6 Golden heath benefits of Bitter Gourd Juice: Nutrition and Recipe

Does it seem quite weird to have bitter gourd juice? But, you will feel astonished after seeing the health benefits of this juice.

Bitter gourd juice is also known as karela juice, famous for its bitter taste. The bitter gourd juice is extracted from a rough-surfaced vegetable, bitter melon, or bitter gourd. This juice is quite bitter in taste and may be unpleasant for many people. Despite its nasty taste, this juice is famous for its well-known health benefits.

Bitter gourd is one of the healthiest vegetables in Asian families. This vegetable is fully packed with antioxidants, minerals, and staple vitamins. In addition, several people also use bitter gourd in pickles or as a juice. Besides condemning its bitter taste, this juice offers multiple solutions to different medical problems.

This article summarizes the best features of bitter gourd juice following the health benefits. Let us take a deep dive into the detailed review of bitter gourd juice to know about its health benefits.

What are the nutritional ingredients of bitter gourd juice?

Bitter gourd juice contains a variety of important ingredients that offer health benefits to a wide range. It contains important minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and multiple vitamins. In addition, it is also a source of dietary fiber. According to USDA, 93 grams or one cup of raw bitter gourd combined with a half cup of filtered water will provide the following nutritional values:

• Calorie count – 16
• Carbohydrates – 3.4 grams
• Proteins – 0.9 grams
• Lipids – 0.2 grams
• Fibers – 2.6 grams
• Vitamin C – 95 percent of the reference daily intake
• Vitamin A – 4% of the reference daily intake
• Folate – 17% of the reference daily intake
• Zinc – 10% of the reference daily intake
• Potassium – 6% of the reference daily intake
• Iron – 5% of the reference daily intake
• Vitamin A – 4% of the reference daily intake

It also contains a sufficient amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that boosts the immune system, tissue healing process, and mental health. In addition, it also offers provitamin A. It is an ingredient our body converts into vitamin A, beneficial for skin problems and eyesight. Moreover, every cup of bitter gourd juice provides about 8% of the daily fiber count, sufficient to improve your digestive system. Dietary fibers are also helpful to balance your blood glucose levels.

What are the health benefits of bitter gourd juice?

Considering the nutritional value of bitter gourd juice, no one can resist it’s health benefits. There is a long list of health benefits associated with it. Let us have a detailed look at the health benefits of this karela juice.

Maintains blood glucose levels

Bitter gourd juice contains three main ingredients that are helpful to lower blood glucose levels. These ingredients are polypeptide-p, charantin, and vicine. Several studies suggest the blood glucose-lowering properties associated with these components.

• Polypeptide-p offers quite a similar function to insulin. It is an important hormone that balances the blood glucose level by the absorption of blood glucose from the blood into the tissues and cells. In this way, this component is associated with the regulation of blood glucose levels.
• Charantin and vicine are also associated with the regulation of blood glucose levels. However, their function in the body is still unknown.

In addition, this juice also contains several substances that offer protection and regeneration capacity to the pancreatic cells. The pancreas is the organ to deliver insulin to the body.

Moreover, a study done on 24 persons took about 2 grams of bitter gourd juice per day for 90 days. Those people who took it revealed a decreased level of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). This molecule indicates the blood glucose level. A decreased value of HbA1c indicates a sustained control over blood glucose levels with decreased diabetes.

Anti-carcinogenic properties

There are several studies that suggest cancer-fighting properties related to bitter gourd juice. One test-tube study explained the effectiveness of the juice related to the killing of cancerous cells in the stomach, lungs, colon, and nasopharynx.

Studies suggest that it has the ability to block the growth potential and metastasis of breast cancerous cells. Moreover, it also helps to promote the death of malignant cells. Moreover, further studies are still required to investigate it’s effects on cancerous cells.

