The Bitter melon or the Bitter gourd is a Vegetable/Fruit with the capability of being a powerhouse of the dietary plans. The Bitter gourd possesses qualities like Antidiabetic, antiobesity, antitumor, antifungal, etc. The Vegetable consists of Seeds and flesh which seed has more benefits. The fruit part consists of Vitamins and minerals. Let’s see the important and medical benefits of Bitter Gourd.

Life Cycle & Types:

The Bitter gourd is a family member of Cucurbits which gave many wonderful plants and vegetables like Muskmelon, watermelon, cucumber, chayote, etc. The family of Cucurbits had given many vegetables and fruits to nature and humans, In that family the best for mankind is Bitter gourd. 

The life cycle of Bitter Gourd starts from the seed plantation, Germination, sprout, seedling, plants, flower, plant with fruits, and the last fruit seed that is cultivated first. The process starts with the temperature setup before cultivating. They are the crops that are grown in the subtropical and hot-arid regions. They are so fragile that if they get exposed to light frost they won’t grow well. Necessary protection should be taken to grow the plants in the winter season. The germination process will take place with a temperature higher than 18 C. 

Proper maintenance is needed to grow a Bitter Gourd because of its susceptibility to nature and disease. Diseases like powdery mildew form a white powdery residue on leaves that can severely affect the growth if not taken severe action. If the problem is neglected, it can cause the plant to turn brown and defoliate. Similar diseases like downy mildew and Bitter gourd Mosaic affect the plant’s structure and further growth.  

The next part is soil. The Bitter gourd well grows in the drained sandy loam, medium black soil rich in organic matter, and the alluvial soil river bed for more production of Bitter gourd. The best ph range for the soil is 6-7.0. The variety of Bitter gourd doesn’t different from others. A little bit of structural form and slight color changes can be seen.

The types of Bitter Gourd variety are as follows:

1. Arka Harit                          – Origin Bangalore, short fruits,                                                       Green color, and Medium                                                              bitterness.     
2. Pusa do Mausami            – Origin New Delhi, dark green                                                         color fruits, club  with                                                                   continuous 7-8 Ribs.
3. Coimbatore Long Green  – Extra Long fruits(60cm) and                                                       dark green color.
4. CO.1                                    – Origin Tamil Nadu, fruits dark                                                       green with medium length and                                                  weight.
5. Punjab 14                            – Plants bushy and bear light                                                          green fruits with  the average                                                      weight of 35g, and much more.

These varieties are developed by the mentioned state institutes for consumer preference and scientific purposes.

Medicinal Benefits:

The Bitter gourd has much medicinal quality that a human can get from a single vegetable. The vegetable/Fruit is used in dietary plans and is mainly useful for patients suffering from diabetics. An experimental study on people with diabetics who have been given Bitter gourd of 2000mg daily for 3 months has proven that the blood sugar and the Haemoglobin A1c decreased in their system. By taking the bitter gourd it increases natural Insulin which is used for reducing blood sugar in a person.

The research on Bitter gourd extracts is said to be having some compounds that have fighting properties over Cancer. In a test tube experiment, it is proved that it kills the cancer cells of the stomach, colon, lung, and nasopharynx which are located behind the nose. But we should keep in mind that the research is done with a concentrated amount of Bitter gourd extracts on individual cells of the body.

The Bitter gourd is useful for improving the Immune system of a person. The chances of reducing weight loss by having Bitter gourd is maybe possible because of the fiber content that reduces hunger. As much good quality in Bitter gourd can have side effects if it is consumed more. Symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. It is not recommended for pregnant women because of the lack of test results.

These are the quality a Bitter gourd gives to humans. Having a perfect diet and following the doctor’s advice can reduce the risks of many diseases. Let’s eat healthily and stay healthy.