Bitter gourd or Bitter melon
(Momordica charantia)
(Balsam pear; Karela;Hagalkai;Kaippakka; Karle;Kalara; Pavakkai; Kakara kayi)
India is known for its multiculturalism. The cuisine is also different in all Indian states. In Bengali cuisine , the meal starts from a bitter food like boiled or fried bitter gourd or neem leaves or drumstick flowers followed by a vegetable,then dal ,then fish, mutton and ends up with a sweet note like chutney and dessert. Neem leaves and drumstick flowers are seasonal but bitter gourd is available almost most of the year so it is served daily. "It's a SuperFood."
Nutritional value: (small variety) (per 100 gms)
Moisture (83.2g) Fat (1g) Calcium (23 mg)
Has low sodium(2.4mg) and cholesterol.
Good amount of thiamin(0.07mg), riboflavin(0.06mg), pantothenic acid, dietary fiber(1.7gm), vitamin A,C(96mg),folates,B6,iron(2mg) , phosphorus(38mg), zinc(0.39 mg), potassium(171 mg), manganese(0.08mg).
It is a poor source of magnesium (17 mg)
According to the exchange lists in dietary calculations bitter gourd is a low carbohydrate vegetable providing 7 gms of carbohydrate, 2 gms protein and 32 calories and comes under the category of "other vegetables" and the serving amount is 150 gms.
Good for health:
Bitter gourd helps in overall health care.
In Gheranda Samhita, bitter gourd is prescribed in a yogic menu for a yogic practitioner.
Bitter gourd is recommended in Constipation.
Bitter gourd is considered to be useful in intestinal worm infestations.
Remedy for Piles.
In chronic gastritis, bitter gourd is found useful.
Bitter gourd is helpful for people suffering from Bile stones.
Very good for people with Diabetes. Juice of the fruit and the leaves is recommended in some cases. Karela bark juice is prescribed in Unani medicine.
It was found that bitter gourd was effective in lowering blood sugar. The result was reported in the Indian journal of medical research (vol.90.1989).It contains a chemical which acts like insulin.
People suffering from Rheumatism can have bitter gourd.
Bitter gourd is a good source in prevention of Dietary deficiency anaemia .
Low in calories promotes weight loss.
Bitter gourd is allowed in Respiratory disorders and asthma.
It maintains a healthy liver and bladder.
It builds immunity.
It lowers bad cholesterol. It was found that bitter gourds have a preventive value against lipid peroxidation by hydrogen radicals. Results were published in Fitoterapia (1991)
It prevents cancer.
It energies naturally.
It purifies blood.
It is anti-aging.
It has healing qualities.
It cures hangovers.
It is great for eye health.
It prevents skin problems like rosacea,eczema, acne and deep skin infections.
Bitter gourd prevents hair problems, treats dandruff and split ends, treats dry and itchy scalp, treats hair loss, treats rough and tangled hair, treats gray hair and oily hair and makes the hair shiny.
Bitter gourd is allowed for pain sufferers of the neck and lower back.
Eating Bitter gourd
It should be cooked as a vegetable with seeds. The vegetable should be covered while cooking to avoid the loss of nutrients. Mostly it is soaked in salt water to reduce the bitterness. When young, it may be sliced and preserved after drying for use in the off-season. The fruit is also pickled.
Avoid bitter gourd
It is better to avoid bitter gourds in a bland low residue diet. The bland low residue diet is prescribed to patients suffering from Gastrointestinal disorders such as gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, diarrhoea, chronic dysentery, ulcerative colitis and diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome.
It can create Side effects which :
Causes headache
Causes gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
Can cause stomach ulcers.
It might be toxic to children
Pregnant women should not consume it as it can bring about menstruation and abortion.
People with Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency may develop "Favism " after eating its seeds.
It can dangerously lower blood sugar levels.
It can also interact with some chemotherapy medicines as well as Paclitaxel and vinblastine medicines.