Improve skin health

Bitter gourd juice is also used for beauty-conscious people because of its antioxidant properties. In addition, it contains vitamin C and provitamin A to improve the glow and wound-healing capability of the skin. It is associated with the rapid healing of skin wounds. Moreover, in different medical practices, it is used to treat the symptoms of psoriasis, skin ulcers, and eczema. Besides knowing the nutritional value, still more studies are required to investigate the skin benefits of this juice.

Lower blood cholesterol level

Our food may contain some bad fatty acids that can accumulate in the body, leading to high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels may cause your heart to work with more effort with an increased risk of heart disease. Several studies suggest the positive effects of bitter gourd juice on cholesterol levels.

Karela juice is thought to significantly reduce the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Most of these studies are applied to animal models. Whereas, it is thought to produce the same effects of lowering cholesterol levels in human beings. Along with this juice, reducing blood cholesterol level is also among the health benefits of Cumin water.

Helps in the weight loss journey

Karela juice is an additional tool for fitness-conscious people to maintain their ideal weight. One cup of it contains 2 grams of fiber with a decreased amount of calories. These dietary fibers help a lot to improve your digestive system by making you feel fuller with reduced appetite. In this way, it can help you a lot to reduce your overall weight by improving your dietary habits.

In addition, some studies also suggest the fat-burning properties of karela juice. These studies are performed with saturated bitter gourd supplements. Taking this juice regularly will offer you the same results for your weight loss.

Beneficial for eyesight

This juice contains provitamin A. Our body converts provitamin A to vitamin A. Vitamin A is super beneficial to resolve problems of eyesight. It also helps to lighten the dark circles around the eyes. In all ways, karela juice is healthy for human beings.

What are the potential side effects of bitter gourd juice?

Bitter gourd juice is full of potential benefits for human health. Some people find it quite delicious to take bitter gourd juice. Whereas, others find it unpalatable due to its bitter taste. Excessive intake of anything is bad. In the same way, taking excessive juice may lead to stomach pain, diarrhea, and stomach upset.

Long term effects of bitter gourd juice are not known. But people having diabetes must consult their physicians regarding the effects of lowering blood glucose levels. In addition, it may affect the endocrine system involving the hormones and reproduction system. So pregnant women and breastfeeding women must consult their doctor regarding the use of this juice.

How to consume bitter gourd juice?

Bitter gourd is healthy in all ways. You can consume bitter gourd in different ways according to your taste buds. There are several ways to enjoy the taste of bitter gourd for your health.

• You can make a regular meal for your lunch or dinner by adding spices according to your choice.
• You can stuff the inside of a bitter gourd with your favorite stuffings and enjoy your meal with some healthy tortilla wraps.
• You can also fry bitter gourd slices in slight oil and enjoy your snacks.

How to make Bitter gourd juice?

You can also have bitter gourd juice in your best way. All you need is a blender and water. You can also add anything according to your taste. Select the best bitter gourd, not riper with an orange or red hue. The common ingredients are:

• Bitter gourd
• Water
• Salt, honey, or lemon juice according to your taste

Recipe

• Take a fresh bitter gourd, properly cleaned.
• Slice bitter gourd into pieces. Scoop out the inner seeds 9f bitter gourd.
• Place the inner flesh into the blender. Add one part of water into the two parts of the bitter gourd. You can replace water with any other juice of your choice.
• Blend it properly. You can add a few drops of lemon, honey, or salt according to your taste.
• Stain the chunks of bitter gourd juice. And enjoy your juice.

Conclusion

Bitter gourd juice offers a complete nutrition package full of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibers. Due to its ingredients, bitter gourd juice provides a long list of health benefits. This juice helps to lower blood glucose levels, and cholesterol levels, and improve skin health. In addition, it also contains several vitamins to provide a glow and healing capacity to the skin.

Besides having a long list of health benefits, there is still a need to investigate more about the key ingredients of bitter gourd juice and their effects on human health.

Also Check: Nutritional Benefits of Ash Gourd (Winter Melon)

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)