Bitter Melon Benefits
Bitter Melon, also commonly known as bitter gourd or bitter squash, has a wealth of health benefits that can be derived by including it in your diet. The most well-known benefits of bitter melon are its ability to help manage diabetes, reduce the effects of hemorrhoids, improve respiratory health, boost skin health, and strengthen the immune system, and prevent and reduce symptoms of cancer. It is also proven that bitter melon has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibiotic, anti-allergenic, antiviral, antiparasitic, and expectorant qualities. For such reasons, bitter melon is a staple among a number of cultural cuisines across the world.
What is Bitter Melon?
Bitter melon is a member of the same family (Cucurbitaceae) as squashes, melons, and gourds, which is why it has three distinctive names, depending on where in the world you are eating this herbaceous vine. The fruit has a very warty, ridged exterior and is harvested before ripening, as it becomes increasingly bitter.
It is most commonly found in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, and its origins have been traced back to the Indian subcontinent. It began to spread more than 600 years ago.
The name is well-deserved, and it is considered one of the most bitter fruits available with certain culinary benefits. The benefits of the fruit are found in its flesh, which has the consistency of cucumber or green pepper before it ripens. If the fruit is allowed to ripen, a bright red pith emerges, which is also used in some cultures in their cuisines.
Bitter Melon Health Benefits
Consuming bitter melon is an assured way to add another nutritious food to your diet, and the number of health benefits it has is impressive. The main, well-studied benefits are listed below:
Skin Care
Bitter melon rich in anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the irritating itching linked with skin conditions and infections such as ringworm and psoriasis. The juice extracted from the leaves can be the best salve or cure for these conditions when topically applied to the affected areas.
Cancer Prevention
The antioxidants present in bitter melon may help to seek out and destroy free radicals that can cause diseases (including numerous forms of cancer), but that is not the only benefit the fruit has in terms of cancer. Bitter melon has been widely studied as an anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic agent all by itself, along with its antioxidant properties. Primarily, studies have shown positive correlations between eating bitter melon and the prevention or reduction of tumor growth for cervical, prostate, and breast cancer patients. Some of this is due to the fruit’s ability to induce apoptosis (cell death) in cancerous cells. However, more studies are being done all the time to find out more about the powerful anti-cancer properties that this unassuming fruit seems to possess, and which other types of cancer patients it could benefit.
Diabetes Treatment
Bitter melon is one of the most potent fruits for managing diabetes mellitus for a few reasons. There are significant levels of charntin, peptides that resemble insulin, and alkaloids within the fleshy fruit of bitter melon. All of these components actively help in reducing the levels of blood sugar. It also helps to prevent unpredictable spikes and drops in insulin levels by regulating the metabolism and use of sugar that the body has consumed in food. It is a powerful hypoglycemic agent so avoid use if taking medicines that lower blood sugar!
Improved Immunity
Bitter melon is a source of many different antioxidants that make it a powerful defense mechanism against illnesses in the body. Antioxidants scavenge the body for free radicals and dangerous compounds released during cell metabolism that can cause many different illnesses. By adding bitter melon to your diet, you can greatly improve your chances of defending against very serious diseases, including heart attack, kidney damage, and liver failure; three of the many places where free radicals like to cause health issues.
Asthma Relief
There have been a number of studies that showed bitter melon as a means of getting relief from respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and hay fever (rhinitis). It’s anti-histamine, suppressant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and antiviral properties make it an ideal booster for respiratory health. It is recommended to eat some bitter melon before going to bed, so the soothing effects can occur while you’re asleep!
Hemorrhoid Relief
A number of studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory qualities present in bitter melon make it a very good salve for the uncomfortable condition of piles, also known as hemorrhoids. When you create a paste from the root of the bitter melon plant, you can apply it topically to reduce the inflammation and relieve pain and bleeding. If you can handle the bitter taste, drink bitter melon juice to receive similar benefits!
Antifungal Agent
The antifungal and antibacterial qualities of bitter melon make it ideal for fighting off various fungal infections. These properties also help to get rid of any toxins in the bloodstream before they cause any more damage.
