Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd,Use of Karela for Health

Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd

Have you ever heard of Momordica charantia? Or wait, what about karela? Now don’t get scared. These are just a couple of other names for bitter gourd, which is also known as bitter melon or 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 .Bitter melon can be consumed in various ways like drinking its juice, pickle or using them in recipes

1. Liver Tonic

Drink one glass of Bitter Melon juice daily to heal liver problems. Keep consuming this continuously for a week to see results.

2.type 2 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.

3. Improves your immunity

Bitter gourd is an extremely rich source of Vitamin C which helps boost your immunity. It also exhibits powerful antiviral property capable of stimulating the immune system and activating natural killer cells in the body. It also helps stimulate anti-inflammatory responses of the intestinal and systemic environment .

4.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

5.Aids weight loss

 A 100g serving of bitter gourd contains just 17 calories making it a great option for those who want to lose weight. It also stimulates the liver to secrete bile acids that are crucial for metabolising fat in the body. Although there is no evidence suggesting bitter melon can help weight loss in humans, a promising study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that consumption of bitter melon restricted weight gain and accumulation of body fat in without altering their energy intake in rats