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Bitter melon

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Momordica
Species: M. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Magnoliopsida is the Botanical name for a class of Flowering plants By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its The Cucurbitales are an order of Flowering plants included in the Rosid group of Dicotyledons This order mostly belongs to tropical areas with limited Cucurbitaceae is a Plant family commonly known as Melons, gourds or cucurbits and includes crops like Cucumbers Momordica is a genus of about 45 species of annual or perennial climbing Herbaceous or shrubby plants belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, natives charantia
Binomial name
Momordica charantia
Descourt.

Momordica charantia is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown for edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all vegetables. A vine is any plant of Genus Vitis (the Grape plants or by extension any similar climbing or trailing plant Cucurbitaceae is a Plant family commonly known as Melons, gourds or cucurbits and includes crops like Cucumbers The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however English names for the plant and its fruit include bitter melon or bitter gourd (translated from Chinese: 苦瓜; pinyin: kǔguā), in Indonesia, it is known as pare, while in the Philippines it is known as ampalaya. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The original home of the species is not known, other than that it is a native of the tropics. It is widely grown in South and Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and the Caribbean. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting In Trinidad & Tobago, it is known as caraili. Jamaicans also call it cerasee. It is Paakar Kai in Tamil language. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent.

Contents

Description

Bitter melons
Bitter melons

The herbaceous, tendril-bearing vine grows to 5 m. A herbaceous plant (or in botanical use a Herb) is a Plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of In Botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, Leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape that is used by Climbing plants for support It bears simple, alternate leaves 4-12 cm across, with 3-7 deeply separated lobes. In Botany, the following terms are used to describe the shape of plant leaves: Acicular ( acicularis) Slender and pointed needle-like Each plant bears separate yellow male and female flowers. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also

The fruit has a distinct warty looking exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large flat seeds and pith. Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, ripening to red; they are not intensely bitter and can be removed before cooking. However, the pith will become sweet when the fruit is fully ripe, and the pith's color will turn red. The pith can be eaten uncooked in this state, but the flesh of the melon will be far too tough to be eaten anymore. Red and sweet bitter melon pith is a popular ingredient in some special southeast Asian style salad. The flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to cucumber, chayote or green bell pepper. The cucumber ( Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the Gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same The chayote ( Sechium edule) also known as sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophine or "Green pepper" redirects here For green peppercorns see Black pepper. The skin is tender and edible. The fruit is most often eaten green. Although it can also be eaten when it has started to ripen and turn yellowish, it becomes more bitter as it ripens. The fully ripe fruit turns orange and mushy, is too bitter to eat, and splits into segments which curl back dramatically to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp.

Bitter melon comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese phenotype is 20 to 30 cm long, oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface. A phenotype is any observable characteristic of an Organism, such as its morphology, Development, biochemical or physiological properties The bitter melon more typical of India has a narrower shape with pointed ends, and a surface covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Coloration is green or white. Between these two extremes are any number of intermediate forms. Some bear miniature fruit of only 6 - 10 cm in length, which may be served individually as stuffed vegetables. These miniature fruit are popular in Southeast Asia as well as India.

Culinary uses

A small green bitter melon (front) and a scoop of Okinawan gōyā champurū stirfry (back)
A small green bitter melon (front) and a scoop of Okinawan gōyā champurū stirfry (back)
Bitter gourd (boiled, drained, no salt)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3. 5 oz)
Energy 20 kcal   80 kJ
Carbohydrates     4. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most 32 g
- Sugars  1. 95 g
- Dietary fiber  2. Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. 0 g  
Fat 0. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water 18 g
- saturated  0. Saturated fat is Fat that consists of Triglycerides containing only saturated Fatty acids Explanation Fat that occurs 014 g
- monounsaturated  0. For discussion how dietary fats affect cardiovascular health see Diet and heart disease. 033 g  
- polyunsaturated  0. In nutrition polyunsaturated fat is an abbreviation of polyunsaturated Fatty acid. 078 g  
Protein 0. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl 84 g
Water 93. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. 95 g
Vitamin A equiv. Vitamin A refers to a family of similarly shaped molecules the Retinoids.  6 μg  1%
Thiamin (Vit. B1)  0. For the similarly spelled pyrimidine see Thymine Thiamin or thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1 051 mg   4%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2)  0. Riboflavin ( E101) also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed Micronutrient with a key role in maintaining Health 053 mg   4%
Niacin (Vit. B3)  0. Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin which prevents the deficiency disease Pellagra. 280 mg   2%
Vitamin B6  0. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble Vitamin. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of Amino acid metabolism including 041 mg 3%
Folate (Vit. Folic acid (also known as Vitamin M and Folacin) and Folate (the Anionic form are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9 B9)  51 μg  13%
Vitamin B12  0 μg   0%
Vitamin C  33. Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an Essential nutrient for a large number of higher primate species a small number of other Mammalian 0 mg 55%
Vitamin E  0. See also Tocopherol, Tocotrienol Vitamin E is the collective name for a set of 8 related Tocopherols and Tocotrienols which are fat-soluble 14 mg 1%
Vitamin K  4. Vitamin K (K from "Koagulations-Vitamin" in German Danish Swedish and Norwegian denotes a group of Lipophilic, Hydrophobic Vitamins that 8 μg 5%
Calcium  9 mg 1%
Iron  0. Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 38 mg 3%
Magnesium  16 mg 4% 
Phosphorus  36 mg 5%
Potassium  319 mg   7%
Sodium  6 mg 0%
Zinc  0. Magnesium is an essential element in biological systems. Magnesium occurs typically as the Mg2+ ion Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 For sodium chloride in the diet see Salt. Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or Halite, is a Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 77 mg 8%
Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults. Reference Daily Intake (or Recommended Daily Intake ( RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient which was considered (at the time they were defined to be sufficient
Source: USDA Nutrient database

