Benefits of Bitter Vegetables Blog Series – Bitter Melon
Today, I’m going to shine the spotlight on Momordica Charantia, better known as bitter melon, a true superhero of the ‘bitter foods’ group. Bitter melon likes hot weather and is found in southern China, India, and other tropical areas of Asia, the Amazon, east Africa, the Caribbean, and South America; everywhere it is found it is used as both a food and medicine.
The plant is a slender climbing annual vine with long, distinctive leaves on stalks and yellow flowers. As shown above, its appearance is similar to an oblong warty gourd, averaging about eight inches in length. The young melon is emerald green, turning more orange-yellow as it ripens.
The fruit is most often eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow. At this stage, the fruit’s flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to a cucumber or bell pepper, but BITTER, notice the emphasis on BITTER. The skin is tender and edible.
Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, but turns red when ripe and can then be eaten. They have a tangy, not quite, sweet flavor. The bitter melon is a member of the same botanical family as squash, watermelon, cantaloupes, and cucumber. It is a highly nutritious food, providing twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the potassium of bananas, twice the calcium of spinach, high fiber, along with high amounts of vitamin C, B vitamins, phosphorous, iron, zinc, manganese, and magnesium.
Comprised of thousands of phytochemicals, bitter melon is a medicinal powerhouse. It has been used to treat a wide variety of health problems in many cultures. The list is quite lengthy and includes diabetes; dysentery; stomach pain; as a carminative for colic; topically for sores, wounds, and infections; internally and externally for parasites; as an antiviral for measles; malaria; skin problems; hepatitis; hypertension; high cholesterol; feverish conditions; menstrual problems; aid in childbirth; and much more.
But, getting back to the focus of today’s blog, I’m here to talk about the use of bitter melon for diabetes. If you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, which is about a third of our population, pull up a chair, and pay attention because bitter melon can play a critical role in helping you reverse diabetes.
Consuming bitter melon on a daily basis has many beneficial effects. It has been clinically proven that it improves glucose tolerance and increases glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in the liver, muscles, and fat tissues. Not surprisingly, bitter melon contains some highly studied phytochemicals that are structurally similar to insulin. Bitter melon has also been shown to have regenerating effects on the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. It can actually help repair and restore insulin-producing function in the body, making it beneficial for those persons with Type 1, as well as, Type 2 diabetes. Acupuncturists, Ayurvedic, and other natural health practitioners have used bitter melon in their protocols to treat diabetes for millennia.
Diabetics and pre-diabetics should consider consuming bitter melon with every meal. Research has shown that eating around ¼ ounce of bitter melon twice a day is comparable to taking glibenclamide, a diabetic drug, twice a day. Which would you rather do? Take drugs with harmful side effects, even a possibility of death, or eat a vegetable?
A typical diabetes protocol involves eating bitter melon along with other sugar balancing foods, probiotics, and herbal formulas that support the liver, digestion, and other herbs appropriate for the specific client. There are strict dietary modifications that must be followed until improvements are noted. It is essential to cut out processed sugar, wheat products, sodas, coffee, fried foods, alcohol, red meat, and other items until the balance is restored.
Bitter melon doesn’t get its name by chance. It’s extremely bitter in its raw state, a flavor that is mostly attributed to the quinine content, which also explains its use as a malarial treatment in many countries. However, I’ve personally juiced it and drank shots of bitter melon. It’s a mouth-puckering experience, but completely doable for the adventurous. The good news is that its healing properties are actually enhanced with cooking while the bitter flavor is reduced.
To prepare bitter melon, slice the fruit open and remove the seeds and pith, but do not peel it. The skin is edible and packed with nutritional and medicinal value. Typically, bitter melon is stuffed, stir-fried, or curried with other vegetables or in a soup. The fruit pairs well with other strong flavors, like garlic, Chinese black beans, chili peppers, or coconut milk.
The simple step of slicing bitter melon into bite-size pieces and then boiling for three minutes with a dash of salt will go a long way towards cutting the bitter taste. You can then toss them into any vegetable dish you’re making and they will blend into the fray. Play around with your spice rack to develop a dish you enjoy, while taking your medicine at the same time!
The longer you consume bitter melon the more you will notice its beneficial effects. It dramatically reduces your blood sugar, so monitor yourself carefully. When using bitter melon as a medicine, I strongly recommend consulting an acupuncturist or other natural health practitioner that is familiar with its use. Remember to follow the necessary dietary restrictions, take any recommended herbal formulas, and work to reduce your stress. If you’re on medications, you will need them less and less, so you should work closely with your health practitioner to reduce dosages as soon as possible. If you’re consistent and committed, it is absolutely possible to reverse and heal from Type II diabetes. And, it is quite common to reduce the need for insulin with Type 1 diabetes.
The growing season of the bitter melon begins in May with the fruit appearing in about six weeks. The melon is usually available until around November. I always encourage using fresh melon for diabetes protocols, as it has the most medicinal value. During the offseason when you can’t get it fresh, however, I do recommend taking a dried whole fruit version, organic, powdered in capsules, or just powder. While there are many bitter melon products, I don’t recommend just an extract of bitters, since it’s the whole fruit that provides its amazing health benefits.
Well, that wraps it up for today’s blog on bitter melon. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you know someone who would benefit, please, by all means, I’d love for you to share it with them. Information and knowledge can help give you power over your own health.
I hope you enjoyed this short primer on the benefits of the amazing dandelion!
If you found this blog helpful, have a question, or want to comment, please do so. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated; we’re all in the health game together! If you’d like to get an herbal boost in balancing your blood sugar, I do carry and recommend an effective formula called Equilibrium.
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I hope you have found this information helpful.
With love,
Holly