Bitter melon (karela) has long been used as an anti-diabetic drug by some traditional treatment methods, and this plant is a miracle.
Various scientific studies have found that bitter melon is very useful as a cure for some types of cancer, associated with its ability to process glucose metabolism in cancer cells. Bitter melon can make cancer cells hungry and then die.
Scientists from Saint Louis University Cancer Center found that bitter melon may prevent the spread of cancer. Several other researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center found that this plant can also eliminate the side effects caused by chemotherapy. Pancreatic tumor growth can also be slowed by bitter melon juice.
Bitter melon contains many nutrients and glycoprotein lectin agent that serves as “insulin” that controls blood sugar levels. This is the main reason why bitter melon is useful in treating prostate cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, and neuroblastoma.
Bitter melon has a shape like a vine accompanied with yellow flowers and fragmented leaves. This plant is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, such as Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America.
Shaped like zucchini and a color change from green to yellow when ripe. Ripe fruit opens by itself and generates a lot of red beans. This plant is used as food in some parts of Asia.
Nutritional values per 100 grams:
- Vitamin K: 4.8 mg
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 0040 mg
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 0040 mg
- Vitamin B3 (niacin): 0,400 g
- Vitamin C: 84 mg
- Calories: 17 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 3.70 g
- Dietary fiber: 2.8 g
- Fats; 0317 g
- Folate: 27 mg
- Protein: 1.00 g
- Potassium; 296 mg
- Calcium: 19 mg
- Phosphorus: 31 mg
- Magnesium: 17 mg
- Sodium: 5 mg
Bitter melon has a very bitter taste but is rich in vitamin C, phosphorus, and potassium if consumed in a raw state. This plant is also rich in lectins that can lower blood sugar levels. It can boost immune cell function, and get rid of carcinogenic cells, and infection symptoms caused by HIV infection.
Bitter melon is even used to fight free radicals, thus slowing the aging process. The amazing plant has a small amount of calories but is high in minerals and vitamins.
As previously explained, bitter melon can be used to lose weight, boost immunity, and help the natural detoxification process. Some of the traditional medicine in China and India, use bitter melon to overcome cough, fever, menstrual cycle disorders, skin diseases, and colic.
Bitter melon leaves can be used as tea leaves that can prevent malaria and dangerous viruses such as chickenpox and measles. You can use it in several ways, namely cooked, juiced, and raw. However excessive consumption can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Pancreatic cancer
Researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center found that eating bitter melon can be useful in the treatment of pancreatic cancer as being able to glucose metabolism in cancer cells. Scientists are trying to apply this extract directly to the cells of pancreatic cancer.
This step can also lower the risk of diabetes type 2 as an early symptom of pancreatic cancer. A study in rats found that bitter melon juice can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by 60%.
Breast cancer
A study in 2010 found that an extract of melon is very useful in the treatment of breast cancer because this extract is capable of supporting the death of breast cancer cells. Bitter melon consumption can lower the rate of cell proliferation and modulate the signal transduction pathways used for the growth of breast cancer cells.
Diabetes
Scientists found that bitter melon can cure diabetes because it contains three main compounds that function as hypoglycemic agents.
Vicine – Through the intraperitoneal way, vicine induces hypoglycemia.
A study in 2011 published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, found that consuming bitter melon 2000 mg per day can lower blood glucose levels significantly, although the hypoglycemic effect is lower than the effect produced by metformin.
Charantin – classed as cucurbitane. This compound is triterpenoid, stronger than the tolbutamide agent.
Polypeptide – P – Hypoglycemic polypeptide is a protein that is capable of lowering blood glucose levels in humans and some other primates. These compounds can replace the function of insulin in patients with diabetes type 1.