of Bitter Melon:
Bitter gourd is a great home remedy for your hair. Besides being beneficial for your skin and health, bitter gourd juice is also effective in treating hair problems and promoting longevity. It is beneficial for your hair in the following ways:
15. Shiny Hair:
To impart a natural shine to your hair, you can mix a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice with yoghurt and apply on your hair. Wash off after sometime. This will make your hair shiny and beautiful.
16. Dandruff:
Dandruff is a common problem and is mostly caused due to the consumption of unhealthy food and exposure to pollution. To ward off dandruff, you can prepare a hair pack by mixing bitter gourd juice and cumin seeds. Regular usage of this pack will rid you of dandruff within a month.
17. Split Ends:
If you are troubled by split ends, you can apply raw bitter gourd juice to your split ends and then comb gently. This should be done twice a week to get rid of split ends.
18. Dry and Itchy Scalp:
To combat dryness of scalp, you can rub a fresh piece of bitter gourd on it and massage your scalp in a circular motion. Then rinse off with clear water. To combat itchiness, you can prepare a hair pack by mixing bitter gourd juice with either avocado or banana and apply it on your scalp. This should be used at least once a week to get rid of itchy scalp.
19. Hair Loss:
Bitter gourd juice helps in reducing hair-fall naturally. All you need to do is mix bitter gourd juice with a dash of sugar and use this paste on your hair to get good results.
20. Rough and Tangled Hair:
If you have rough and tangled hair, you can pour a cup of bitter gourd juice and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Then rinse off your hair. This will help smoothen your hair texture and make it soft and shiny.
21. Grey Hair:
Bitter gourd can also treat premature greying of hair. You can apply freshly squeezed bitter gourd juice on your grey strands. Doing this once in every ten days will reduce grey hair growth.
22. Oily Hair:
Increased intake of oily food can cause the accumulation of excess oil in your hair. If you have oily hair, you should first limit the consumption of oily food. You can apply a mixture of bitter gourd juice and apple cider vinegar to remove excess oil from your hair.
Bitter Gourd: Nutritional Value:
The numerous health, skin and hair benefits of bitter melon can be attributed to its nutritional value. It has a wide array of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, copper and phosphorus. The chart given below shows the nutritional value of bitter gourd.
| See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), fresh, raw, Nutritive value per 100 g | ||
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
| Energy | 17 Kcal | <1% |
| Carbohydrates | 3.70 g | 3% |
| Protein | 1.00 g | 2% |
| Total Fat | 0.17 g | 0.5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.80 g | 7% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 72 µg | 18% |
| Niacin | 0.400 mg | 2.5% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.212 mg | 4% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.043 mg | 3% |
| Riboflavin | 0.040 mg | 3% |
| Thiamin | 0.040 mg | 3.5% |
| Vitamin A | 471 IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 84 mg | 140% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 5 mg | <1% |
| Potassium | 296 mg | 6% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 19 mg | 2% |
| Copper | 0.034 mg | 4% |
| Iron | 0.43 mg | 5% |
| Magnesium | 17 mg | 4% |
| Manganese | 0.089 mg | 4% |
| Zinc | 0.80 mg | 7% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 190 µg | – |
| Carotene-α | 185 µg | |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 170 µg | – |
- Calories: Bitter gourd is quite low in calories with a 100 gram serving providing just 17 calories.
- Vitamin C: Bitter gourd is an excellent source of vitamin C with 100 grams of raw pod, providing 84 mg of this vitamin which is equivalent to 140% of Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).
- Folates: Fresh pods are a good source of folates. 100 grams of fresh pods provide 72 µg of folate which is equivalent to 18% of RDI.
- B-vitamins: It is also a good source of B-vitamins like niacin or Vitamin B3, pantothenic acid or Vitamin B5 and pyridoxine or Vitamin B6.
Some important tips:
1. Always wash Bitter Melon thoroughly under running water.
2. Use fresh Bitter Melon for best results.
3. Always choose bitter gourds that are fresh, bright, deep green in colour.
4. Don’t consume more than 2 bitter melons a day
4. The Bitter Melon leaves should be kept in a cool, dry, dark place. They stay fresh in refrigerator up to a week.
5. Marinade with salt to reduce bitterness.
6. Pregnant women should be careful while consuming this vegetable. The laxative component of the vegetable may lead to premature contraction, vaginal bleeding and miscarriages. Do consult your doctor once.
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