Bitter gourd is a vegetable that belongs to the cucumber family. Scientifically, it is called Momordica Charantia and belongs to Cucurbitacea family. Grown commercially as a vine in most of tropical regions of Asia, Africa and South America. The vine grows upto 5 meters high in hot and humid climate and bears flowers during the rains. The fruits are greenish in color with a warty exterior and an ellipsoidal in shape.
Culinary ingredient
It is the most bitter of all the vegetables and is avoided by many. In spite of pungent bitter taste, the vegetable has found a place in most of the Asian cuisines. Deep fried slices of the vegetable can be crunchy and tasty. When deep fried with sliced potatoes and brinjal, it can be a good mildly bitter sweet side dish. When sliced and boiled with potatoes, tomatoes, papayas, there can be a nutritious soup which can be taken with salt and black pepper. Moreover, it can pickled with other ingredients.
Storehouse of useful phytochemicals
Apart from the cullinary importance, the bitter gourd has the potential of curing many diseases. It is a rich source of tannins, alkoloids, momordicin, charantin, phenolic compounds, lipids and many more. Due to the presence of such compounds, the vegetable is of a great threapeutic value. Let us understand the kind of diseases that can be healed by bitter gourd.
Diabetes
The presence of elevated levels of glucose is called hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia is a major indicator of diabetes. This happens due to absence of the adequate amount of insulin in the blood. Insulin is a hormone that is secreated by the beta cells of the pancreas. When these lose the ability to produce insulin in adequate amounts, hyperglycemia sets in.
The beta cells get killed due to various reasons. One of the reasons is autoimmune disease. Taking anti bacterioal and anti viral medications for an extended period of time can lead to the destruction of these cells. Charantin extracted from the gourd is found to have hypoglycemic effect by inceasing the process of glycogen formation and thereby reducing the level of sugar in the blood. Along with Charantin, there is another chemical, polypeptide p that mimics insulin, does the same job of lowering the glucose level.
Liver diseases
The liver is the center for fatty acid metabolism. Lipids in the form of triglycerides are stored in cells and transported by plasma. Fats are either burnt due to need or secreated into the plasma for transportation. The liver sometimes takes up the triglycerides from the plasma and stores in its cells: hepatocytes. Excess storage of the fats in the liver leads to medical condition which prevents the liver from efficiently metabolizing the fats that comes in fresh.
Chemicals in the bitter gourd in ameliorating the fatty acid liver disease.The chemicals like Charantin reduce the level fo fatty acids stored in liver and phenolic compounds prevent the pro inflammatory cytokinnes from being activated; thus preventing any inflammation of the organ. The juice of the gourd has the hepatoprotective properties like prevention of lipids peroxidation that causes cell damage.
Obesity
Lipid metabolism is directly related to obesity. Inefficient fat metabolism leads to the deposition of fats that adds to the weight of the body. The juice of the vegetabnle is very effective in the reduction of the excess fatty acids in the liver that chokes the bile ducts. Bile is an alkaline chemical crucial to lipid metabolism. Once the sick liver is cured to make the bile and is allowed to flow easily, the lipid can be easily metabolised. Once the lipids are metabolized, the balance is restored and excess fats are taken out to cure obesity.
Adequate amount of fiber in the vegetable adds fullness to the stomach whichj reduces hunger and thereby reducing the need for too much food..
Cardiac arrest
There are 2 types of cholesterol: High-Density Lipoproteins and Low Density Lipoproteins. The former is good cholesterol while the latter is bad. LDL is the kind of lipids that get deposited on the walls of the arteries of the heart. Thus narrowing the arteries and slowing the flow of blood, causing pain in the chest. it can go to the extent that the flow is completely blocked leading to cardiac arrest.
Charantin helps the liver to effectively metabolize the lipids and increase the amount of HDL and reducing the LDL, thereby reducing the chances of cardiac arrest.
Antimicrobial and antihelmintic
The alkoloids in the vegetable exhibit antimicrobial properties. The alkoloids present in the vegetable have been found to be effective against bacteria like E. Coli, Salmonella, Steptobacillius, and Pylori. It is also fo be against protozoan like an amoeba. Equally effective is the juice of the plant for deworming process. The chemicals help in boosting immunity.
Anticancer
Momordin, a phytochemical found in the gourd has been proved effective against cancerous growth like melanoma, sarcoma, leukemia. Other chemicals of the same group have been effective to inhibit the production of the enzyme guanylate cyclase that is responsible for psoriasis. Some chemicals like momorcharin and momordin exhibit cytotoxic activities and are helpful in killing tumor cells.
Good for skin and hair
Vitamin C and phenolic compounds of the gourd are helpful in trapping the free radicals that circulate in the body. The free radicals can be all around us due to excessive pollution. Trapping the free radicals help in reducing the attack on the skin cells that damage the skin and make it look sick. The bitter gourd is also a beautiful vegetable.
Need to take in the bitter juice
A glass of gourd juice may not be pleasant for the tongue, but it holds out the hope of health and vitality. Those who cannot take the juice can take it as a soup with other sweet vegetables. Either way the useful chemicals that enter the system will surely fortify it against infections and metabolic disorders.
However, excess intake of the gourd is harmful. it can lead to nausea and vomiting. Diabetic patients on insulin should avoid it too.
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