[box]Bitter melon, also known as the Goya, Bitter gourd, Karela or Balsam pear, is coveted widely for its health benefits.[/box]
The bitter tasting fruit is popular in Asian cooking, used more for its medical properties than its taste. Part of the gourd family, bitter melon grows on a tropical vine and looks like a very bumpy cucumber.
7 Health Benefits of Bitter Melon
It isn’t pretty, it isn’t tasty, yet this superfood has gained popularity worldwide for its remarkable health benefits. Many users prefer to drink bitter melon juice over finding the whole fruit and making a dish around it, making it easily accessible year round.
Here are seven amazing reasons to include bitter melon in your diet, whether you are trying to lose weight, manage diabetes or simply improve your immune function.
1. Bitter Melon for Diabetes
This warty, oblong fruit has long been used as a natural remedy to help treat type 2 diabetes. Containing substances with well documented anti-diabetic benefits. Charantin is one of these substances, helping to lower blood glucose naturally.
Bitter melon also contains lectin, known to reduce blood glucose concentrations and suppress appetite. Lectin is thought to be the major factor behind the hypoglycemic effect of bitter melon.
2. Improve Cholesterol Levels
Bitter melon can help improve cholesterol levels by reducing the harmful LDL cholesterol. This can significantly improve cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke.
3. Beauty and Skin Benefits of Bitter Melon
Many people swear by the beauty benefits of bitter melon. When taken on a daily basis, bitter melon is thought to improve skin quality and appearance, giving users a natural ‘glow’.
Bitter melon is also used to help improve the condition of some skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis and even acne.
4. Speeds Up Carbohydrate Digestion
As carbohydrates are digested, they turn into sugar, contributing to weight gain, increased blood glucose levels and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Bitter melon can help hasten the digestion of these carbohydrates, improving metabolism and reducing potential weight gain.
5. Liver Health Benefits
The liver if the body’s chief detoxifying organ, responsible for purifying our blood and ridding the body of harmful toxins. Supporting liver health with bitter melon juice on a daily basis can have a significant impact on overall health.
Bitter melon has some powerful antioxidant benefits, this is important in reducing the toxic load put on the liver.
6. Immune Function
The unique antioxidant profile of bitter melon makes it a fantastic immune boosting agent. It is often used to help treat the common cold, yeast infections and even food allergies.
Including bitter melon into your diet can do wonders for your health, naturally. Coupled with a quality supplement routine, healthy lifestyle and diet, you can turn your health around, lose weight and help prevent disease.
7. Weight Loss Benefits of Bitter Melon
Low in calories, high in nutrients and a digestion aid, a perfect recipe for weight loss. By including bitter melon into your regular diet, you can help curb your appetite and improve blood glucose levels. Reducing the amount of fat your body stores and even helping reduce fluid retention.
sources: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, diabetes.co.uk & lifehack.org
