| Bitter Melon health benefits |
Benefits of Bitter Melon - Diabetes, Side Effects, Recipe, Extract and Seeds
What is Bitter Melon?
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is actually a member of the squash family
and resembles a cucumber with bumpy skin. When first picked, a bitter melon
is yellow-green, but as it ripens, it turns to a yellow-orange color. The inside of
the melon is filled with fibrous seeds.
What are the health benefits of bitter Melon?
With limited scientific supports, bitter melon is general believed to benefit
diabetes. In a study, researchers from University of Bologna, Italy, asked 720
herbalists what herbal remedy that they would recommend to those suffered
from diabetes. They suggested ten herbal remedies and bitter melon is in the
list. [1] According to a review article, bitter melon has been recognized as a
Chinese herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus for centuries. [2] And, it is more
popular in Asia to be used as a natural product for diabetes. [4] Researchers
from Natural Standard, MA, consider bitter melon an alternative therapy that
has primarily been used for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with
diabetes mellitus. Components of bitter melon extract appear to have
structural similarities to animal insulin. Bitter melon has been shown to have
anti-viral and anti-neoplastic activities. [3] Small trials have shown the
moderate hypoglycemic effect of bitter melon juice, fruit or its dried powder.
What are other health benefits of bitter melon?
Boiled bitter melon extracts show anti-oxidant activities. Extracts from bitter
melon (Momordica charantia, Cucurbitaceae) showed a significant difference in
the free radical scavenging activity between the extract obtained by using
cold maceration and that prepared by boiling the plant in the solvent under
reflux, suggesting the chemical composition of the plant changed during the
heating process, leading to an increase in the amount of antioxidant
components. [5]
Bitter melon may also have benefits of lipid-lowering activities. Researchers
have shown the hypolipidemic effect of dietary methanol fraction (BMMF)
extracted from bitter melon (Koimidori variety), at the levels of 0.5% and
1.0%, in male golden Syrian hamsters. [6] The results of another study have
clearly shown that that bitter melon, especially Koimidori variety, exhibited a
potent liver triglyceride-lowering activity. The triglyceride lowering activity was
furthermore confirmed by the dose-dependent reduction of hepatic
triglyceride, resulting the lowest level in rats fed 3.0% supplementation. [9]
Bitter melon extracts may provide benefits for cancers as they have shown
anti-cancer activities in a study of Swiss albino mice. A significant decrease in
tumor burden was observed in short and long-term treatment. Also, total
tumor incidence reduced to 83.33% with 2.5% dose and 90.90% with 5%
dose in short term treatment, while in long-term treatment tumor incidence
decreased to 76.92% with 2.5% dose and 69.23% with 5% dose of bitter
melon. [7] Seed oil from bitter melon (Momordica charantia), which is rich in
cis(c)9, trans(t)11, t13-conjugated linolenic acid, has been shown to inhibit the
development of azoxymethane-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci. Seed oil
from bitter melon rich in t13-conjugated linolenic acid can suppress
azoxymethane -induced colon carcinogenesis and the inhibition might be
caused, in part, by modification of lipid composition in the colon and liver
and/or increased expression of PPARgamma protein level in the colon mucosa.
[8]
What are the side effects of bitter melon?
Reported adverse or side effects of bitter melon include hypoglycemic coma
and convulsions in children, reduced fertility in mice, a favism-like syndrome,
increases in gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels in
animals, and headaches. Bitter melon may also have additive effects when
taken with other glucose-lowering agents. [3]
Other possible side effects include liver inflammation, and spontaneous
abortion. [10]
Selection
Select firm, unblemished melons that are from 5 to 12 inches in length. Choose
melons that are still green for a more bitter flavor and a yellow-orange melon
for a milder taste. Bitter melons are available fresh from April to September in
most Asian markets and can occasionally be found in larger supermarkets.
Some markets are beginning to carry bitter melons year round. They may also
be purchased canned or dried.
Storage
Store melon loose in a paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Slice the melon immediately before use.
Preparation
Cut in half and discard the seeds and fibrous core. To reduce the bitterness,
blanch in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. The skin is edible and the melon is
not typically peeled. The seeds are also edible, unless very hard, and are
included in some recipes. Bitter melon is commonly stuffed, curried or pickled.
It can also be used in stir-fry’s and soups and may be steamed. Garlic
or chili peppers are often added to recipes with bitter melon to offset the
bitter taste.
