Bitter Gourd, melon Excellent for Diabetes Treatment

Posted on February 21, 2008 in Latest News

Among the several home remedies that have proved beneficial in controlling diabetes, perhaps the most important is the use of bitter gourd. Also known as bitter melon, karela or Momordica Charantia, bitter gourd has many medicinal properties. It is mainly used as a stomachic. It is also used as appetizer, antipyretic, antibilious and also as a laxative. Bitter gourd is specifically used as an anti diabetic medicine.

Research studies have shown that bitter gourd contains hypoglycemic or insulin-like principle, designated as ‘plantinsulin’, which has been found valuable in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, be included liberally in the diet of the diabetic.

This vegetable is popularly called as plant insulin. For better results, the diabetic should take the juice of about four or five karelas every morning on an empty stomach. The seeds can be added to food in a powdered form. Diabetics can also use bitter gourd in the form of a decoction by boiling the pieces in water or in the form of dry powder.

How bitter gourd works

Bitter melon contains Gurmarin, a polypeptide which has been shown to generate a successful sugar regulating effect by suppressing the neural response to sweet taste stimuli.  Bitter gourd controls sugar in a two-fold manner. First, it acts as a mediator between the body’s cells and insulin already produced in the pancreas. Bitter melon blocks the formation of glucose in the blood stream and breaks down the barrier that prevents cells from using their own natural insulin.

Secondly, karela has been shown to help increase the production of beta cells in the pancreas, thereby increasing the body’s ability to produce and release insulin, while it may increase the number ans activity of insulin receptors.

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Comments

2 Responses to “Bitter Gourd, melon Excellent for Diabetes Treatment”

  1. Dale Hubbard Says:
    June 5th, 2008 at 7:49 pm

    Where in this world can I buy Karela or bitte gourd?

  2. vkguptan Says:
    October 3rd, 2008 at 11:15 am

    Bitter Gourd is available in India practically in all vegitable shops. It is also available in US in Indian stores. In other countries also in Indian stores it must be available I hope. Best of luck.
    Y.S. Guptan

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