Bitter Gourd - Medicinal Vegetable for Blood Sugar Control

Bitter Gourd, also known as bitter melon, is a vegetable with potent medicinal properties. It is commonly used in traditional medicine to help manage blood sugar levels.
Category
Vegetable
Where to get
Available in grocery stores and farmers' markets.
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Jane Cox

Bitter Gourd FAQ


Image credit: nourhealth.sg

What is bitter gourd used for?

Bitter gourd is commonly eaten throughout India. In North Indian cuisine, it is often served with yogurt on the side to offset the bitterness, used in curry such as sabzi, or stuffed with spices and then cooked in oil.

Is bitter gourd a vegetable?

Bitter gourd is also a vegetable of many names. It is equally known as bitter melon, bitter cucumber, balsam-pear, bitter apple, or bitter squash. This vegetable is also called karela in India, nigauri in Japan, goya in Okinawa, ampalaya in the Philippines, and ku-gua throughout China.

What does Bitter Gourd taste like?

Bitter gourd is a green-skinned vegetable with white to translucent flesh and a taste that fits its name. Unless you grew up with bitter gourd as part of your regular diet, it might take you a while to warm up to the bitter flavor. Bitter gourd is also a vegetable of many names.

Can you eat bitter gourd?

Unless you grew up with bitter gourd as part of your regular diet, it might take you a while to warm up to the bitter flavor. Bitter gourd is also a vegetable of many names. It is equally known as bitter melon, bitter cucumber, balsam-pear, bitter apple, or bitter squash.

What is bitter gourd?

The same family also includes cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelon, squash, and more. It is considered the most bitter-tasting amongst all culinary vegetables and fruits. While people condemn bitter gourd for its bitter taste, it truly can sweeten our well-being.

Is bitter gourd poisonous?

Bitter gourd is also used in the pickling preparations. Bitter gourd may contain alkaloid substances like quinine and morodicine, resins, and saponin glycosides, which may be the cause of intolerance in some people. Their bitterness and toxicity may be reduced somewhat by parboiling or soaking in salted water for up to 10 minutes.

What is bitter gourd & why should you eat it?

Bitter gourd is a magic ingredient for lowering the level of your low-density lipoproteins (LDL), also known as “bad” cholesterol, which prevents plaque accumulation on the arterial walls. Decongested arteries preserve your heart health and keep you safe from the threat of a heart attack or a stroke.

Bitter Gourd References

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