Recipe-Stuffed Bitter Melon
Ingredients
4 bitter melon about 3 inches long (if longer cut into 3 inch pieces)
1 cup onion finely chopped
½ cup green chile finely chopped
½ Tbsp ginger root finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 Tbsp coriander chopped
3 tsp canola oil
2 tsp flour
½ tsp red chile powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp powdered coriander
¼ tsp powdered tumeric
½ tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp cumin seed
Wash bitter melon thoroughly with water. If bitter melons are of longer
variety, cut them into 3 inch pieces. Remove skin by scraping with a sharp
knife. Keep the skin aside. Slit the bitter melons length wise. Remove the
seeds. Discard the seeds if very hard, otherwise mix them with the skin
scrapings. Blanch the bitter melon in boiling water. Heat a nonstick frying pan
and add 2 teaspoon oil. When the oil becomes hot, add cummin seeds. When
the seeds become dark, add onion, green chile, ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3
minutes and add all the spices. Stir well and cook until the mixture turns light
brown, about 5-7 minutes. Mix half the coriander leaves. Take the bitter melon
skin in a sieve and wash thoroughly.
Fill the bitter melon with the above mixture. Heat and spray oil on a nonstick
frying pan. Place all the bitter melons in the pan, cover with a lid and reduce
the stove to low. Let them cook for 7 minutes. Change the side of bitter
melons and again cover with the lid. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with
coriander leaves.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 31, Calories from Fat 24%, Fat 1g,
Protein 1g, Carbohydrates 5g, Fiber 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 329mg.
What products of bitter melon in the market?
Bitter melon leaves, fruits and seeds are used to prepare tea. Some
manufacturers blend bitter melon and green tea leaves to produce a
refreshing and cooling effects.
However, its fruits and seed are mainly used to prepare supplements, as they
are believed to contain more "anti-diabetic properties".
CONCLUSION
The health benefits of bitter melon on diabetes and some other diseases have
been known for centuries, though related scientific supports are limited. Some
people like to have bitter melon in their dinner plates, because of its
bitter-tasting. At high doses, it may cause unpleasant adverse events or side
effects.
THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTION. ALL RIGHT RESERVED 2006. ZHION. DO NOT COPY NOR
TRANSFER THIS ARTICLE TO OTHER WEBSITE OR OTHER FORMS OF PUBLICATION.
REFERENCE AND SOURCE
[1] Cicero AF et al, What do herbalists suggest to diabetic patients in order to improve
glycemic control? Evaluation of scientific evidence and potential risks. Acta Diabetol.
2004 Sep;41(3):91-8. [2] Jia W et al, Antidiabetic herbal drugs officially approved in
China. Phytother Res. 2003 Dec;17(10):1127-34. [3] Basch E et al, Bitter melon
(Momordica charantia): a review of efficacy and safety. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2003
Feb 15;60(4):356-9. [4] Shapiro K et al, Natural products used for diabetes. J Am
Pharm Assoc (Wash). 2002 Mar-Apr;42(2):217-26. [5] Ansari NM et al, Antioxidant
activity of five vegetables traditionally consumed by south-Asian migrants in Bradford,
Yorkshire, UK. Phytother Res. 2005 Oct;19(10):907-11. [6] Senanayake GV et al, The
effects of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) extracts on serum and liver lipid
parameters in hamsters fed cholesterol-free and cholesterol-enriched diets. J Nutr Sci
Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2004 Aug;50(4):253-7. [7] Deep G et al, Cancer preventive potential
of Momordica charantia L. against benzo(a)pyrene induced fore-stomach tumourigenesis
in murine model system. Indian J Exp Biol. 2004 Mar;42(3):319-22. [8] Kohno H et al,
Dietary seed oil rich in conjugated linolenic acid from bitter melon inhibits
azoxymethane-induced rat colon carcinogenesis through elevation of colonic
PPARgamma expression and alteration of lipid composition. Int J Cancer. 2004 Jul
20;110(6):896-901. [9] Senanayake GV et al, The effects of bitter melon (Momordica
charantia) on serum and liver triglyceride levels in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004
Apr;91(2-3):257-62. 10. Basch E, Gabardi S, Ulbricht C. Bitter melon ( Momordica
charantia): a review of efficacy and safety. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2003;60:356-359.
Source for the recipe, introduction and image: CDC Online Publication, November 29,
2005
What is Bitter Melon?
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is actually a member of the squash family
and resembles a cucumber with bumpy skin. When first picked, a bitter melon
is yellow-green, but as it ripens, it turns to a yellow-orange color. The inside of
the melon is filled with fibrous seeds.
What are the health benefits of bitter Melon?
