Other names for bitter melon include ampalaya, karela, bitter gourd, balsam apple, and African cucumber. According to botany, this plant is called Momordica charantia; it belongs to the gourd family, which also includes its cousins the pumpkin, acorn squash, and zucchini. The plant is a tropical vine with a rather warty cucumber-like appearance. Many traditional treatments have employed bitter melon as a diabetic therapy.
According to analysis, bitter melon has a high content of fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and a protein that may be effective against malignant cells . It also contains vicine, charantin, and polypeptide p, a compound that resembles insulin and may be the cause of its effects on blood sugar.
What is the proof that eating bitter melon can help people with diabetes?
There are two primary lines of evidence suggesting the possible benefits of bitter melon in the treatment of diabetes. There are two lines of research that indicate bitter melon helps lower blood triglyceride and blood sugar levels. These investigations showed that this can occur in experiments involving cells, animals, and certain human subjects.
Though the evidence is currently limited, it is very promising because bitter melon has long been used as a food and a traditional remedy for diabetes, and because clinical investigations seem to support its safety.
However, there is one significant safety exclusion: anyone suffering from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) impairment. The vicine may theoretically result in headaches, fever, stomach pain, anemia, and even coma in some people.
In a recent study, the effects of metformin and bitter melon were evaluated in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. The results showed that bitter melon, at doses of 500, 1000, or 2000 mg daily, was beneficial in decreasing blood sugar levels.
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However, when taken at 1000 mg/day, metformin was marginally more efficacious than any bitter melon dosage. The pulp of the bitter melon was dried and standardized in this study so that 500 mg of the dried powder contained 0.04–0.05% charantin after the seeds were removed.
According to a different study, bitter melon may reduce A1c percentages, yet it is impossible to say whether these reductions were statistically significant due to the study’s methodology.
Though there have only been a few human trials, and the majority of them were not well sufficiently constructed to draw any conclusions, bitter melon appears to have great potential to lower blood sugar levels overall.Research on reducing triglyceride levels in individuals with diabetes has not been reported as of yet.
Does It Make Sense for People with Diabetes to Eat Bitter Melon?
It is not now possible to recommend the use of bitter melon, however it seems to be safe for adults. If you choose to consume bitter melon, be aware that it may interfere with any diabetic medication you may be taking, potentially causing hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar.
Bitter melon can be consumed raw, juiced, or blended into a smoothie. It is frequently offered at Asian or African specialty supermarkets. It can be roasted, steamed, boiled, or lightly fried as food. Cut the bitter melon lengthwise, then peel the skin and remove the seeds. Chop the bitter melon and boil it after removing the seeds. It can be added to soups and stews or served as a side dish.
If it’s too bitter, chop it into chunks, blanch it in boiling water for two to three minutes, then drain it on a towel for ten minutes or so before cooking it according to the recipe. Another way to prepare bitter melon juice is to cut the fruit into chunks and remove the peel and seeds.
You can then blend the pieces in a juicer or incorporate them into your preferred smoothie recipe. To lessen the bitterness, you can add lemon, ginger, or stevia. You can also just add some fruit, such apples or pears.
In certain specialty stores, bitter melon tea is also available. While 2-4 cups of tea per day are often advised, there are no recommendations for bitter melon tea.
Questions and Responses
Why do meals high in bitterness benefit diabetics?
Foods that are bitter encourage the gall bladder to release bile, which aids in the breakdown of lipids. This could be the mechanism by which bitter melon lowers triglyceride levels in experiments on animals.
Melons are not only delicious but also very beneficial for diabetics.
DiabetesCouncils Article | Reviewed by Dr. Jerry Ramos MD on June 03, 2020
Citations
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030438351200287X
- Fuangchan, Anjana, et al. “Hypoglycemic effect of bitter melon compared with metformin in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients.” Journal of ethnopharmacology 134.2 (2011): 422-428.
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lawrence_Leung/publication/26890830_Anti-diabetic_and_hypoglycaemic_effects_of_Momordica_charantia_(bitter_melon)_a_mini_review/links/09e41501807684e1a4000000.pdf
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