Bitter melon for health

Bitter melon is a green cucumber-shaped fruit with gourd-like bumps all over it.  It contains naturally occurring quinine, which makes it bitter and gives it medicinal qualities. Bitter melon is good for blood glucose control, blood lipids, cancer and immune system.

Bitter melon is used in many Asian cuisines and is usually steamed, braised or stir-fried often with other ingredients to tame the bitterness.

It has been used in traditional medicine in Asia, and Africa for centuries. It contains many bioactive compounds such as glycosides, polypeptides, vitamin C, vitamin A, phosphorus, iron and other.

Bitter melon contains a compound known as charantin that is even more potent than the drug tolbutamide, which is often used in the treatment of diabetes to lower blood sugar levels. It has also reported to have lipid lowering effect.

It has been used as an agent against type II diabetes. Bitter melon also contains an insulin-like compound referred to as polypeptide P or vegetable insulin.
Bitter melon for health