| 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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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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