Bitter melons are seldom mixed with other vegetables due to the strong bitter taste, although this can be moderated to some extent by salting and then washing the cut melon before use.

Bitter melon is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavor, typically in stir-fries (often with pork and douchi), soups, and also as tea. Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Stir frying is an Umbrella term used to describe two fast Chinese cooking techniques chǎo ( 炒) and bào ( 爆) Douchi ( Cantonese dao si also called Chinese fermented black beans, is a Flavoring most popular in the Cuisine of China, and is used to make black Soup is a Food that is made by combining ingredients such as Meat and Vegetables in stock or hot/boiling Water, until the flavor Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market

It is also a popular vegetable in Indian cooking, where it is often prepared with potatoes and served with yogurt on the side to offset the bitterness, or used in sabji. Sabji or Sabzi is a Hindi / Urdu, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Marathi, Punjabi word that refers to a spicy vegetable Bitter melon is fried in oil and then stuffed with other spicy ingredients it is very popular in Andhra Pradesh, a south Indian state.

Bitter melon is rarely used in mainland Japan, but is a significant component of Okinawan cuisine. Okinawan cuisine is the cuisine of the Japanese island of Okinawa.

In Indonesia, bitter melon is prepared in various dishes, such as stir fry, cooked in coconut milk, or steamed. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Stir frying is an Umbrella term used to describe two fast Chinese cooking techniques chǎo ( 炒) and bào ( 爆) Coconut milk is a sweet milky white cooking base derived from the meat of a mature Coconut.

In Vietnam, raw bitter melon slices consumed with dried meat floss and stuff to make bitter melon soup with shrimp are popular dishes. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Rousong, also called meat floss, pork floss, pork sung is a dried Chinese meat item that has a light and fluffy texture similar to coarse cotton Bitter melons stuffed with ground pork are served as a popular summer soup in the South.

It is prepared in various dishes in the Philippines, where it is known as Ampalaya. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Ampalaya may also be stir-fried with ground beef and oyster sauce, or with eggs and diced tomato. Ground beef, beef mince or hamburger meat (in North America) or mince or mince(d meat (in the rest of the English speaking Oyster sauce is a Viscous dark brown Sauce commonly

A very popular dish from the Ilocos region of the Philippines, pinakbet, consists mainly of bitter melons, eggplant, okra, string beans, tomatoes, lima beans, and other various regional vegetables stewed with a little bagoong-based stock. Ilocos collectively refers to two provinces in the Philippines: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Pinakbet or pakbet is a popular Ilocano dish from the northern regions of the Philippines, although it has become popular throughout the archipelago Bagoong Terong or bagoong, and bugguong in the Ilocano language is a common ingredient used in the Philippines and particularly in Northern

The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens; in the Philippines, where bitter melon leaves are commonly consumed, they are called dahon (leaves) ng ampalaya. Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied

The seeds can also be eaten, and have a sweet taste; but are known to cause nausea.

In Nepal bitter melon is prepared in various ways. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Most prepare it as fresh achar (a type of salsa). For this the bitter gourd is cut into cubes or slices and sautéed covered in little oil and a sprinkle of water. When it is softened and reduced, it is minced in a mortar with few cloves of garlic, salt and a red or green pepper. Another way is the sautéed version. In this, bitter gourd is cut in thin round slices or cubes and fried (sauted) with much less oil and some salt, cumin and red chili. It is fried until the vegetable softens with hints of golden brown. It is even prepared as a curry on its own, or with potato; and made as stuffed vegetables.

In Pakistan bitter melon is available in the summertime, and is cooked with lots of onions. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and

A traditional way to cook bitter melon curry is, to peel off the skin and cut into thin slices. It is salted and exposed to direct sunlight for few hours to reduce its bitterness. After few hours, it's salty, bitter water is reduced by squeezing out the excess by hand. Then it's rinsed with water a few times. Then fried in cooking oil, with onions also fried in another pan. When the onions have turned a little pink in color, the fried bitter melon is added to them. After some further frying of both the onions and bitter melon, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder; and a pinch of cumin seeds are also added. A little water can be sprinkled while frying the spices to prevent burning. Then a good amount of tomato is added to the curry, with green chillies, according to taste. Now the pan is covered with a lid, heat reduced to minimum, the tomatoes reduce, and all the spices work their magic. The curry is stirred a few times (at intervals) during this covering period. After half an hour or so, the curry is ready to serve, with soft hot flat breads (chappatis, چپاتی) and yogurt chutney.