With limited scientific supports, bitter melon is general believed to benefit
diabetes. In a study, researchers from University of Bologna, Italy, asked 720
herbalists what herbal remedy that they would recommend to those suffered
from diabetes. They suggested ten herbal remedies and bitter melon is in the
list. [1] According to a review article, bitter melon has been recognized as a
Chinese herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus for centuries. [2] And, it is more
popular in Asia to be used as a natural product for diabetes. [4] Researchers
from Natural Standard, MA, consider bitter melon an alternative therapy that
has primarily been used for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with
diabetes mellitus. Components of bitter melon extract appear to have
structural similarities to animal insulin. Bitter melon has been shown to have
anti-viral and anti-neoplastic activities. [3] Small trials have shown the
moderate hypoglycemic effect of bitter melon juice, fruit or its dried powder.
What are other health benefits of bitter melon?
Boiled bitter melon extracts show anti-oxidant activities. Extracts from bitter
melon (Momordica charantia, Cucurbitaceae) showed a significant difference in
the free radical scavenging activity between the extract obtained by using
cold maceration and that prepared by boiling the plant in the solvent under
reflux, suggesting the chemical composition of the plant changed during the
heating process, leading to an increase in the amount of antioxidant
components. [5]
Bitter melon may also have benefits of lipid-lowering activities. Researchers
have shown the hypolipidemic effect of dietary methanol fraction (BMMF)
extracted from bitter melon (Koimidori variety), at the levels of 0.5% and
1.0%, in male golden Syrian hamsters. [6] The results of another study have
clearly shown that that bitter melon, especially Koimidori variety, exhibited a
potent liver triglyceride-lowering activity. The triglyceride lowering activity was
furthermore confirmed by the dose-dependent reduction of hepatic
triglyceride, resulting the lowest level in rats fed 3.0% supplementation. [9]
Bitter melon extracts may provide benefits for cancers as they have shown
anti-cancer activities in a study of Swiss albino mice. A significant decrease in
tumor burden was observed in short and long-term treatment. Also, total
tumor incidence reduced to 83.33% with 2.5% dose and 90.90% with 5%
dose in short term treatment, while in long-term treatment tumor incidence
decreased to 76.92% with 2.5% dose and 69.23% with 5% dose of bitter
melon. [7] Seed oil from bitter melon (Momordica charantia), which is rich in
cis(c)9, trans(t)11, t13-conjugated linolenic acid, has been shown to inhibit the
development of azoxymethane-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci. Seed oil
from bitter melon rich in t13-conjugated linolenic acid can suppress
azoxymethane -induced colon carcinogenesis and the inhibition might be
caused, in part, by modification of lipid composition in the colon and liver
and/or increased expression of PPARgamma protein level in the colon mucosa.
[8]
What are the side effects of bitter melon?
Reported adverse or side effects of bitter melon include hypoglycemic coma
and convulsions in children, reduced fertility in mice, a favism-like syndrome,
increases in gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels in
animals, and headaches. Bitter melon may also have additive effects when
taken with other glucose-lowering agents. [3]
Other possible side effects include liver inflammation, and spontaneous
abortion. [10]
Selection
Select firm, unblemished melons that are from 5 to 12 inches in length. Choose
melons that are still green for a more bitter flavor and a yellow-orange melon
for a milder taste. Bitter melons are available fresh from April to September in
most Asian markets and can occasionally be found in larger supermarkets.
Some markets are beginning to carry bitter melons year round. They may also
be purchased canned or dried.
Storage
Store melon loose in a paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Slice the melon immediately before use.
Preparation
Cut in half and discard the seeds and fibrous core. To reduce the bitterness,
blanch in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. The skin is edible and the melon is
not typically peeled. The seeds are also edible, unless very hard, and are
included in some recipes. Bitter melon is commonly stuffed, curried or pickled.
It can also be used in stir-fry’s and soups and may be steamed. Garlic
or chili peppers are often added to recipes with bitter melon to offset the
bitter taste.
Recipe-Stuffed Bitter Melon
Ingredients
4 bitter melon about 3 inches long (if longer cut into 3 inch pieces)
1 cup onion finely chopped
½ cup green chile finely chopped
½ Tbsp ginger root finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 Tbsp coriander chopped
3 tsp canola oil
2 tsp flour
½ tsp red chile powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp powdered coriander
¼ tsp powdered tumeric
½ tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp cumin seed
Wash bitter melon thoroughly with water. If bitter melons are of longer
variety, cut them into 3 inch pieces. Remove skin by scraping with a sharp
knife. Keep the skin aside. Slit the bitter melons length wise. Remove the
seeds. Discard the seeds if very hard, otherwise mix them with the skin
scrapings. Blanch the bitter melon in boiling water. Heat a nonstick frying pan
and add 2 teaspoon oil. When the oil becomes hot, add cummin seeds. When
the seeds become dark, add onion, green chile, ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3
minutes and add all the spices. Stir well and cook until the mixture turns light
brown, about 5-7 minutes. Mix half the coriander leaves. Take the bitter melon
skin in a sieve and wash thoroughly.
