Bitter melon is widely known as Goya but you can often find it refereed as Bitter Gourd, Karela or Balsam Pear.
The numerous benefits that this plant offers for your health make it really miraculous.
Although, its bitter taste might turn some people away from it, in-fact, it can really sweeten your health by virtue of its disease preventing and health promoting phyto chemical compounds.
Goya is similar to cucumber with the difference that it has ugly ground-like bumps all over it. It is a temperate/tropical vegetable probably originated in South-East Asia, but can be also found in South America.
For the purposes of a research Dr. Frank Shallenberger M.D., who specializes in Anti Aging Treatment and Alternative Medicine at The Nevada Center of Alternative & Anti-Aging Medicine recommended to her patients to consume Goya in order to fight the pancreatic cancer.
She always preferred natural cures rather than traditional medicine and believed that they can inhibit cancer cell growth. She came to conclusion that this bitter melon is the best toll for that.
According to Dr. Shallenberger the best way to consume this plant to fight cancer is to dilute bitter melon juice to 5% in water. She claims that if it`s consumed like this the plant can damage cancer cells (pancreatic cancer) to 90% or 98 %.
This effect of bitter melon has been also tasted by the University of Colorado and they after that announced that it can really reduce the size of pancreatic tumors up to 64%.
But this is just one of benefit the bitter melon has. Besides being used to fight cancer it is also used as remedy for many other diseases such as asthma, skin infections, stomach problems, high blood pressure and diabetes. It is used as traditional medicine in many parts of the world including China, India, Africa, and the southeastern US.
Bitter melon is full of nutrients and vitamins. It is a source of B1, B2, B3 and C vitamins, magnesium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, fiber, iron , beta-carotene of broccoli, calcium and potassium.
The only problem is that for its bitter taste many people do not consume it. But we hope that after you have red all of beneficial nutrients it has, you won`t be one of them.
The following are the benefits for tour health that you can get from bitter melon:
- Type-2 Diabetes
The reason for its benefits for this type of diabetes is that it contains phyto-nutrient, polypeptide-P which is are plant insulin, which can lower the sugar levels. It also contains a unique phyto-constituent that is confirmed to have hypoglycemic effect called charantin. This increases the glycogen synthesis in the cells of liver. And the combination of these two can treat the type-2 diabetes. - Eye problems
The high beta-carotene that is part of this bitter melon makes it capable of improving eyesight and some other eye problems. - Hangovers
You can get rid of the bad hangovers with the bitter melon. It will speed the metabolism of the alcohol in your body and you will soon feel better. But you can also use it to repair liver problems which are result of alcohol consumption. - Bitter melon contains folates
If women consume bitter melon during the first months of their pregnancy its folates will reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the newborn babies. - Liver Cleanse
The juice of the bitter melon can help you detoxify and cleanse your liver and at the same time will improve your blood circulation. - Energy
Consumption of the bitter gourd juice will boost your energy and will improve the stamina level. What is more it can also improve your sleep. - Immune booster
With this bitter juice you can also improve your immune system and make your body more resistant to many infections. - Psoriasis
It is also good for treatment of fungal infections among which is the psoriasis. - Indigestion/Constipation
Bitter melon stimulates easy digestion and peristalsis of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body.
The bitter melon consume in the following way will have the most benefits:
While most of the fruits and vegetables are best when they are ripe, this bitter melon on the contrary is best when is firm and still green. While green they are less bitter and the riper they get the more bitter they are. So you should definitely avoid melons which have soft spots and start to turn orange.
Before consuming the melon wash it under cold running water and brush it with vegetable brush.
- People in India tend to consume it in stir-fries or stuffed with tomato, onions, green chilies, garlic, garam-masala and curry leaves.
- In Island a widely known special dish is Goya chanpuru, Okinawantir-fry with bitter melon, onion, tofu, pork, and eggs.
- In Philippines this is known as ampalaya and is used in special dishes like Pinakbet Ilocano, prepared with shrimp paste and mixed with vegetables like eggplant and okra
- In some regions of East Asia people tend to use it dried and ground whole bitter gourd in the preparation of iced milk tea.
- And in the end the gourd is also been used for long time in the pickle preparations.
If you can stand the bitter taste of the Goya and if it doesn’t bother you, you should definitely start consuming it. You will have so many benefits from this food. It is an ideal ingredient that should be part of your food.
