Bitter gourd and diabetes

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Bitter gourd is a very special vegetable, it is often widely used in the daily diet. In addition, in traditional medicine, bitter melon is also used to cure some conditions such as diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain. Although there is ample evidence that consuming bitter melon can lower blood sugar levels, its use as a treatment for diabetes is controversial.

1.General about bitter melon

Bitter melon in English is Momordica charantia, also known as bitter melon, wild cucumber. The name of bitter melon comes from its taste. The more ripe the bitter melon, the more bitter its taste.
Bitter gourd is a unique vegetable, today it is commonly used to make medicine or food. The bitter gourd plant thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, including Asia, parts of Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.
Bitter gourd usually has green, oblong-shaped fruit, somewhat wrinkled in appearance, different from other fruits. However, in each different region, bitter melon will have relatively different sizes, textures and bitterness.
Bitter melon contains a lot of nutrients, very good for health. It can also reduce high blood sugar and aid in the treatment of diabetes. This is also the reason why bitter melon is used more and more commonly in everyday life.
SEE ALSO: Eat bitter melon to reduce blood fat?

2. How does bitter melon affect diabetes?

According to research, bitter melon can reduce the blood sugar level of the body. This is because some of the insulin-like properties in bitter gourd help to get glucose into the cells for energy.
Eating bitter melon helps the body's cells to use glucose more efficiently and transport it more easily to the muscles, liver and fat. Besides, bitter melon also helps prevent the conversion of nutrients into glucose in the blood, helping the body not lose important nutrients.
It has also been discovered that bitter melon contains lectins, which help reduce blood glucose levels through acting on peripheral tissues, thereby suppressing appetite.
Although there is evidence that bitter melon has the ability to control blood sugar, it is not approved as a method or medicine for the treatment of prediabetes or diabetes. Therefore, before using any method related to bitter melon to treat diabetes, you need to carefully consult your doctor to make sure it does not cause adverse side effects to your health. strong.
Here are some studies on the effects of bitter melon on diabetes, including:
According to a report from the Cochrane Database of systematic reviews that concluded that more is needed More studies are needed to accurately assess the effect of bitter melon on type 2 diabetes. In addition, the report also suggests that more research is needed on the use of bitter melon for nutritional therapy.

A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology compared the effectiveness of bitter melon with several current diabetes medications. Results showed that bitter melon was able to reduce fructosamine levels in study participants with type 2 diabetes. However, the activity level of bitter melon was less effective than the use of bitter melon. approved low-dose drugs. Thus, in terms of medicine, bitter melon has not been approved as a treatment for diabetes at this time. It is often used mainly as a staple in your daily healthy and varied diet. However, you should not consume bitter melon after dinner as it can lead to certain risks.

3. Nutritional benefits of bitter melon

Bitter gourd is both a fruit and a nutritious vegetable. It provides a wide range of essential nutrients to the body, including vitamins, antioxidants and other minerals. In addition, it is also recognized by many civilizations as having medicinal value. Here are some nutrients that are abundant in bitter melon, including:
Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B9, C and E Some essential minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and iron Antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenols and others

4.The health benefits of bitter melon

In traditional medicine, bitter melon is used to treat abdominal pain, burns, fever, chronic cough, menstrual pain and to treat skin diseases...
In addition, it is also used to cure wound healing, assist in childbirth in pregnant women, prevent or treat malaria, or viral diseases such as measles and chickenpox in parts of Asia and Africa.
Researchers at Saint Louis University in the US also found that bitter melon extract can kill breast cancer cells and prevent their growth and spread in the body.

5. Dosage of bitter melon

Currently, there is no standard dosage for the use of bitter melon. It is considered an alternative or tonic for certain medical conditions. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve the use of bitter melon to treat diabetes or any other medical condition.
Bitter gourd can be used in many different forms, such as a natural vegetable, a tea, juice or supplement. In addition, bitter melon seeds can be added to foods as a powder or as a decoction. If you use bitter melon as a supplement, it's best to consult your doctor before taking it.

6. Potential risks and some complications when using bitter melon

You should not use too much or too often bitter melon in your diet as it can reduce the effectiveness of some medications you are taking or lead to some unwanted side effects. want.
Below are some of the possible risks and complications of using too much bitter gourd, including:
Vomiting, diarrhea and other intestinal problems. Miscarriage, contractions or vaginal bleeding If taken with insulin can lower blood sugar to dangerous levels Causes liver damage Chickpea poisoning causes anemia in people with G6PD deficiency When combined with other other medicines can change how well they work. Cause problems with blood sugar control in people who have just had surgery. If you want to add more bitter melon to your daily diet, you should consume no more than 2.5 ounces of bitter melon (more than 2 fruits) per day. In addition, you should consult your doctor before using bitter melon to control your blood sugar levels.

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References: healthline.com, diabetes.co.uk