Fill the bitter melon with the above mixture. Heat and spray oil on a nonstick
frying pan. Place all the bitter melons in the pan, cover with a lid and reduce
the stove to low. Let them cook for 7 minutes. Change the side of bitter
melons and again cover with the lid. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with
coriander leaves.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 31, Calories from Fat 24%, Fat 1g,
Protein 1g, Carbohydrates 5g, Fiber 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 329mg.
What products of bitter melon in the market?
Bitter melon leaves, fruits and seeds are used to prepare tea. Some
manufacturers blend bitter melon and green tea leaves to produce a
refreshing and cooling effects.
However, its fruits and seed are mainly used to prepare supplements, as they
are believed to contain more "anti-diabetic properties".
CONCLUSION
The health benefits of bitter melon on diabetes and some other diseases have
been known for centuries, though related scientific supports are limited. Some
people like to have bitter melon in their dinner plates, because of its
bitter-tasting. At high doses, it may cause unpleasant adverse events or side
effects.
THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTION. ALL RIGHT RESERVED 2006. ZHION. DO NOT COPY NOR
TRANSFER THIS ARTICLE TO OTHER WEBSITE OR OTHER FORMS OF PUBLICATION.
REFERENCE AND SOURCE
[1] Cicero AF et al, What do herbalists suggest to diabetic patients in order to improve
glycemic control? Evaluation of scientific evidence and potential risks. Acta Diabetol.
2004 Sep;41(3):91-8. [2] Jia W et al, Antidiabetic herbal drugs officially approved in
China. Phytother Res. 2003 Dec;17(10):1127-34. [3] Basch E et al, Bitter melon
(Momordica charantia): a review of efficacy and safety. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2003
Feb 15;60(4):356-9. [4] Shapiro K et al, Natural products used for diabetes. J Am
Pharm Assoc (Wash). 2002 Mar-Apr;42(2):217-26. [5] Ansari NM et al, Antioxidant
activity of five vegetables traditionally consumed by south-Asian migrants in Bradford,
Yorkshire, UK. Phytother Res. 2005 Oct;19(10):907-11. [6] Senanayake GV et al, The
effects of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) extracts on serum and liver lipid
parameters in hamsters fed cholesterol-free and cholesterol-enriched diets. J Nutr Sci
Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2004 Aug;50(4):253-7. [7] Deep G et al, Cancer preventive potential
of Momordica charantia L. against benzo(a)pyrene induced fore-stomach tumourigenesis
in murine model system. Indian J Exp Biol. 2004 Mar;42(3):319-22. [8] Kohno H et al,
Dietary seed oil rich in conjugated linolenic acid from bitter melon inhibits
azoxymethane-induced rat colon carcinogenesis through elevation of colonic
PPARgamma expression and alteration of lipid composition. Int J Cancer. 2004 Jul
20;110(6):896-901. [9] Senanayake GV et al, The effects of bitter melon (Momordica
charantia) on serum and liver triglyceride levels in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004
Apr;91(2-3):257-62. 10. Basch E, Gabardi S, Ulbricht C. Bitter melon ( Momordica
charantia): a review of efficacy and safety. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2003;60:356-359.
Source for the recipe, introduction and image: CDC Online Publication, November 29,
2005
| photo by CDC |
Bitter melon is used mostly in Asian and Indian cooking; its
health benefits on diabetes have been known for years. Other
names for bitter melon include: foo qua, balsam pear, or bitter
gourd.
health benefits on diabetes have been known for years. Other
names for bitter melon include: foo qua, balsam pear, or bitter
gourd.
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Acetyl-L Carnitine
Acidophilus
Almond
Bladderwrack
Bilberry
Chromium
CLA
Cod Liver Oil
Coenzyme Q
Colostrum
Dandelion
EGCG
Echinacea
Eleuthero
Ellagic Acid
Eve. Primrose Oil
Fish Oil
Flaxseed
Garlic
Ginger
Ginseng
Ginkgo Biloba
Glucosamine
Gotu Kola
Guar Gum
Hyaluronic acid
Lecithin
Lycopene
Milk Thistle
Nattokinase
Passion Flower
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Polycosanol
Pycnogenol
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Resveratrol
Rhodiola
Royal Jelly
Stevia
Whey
Xylitol
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Discuss with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine. This article is for
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
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