Scroll to Recipes with Bitter Gourd / करेला as ingredient
Bitter gourd originated from India and is also known as bitter melon or bitter apple, a tropical vine from the family Cucurbitaceae. It is widely grown in Asia and Africa.
It has a distinct oblong shape and has a hard exterior. However, it comes in a variety of different parts. In China, it is much longer than its Indian variety. It is also pale green in color, unlike the Indian version that has a dark green exterior.
It belongs to the same family as squashes, melons, and gourds. Its scientific name is Momordica charantia.
Commonly Known as
| Language | Name | Written as |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | Karela | करेला |
| Arabic | alqire almra | القرع المر |
| Bengali | TETO | তেতো |
| Gujarati | Karela | કરેલા |
| Kannada | Kahi kayi | ಕಹಿ ಕಾಯಿ |
| Malayalam | Kadukka kaya | കടുക്ക കായ |
| Marathi | Kadu | कडू |
| Punjabi | Kora gurh | ਕੌੜਾ ਗੁੜ |
| Tamil | Bagargai | பாகற்காய் |
| Telugu | Kakarakaya | కాకరకాయ |
| Urdu | Talkh lavkr | تلخ لوکی |
Nutritional Profile of Bitter Gourd
Nutritional profile per 100 gms
- Calories: 34
- Protein: 3.6g
- Carbohydrate: 7g
- Fiber: 1.9g
- Fat: 200mg
- Sodium: 13mg
- Potassium: 602mg
Source: USDA & Google
Benefits of Bitter Gourd
It is a vegetable that is packed with loads of benefits. Even if people do not like it because of its bitter taste, it will be extremely beneficial to include it in your daily diet.
Highly Nutritious
It contains Vitamin C in a very high amount in bitterness that helps disease prevention, bone deformation, and wound healing. Also, it is high in Vitamin A that helps in maintaining eyesight and strengthen it.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Helps in Reducing Blood Sugar
In recent studies, it was confirmed that bitter gourd helps control blood sugar. It was also found to help control levels of fructosamine, another marker of long-term blood sugar controls.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Fight Cancer
In test-tube studies, the extracts from bitter gourd helped block the growth of cancer cells of the stomach, colon, and nasopharynx-located behind the nose.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
May Decrease Cholesterol
Bitter melon can help decrease cholesterol levels reducing the bad LPL cholesterol and triglycerides. It also assures the overall heart health.
Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Side Effects of Bitter Gourd
Overall, bitter melon is very beneficial healthwise if one consumes in limited quantity. However, it can cause some side effects if taken in high amounts. They are particularly linked with diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach ache. It is also better to talk with a healthcare professional before supplementing yourself with bitter gourd if you have medical conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this good for diabetes?
Bitter gourd is beneficial for reducing blood sugar levels. So yes, it is one of the most recommended foods for people who want to reduce diabetes. However, food can help to a certain extent. So it is always recommended that one take the necessary medicines and introduce diabetes reduction food like Bitter Gourd in their diet.
What do it taste like?
As the name itself suggests, it has a bitter taste.
How to make bitter gourd juice?
Bitter gourd juice is very beneficial, and one can prepare it in a matter of minutes. Remove the skin and slice it from the middle to remove seeds. Cut the vegetable into small pieces. Then one can either use a blender or juicer to make juice. Add water as needed.
