Bitter Melon Or Gourd – Health Benefits Of This Bitter Pill

September 25, 2014

Bitter Melon or Gourd is a herb known the world over for its ability to treat diabetes mellitus effectively. Not only is it beneficial in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, but it is also very beneficial in many other disorders that have been troubling mankind. A commonly grown herb in India, it is generally found in places which are damp and wet. It is a creeper and it climbs on trees for support. Some people also use outer layer of the fruit. Called bitter gourd or bitter melon in English, it is ushan virya in potency, and possess laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) properties. It possesses tickt and katu rasa – and this combination makes it a wonder of nature and a magic potion for curing diseases. Its chemical constituents are lectin, charatin and momordicine. It also contains a polypeptide named gurmarin, which is similar to insulin in composition. Exact action is still unknown but it is well established that regular use of bitter gourd has very good results in diseases like diabetes.

A lot has been written lately about the very beneficial aspects of bitter melon in the treatment of diabetes. As already discussed above, bitter melon has a host of bitter chemicals in which, which are hypoglycemic in action. It also has at least one substance that is like the insulin secreted by the human pancreatic glands. Hence, bitter melon is extremely effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Bitter melon is an appetite stimulant. Hence it is used in the treatment of anorexia, a disorder in which a person is unable to eat the required amount of food.

Bitter gourd is used as a blood purifier due to its bitter tonic properties. It can heal boils and other blood related problems that show up on the skin. For treatment, a cupful of the juice of the bitter melon must be taken each day in the morning, with a teaspoon of the juice of the citrus lemon in it.

For diarrhea, the juice of a bitter melon is mixed with the juice of the spring onions, both two teaspoons in quantity. This is then added with the juice of a lemon. This juice is given to the patient twice a day. This remedy is also effective in curing the diarrhea that is caused due to cholera.

The juice of the bitter melon is excellent remedy for hangovers. It is also very beneficial in preventing the liver damage that occurs due to excessive alcoholism.

In case of piles, the fresh juice of bitter melons is prescribed to the patient with positive results. Three teaspoons of juice of the bitter melon leaves is to be extracted each morning, added to a glassful of buttermilk and then consumed on an empty stomach. Carrying on this routine for thirty days will treat piles completely. Even externally, the paste of the leaves of the piles can be applied over the hemorrhoids.

Rich in iron, bitter melon has twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, twice the potassium of bananas, and contains vitamins C and B 1 to 3, phosphorus and good dietary fiber. It is believed to be good for the liver and has been proven by western scientists to contain insulin, act as an anti-tumor agent, and inhibit HIV-1 infection

At least three diverse groups of components in bitter melon been have indicated to have hypoglyceamic actions (sugar of the blood that lower) or others of the potential advantage in mellitus of the diabetes. These include a mixture of saponins steroidal known like charantin, insulin-like peptides, and the alkaloids. It continues being nonunderstandable that of these is most effective, or if work three together. The multiple controlled clinical studies have confirmed the advantage of the bitter melon for people with diabetes.