Bitter Melon Powder 

Also Known As - Momordica charantia 

Certified Organic - - India

Overview - Bitter Melon is the English name of Momordica charantia. Bitter Melon is also known by the names Karela and Bitter gourd. Bitter Melon grows in tropical areas, including parts of East Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and South America, where it is used as a food as well as a medicine. It is a green cucumber shaped fruit with gourd-like bumps all over it. It looks like an ugly, light green cucumber. The fruit should be firm, like a cucumber. And it tastes very bitter. Although the seeds, leaves, and vines of Bitter Melon have all been used, the fruit is the safest and most prevalent part of the plant used medicinally. The leaves and fruit have both been used occasionally to make teas and beer, or to season soups in the Western world.

Parts Used - The acai berry is the only part used, and with the seed removed.

Medicinal Uses - Bitter Melon is reported to help in the treatment of diabetes and psoriasis. It has also been reported that Bitter Melon may help in the treatment of HIV. Bitter Melon was traditionally used for a dazzling array of conditions by people in tropical regions. Numerous infections, cancer, leukemia, and diabetes are among the most common conditions it was believed to improve. Bitter Melon is reported to help in the treatment of diabetes and psoriasis. It has also been thought that Bitter Melon may help in the treatment of HIV, but the evidence thus far is too weak to even consider. The ripe fruit of Bitter Melon has been suggested to exhibit some remarkable anti-cancer effects, but there is absolutely no evidence that it can treat cancer. However, preliminary studies do appear to confirm that Bitter Melon may improve blood sugar control in people with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes.  

Rich in iron, bitter melon has twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, twice the potassium of bananas, and contains vitamins C and B 1 to 3, phosphorus and good dietary fiber. It is believed to be good for the liver and has been proven by western scientists to contain insulin, act as an anti-tumor agent, and inhibit HIV-1 infection. 

At least 32 active constituents have been identified in bitter melon so far, including beta-sitosterol-d-glucoside, citrulline, GABA, lutein, lycopene and zeaxanthin. Nutritional analysis reveals that bitter melon is also rich in potassium, calcium, iron, beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B3 and C. 

Even more effective than a conventional drug in lowering blood sugar! 

Recently, the Department of Health in the Philippines has recommended bitter melon as one of the best herbal medicines for diabetic management. And multiple clinical studies have clearly established the role of bitter melon in people with diabetes. Scientists have now identified three groups of constituents that are thought to be responsible for its 'blood sugar lowering' action. 

One of these, a compound called charantin, which is composed of mixed steroids, was found to be more effective than the oral hypoglycaemic drug, tolbutamide, in reducing blood sugar. 

Another, an insulin-like polypeptide, called polypeptide P, appears to lower blood sugar in type I (insulin dependent) diabetics, while alkaloids present in the fruit have also been noted to have a blood sugar lowering effect. As yet, researchers are unclear as to which of these compounds is most effective or if it is the synergistic effect of all three. Further research is required to understand how these compounds actually work. 

Compounds known as oleanolic acid glycosides have been found to improve glucose tolerance in Type II (maturity onset) diabetics by preventing the absorption of sugar from the intestines. Bitter melon has also been reported to increase the number of beta cells (cells that secrete insulin) in the pancreas, thereby improving your body's capability to produce insulin (insulin promotes the uptake of sugar from your blood by cells and tissues). 

Preparations - The most appropriate or effective dose of bitter melon is not entirely clear. Powdered, dried fruit has been dosed in a range of 3–15 g/day. The fresh juice has been used at 50–100 mL/day, and an aqueous decoction of the fruit has ranged from 100 to 200 mL per day. Standardized extract dosing ranges from 100 to 200 mg 3 times daily.

Precautions - If you are taking any other herbs or supplements please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new regimen. If you are pregnant or breast feeding, consult with your physician before taking. Bitter melon has a long history of safe and effective use as a hypoglycemic agent in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is considered safe as an oral hypoglycemic agent, but blood glucose monitoring should follow. Bitter melon should be avoided in pregnant women, as it may cause a miscarriage.

Bitter melon may cause allergic reactions in people with allergy or hypersensitivity to members of the Cucurbitaceae family (gourds and melons). While no reports of favism (hemolytic anemia caused by deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate deficiency) have been recorded, bitter melon seeds should likely be avoided by those individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency because of the vicine or vicine-like compound found in bitter melon seeds. Vicin is a compound that can induce favism.

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