Another dish in Pakistan calls for whole, unpeeled bitter melon to be boiled and then stuffed with cooked ground beef. In this dish, it is recommended that the bitter melon be left 'debittered'. It is either served with hot tandoori bread, naan, chappati, or with khichri (a mixture of lentils and rice).

Medicinal uses

Bitter melons have been used in various Asian traditional medicine systems for a long time [1]. The term traditional medicine ( Indigenous medicine or folk medicine) describes medical knowledge systems which developed over centuries within various societies Like most bitter-tasting foods, bitter melon stimulates digestion. While this can be helpful in people with sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, and constipation, it can sometimes make heartburn and ulcers worse. The fact that bitter melon is also a demulcent and at least mild inflammation modulator, however, means that it rarely does have these negative effects, based on clinical experience and traditional reports. A demulcent (derived from the word "caress" is an agent that forms a soothing film over a Mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane

Though it has been claimed that bitter melon’s bitterness comes from quinine,[2] no evidence could be located supporting this claim. Quinine (ˈkwaɪnaɪn kwɪˈniːn ˈkwiːniːn is a natural white Crystalline Alkaloid having Antipyretic (fever-reducing antimalarial, Bitter melon is traditionally regarded by Asians, as well as Panamanians and Colombians, as useful for preventing and treating malaria. Asian or Asiatic is a Demonym for people from Asia. However the use of the term varies by country and person often referring to people from a particular Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including Laboratory studies have confirmed that various species of bitter melon have anti-malarial activity, though human studies have not yet been published [3].

Laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection [4]. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome As most compounds isolated from bitter melon that impact HIV have either been proteins or glycoproteins lectins), neither of which are well-absorbed, it is unlikely that oral intake of bitter melon will slow HIV in infected people. It is possible oral ingestion of bitter melon could offset negative effects of anti-HIV drugs, if a test tube study can be shown to be applicable to people [5]. In one preliminary clinical trial, an enema form of a bitter melon extract showed some benefits in people infected with HIV (Zhang 1992). Clearly more research is necessary before this could be recommended.

The other realm showing the most promise related to bitter melon is as an immunomodulator. One clinical trial found very limited evidence that bitter melon might improve immune cell function in people with cancer, but this needs to be verified and amplified in other research [6]. If proven correct this is another way bitter melon could help people infected with HIV.

Some claim bitter melon as "a cure for diabetes", although outside of anecdotal stories scientific evidence for this claim is limited. Studies so far demonstrate improvement but not cure in some diabetic parameters.

Bitter Melon contains four very promising bioactive compounds.

These compounds activate a protein called AMPK, which is well known for regulating fuel metabolism and enabling glucose uptake, processes which are impaired in diabetics.

("We can now understand at a molecular level why bitter melon works as a treatment for diabetes," said David James, director of the diabetes and obesity program at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney.

"By isolating the compounds we believe to be therapeutic, we can investigate how they work together in our cells. ")[1]


[2][3][4] [5] [6]

Various cautions are indicated. The seeds contains vicine and therefore can trigger symptoms of favism in susceptible individuals. Vicine is a Glycoside found in Fava beans Vicine is toxic causing the disease Favism, in individuals who have a hereditary loss of the the Enzyme Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is an X-linked recessive Hereditary disease characterised by abnormally low levels of Glucose-6-phosphate In addition, the red arils of the seeds are reported to be toxic to children, and the fruit is contraindicated during pregnancy. Distinguish from Aryl, which is a type of organic chemical radical Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female [7]

Names in other languages

Bitter melons being fried in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Bitter melons being fried in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Austronesian languages

Dravidian languages

Indic languages

Japonic languages

Sino-Tibetan languages

Other Indo-European languages

Other languages

Trivia


References

  1. ^ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VRP-4S3PX1T-F&_user=1730128&_coverDate=03%2F21%2F2008&_rdoc=13&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%236240%232008%23999849996%23683673%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=6240&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=16&_acct=C000054345&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1730128&md5=f22536d9e1bb29082e6da6bba59eb127
  2. ^ "Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of Momordica cymbalaria Hook. fruit powder in alloxan-diabetic rats. " (1999 Oct). J Ethnopharmacol. ;():. 67 (1): 103-9. PMID : 10616966.  
  3. ^ "Antihyperglycemic effects of three extracts from Momordica charantia. " (2003 Sep). J Ethnopharmacol. ;(): 88 (1): 107-11. PMID : 12902059.  
  4. ^ "Effect of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) on glycaemic status in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. " (2005 Sep). Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 60 (3): 109-12. PMID : 16187012.  
  5. ^ "Bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia): A dietary approach to hyperglycemia. " (2006 Jul). Nutr Rev. 64 (7 Pt 1): 331-7. PMID : 16910221.  
  6. ^ "Hypoglycemic activity of the fruit of the Momordica charantia in type 2 diabetic mice. " (2001 Oct). J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). ;(): 47 (5): 340-4. PMID : 11814149.  
  7. ^ About Herbs: Bitter Melon. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC is a Cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the

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