Bitter melon is a nutritious and therapeutic fruit indigenous to Asia, Africa, and parts of the Caribbean. It has been used for a very long time in China.
It is part of Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient kind of treatment that has been used in India for over 3,000 years, including in some of the world’s healthiest locations, such as Okinawa, Japan.
Bitter melon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae plant family, the same family as cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins. It is a small, round fruit with a characteristic sour taste.
An alkaloid momordicine phytochemical, which is produced in the plant’s fruit and leaves, is what gives the bitter melon plant its distinctively sour or bitter flavor. Vitamin C, an essential element in bone development, wound healing, and disease prevention, is abundant in bitter melon.
It also contains significant amounts of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that supports healthy skin and normal vision. Bitter melon also provides folate, which is essential for growth and development, as well as smaller amounts of potassium, zinc, and iron.
Catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid are all present in bitter melon and are strong antioxidants that can offer better protection from damage to your cells.
Additionally, a single one-cup (94-gram) bitter melon meal provides about 8% of your daily requirements for fiber while being low in calories.
Despite these health and nutritional benefits, what does Dr. Sebi say about bitter melons?
What does Dr. Sebi Say about bitter melon?
Dr. Sebi’s Nutritional Guide includes almost all natural-grown fruits. In his list, melons are also included, i.e., bitter melon.
What does bitter melon cure?
Bitter melon is a nutrient-dense fruit, mainly researched for its benefits on diabetes management.
Bitter melon lowers blood glucose levels by increasing glucose tolerance and lowers hemoglobin A1c levels in some type 2 diabetes patients, according to numerous clinical trials.
Based on most of the research, the potency of glucose triggers hypoglycemia by increasing the use of glucose in the main skeletal muscles. It has been discovered that the pancreas boosts insulin release by blocking the glycogenetic enzyme and protects beta cells by preventing glucose absorption in the intestines.
Surprisingly, research has also found that bitter melon has anticarcinogenic effects on malignant tumors. According to numerous pre-clinical investigations, bitter melon extracts or isolated chemicals have anticarcinogenic effects on the breast, skin, prostate, colon, urinary bladder, lymphoid leukemia, and lymphoma cancers.
Health Benefits of Bitter Melons
1. Source of antioxidants
It is well known that the oxidative stress damage caused by the presence of free radicals in cells contributes to the development of cancer and associated disease conditions.
According to research, bitter melon is an excellent source of antioxidants and may help protect against the harmful effects of free radicals.
The fruit’s bark and seeds are very abundant in phenolic compounds with powerful antioxidant properties.
2. Anti-ulcer effect
In Turkey, peptic ulcers are treated with an extract made from fresh and dried fruits combined with olive oil or honey.
According to reports, the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which also causes duodenal and stomach ulcers as well as the development of fruits, inhibits the growth of organisms.
3. Might lower cholesterol
A buildup of fatty plaque in arteries brought on by high cholesterol levels can make the heart work harder to pump blood, raising the risk of heart disease.
According to several animal studies, bitter melon may lower cholesterol levels to enhance general heart health.
One study found that giving bitter melon extract to rats on a high-cholesterol diet resulted in a significant drop in total cholesterol levels, “bad” LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
In contrast to placebo, rats given a bitter melon extract had considerably lower cholesterol levels, according to another study. Bitter melon at higher doses resulted in the most significant reduction.
However, most of the research done so far on the use of the bitter melon extract in animal experiments to lower cholesterol has not been conducted on humans.
Is bitter melon alkaline or acidic?
Like most melons, bitter melon is a low acidic fruit with a pH value range of 4.24–4.45. However, when ripe, it has an alkaline-forming effect.
Based on the balance of alkaline and acid levels, as determined by pH, the body operates at its best. The pH scale has numbers 0 through 14. Seven is neutral. Below 7 is acidic, and above seven, alkaline.
Does bitter melon cure infection?
According to research, bitter melon has a wide range of antibacterial and antiviral components. These chemicals have the power to reduce sensitivity to viruses like HIV as well as Helicobacter pylori (a very prevalent bacteria linked to the development of stomach ulcers in people with weakened immune systems).
A study done on the protein from bitter melon reports that this fruit possesses several antiviral activities against hepatitis B virus, dengue virus, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Microbiology, bitter melon powder has been used for millennia in Ayurveda “for dusting over leprous and other intractable ulcers and in healing wounds, especially when blended with cinnamon, long pepper, rice, and chaulmugra oil.”
In recent years, rats with pylorus ligation, aspirin, and stress-induced ulcers have shown significant improvements in ulcer symptoms when treated with the bitter melon extract.
Does bitter melon balance hormones?
In trials, including humans and animals, the bitter melon fruit extract showed strong antioxidant properties.
There is potential for the bitter melon to function as a therapeutic agent for reducing obesity and other symptoms linked to metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, in addition to balancing hormones linked to diabetes (such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure).
The bitter melon helps avoid weight gain by mediating and initiating lipid and fat metabolizing processes, gene expressions that govern hunger and body weight, as well as lowering inflammation.
However, more research is still needed in this area.
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