The fact that bitter gourd (ampalaya) is very much effective in helping the body normalize its blood sugar levels is already widely-known. It also helps that bitter gourd is already synonymous with diabetes in the parts of the world where it is widely grown.
However, treating diabetes is just one of the many health benefits of this wonderful superfood. True to its tag, bitter gourd is a fount of medicinal values for various diseases. See below for the other diseases that bitter gourd helps ease other than the universally known diabetes.
- Respiratory Infections
Among the lesser known health effects of bitter gourd is its anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, suppressant, and antiviral properties, making it ideal for respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and rhinitis (hay fever). You can either eat some bitter gourd before going to bed so that the soothing effects occur while you sleep or mix two ounces of fresh bitter gourd juice, mix it with honey and water, and drink it daily for respiratory relief.
- Skin Conditions
For diabetics, skin diseases are more likely to happen. This is because of the reduced sensitivity of nerves and circulation, thus making it hard for diabetics to spot budding skin diseases. Also, the high blood glucose levels will most likely cause a diabetic to undergo greater loss of fluid from the body. This can cause skin to dry up and eventually crack, from which germs and bacteria enter the body and cause infection. If left untreated, this can cause diabetic foot ulcers and even amputation.
Other than diabetes complications, bitter gourd can also help reduce heat rashes and acne. Since it is among the best natural blood purifiers in the vegetable world, drinking bitter gourd juice in the morning on an empty stomach will purify your blood thus giving you a cleaner and glowing skin. Bitter gourd can also help your body deal with other skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.
- Heart Diseases and Obesity
Having strong antioxidant properties, bitter gourd can also act as a therapeutic agent that helps avert obesity and the other symptoms of metabolic syndrome (high cholesterol and high blood pressure). It can also help prevent cardiovascular diseases. While research about this remains scant to this day, some clinical studies have already established that excessive weight gain can be prevented by inducing fat and lipid metabolizing processes. According to a 2015 Journal of Lipids report, bitter melon has metabolism-boosting effects.
- Kidney Stones
Excruciatingly painful, kidney stones are made up of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys. These are formed when crystal-forming substances in urine such as calcium, uric acid, and oxalate are more numerous compared to the fluid found in urine.
These crystals then stick together and become lodged in the urinary tract, causing unimaginable pain which, depending on the condition of the body, might need surgery to remove. Bitter gourd can be exceedingly helpful in breaking up kidney stones naturally. It also reduces the high acid that helps produces kidney stones.
- Cancer Prevention
Scientists have been studying the anti-cancer properties of bitter gourd for decades already. Those studies have found out that not only does bitter gourd contain antioxidants that eradicate free radicals that cause numerous variations of cancer but it also has anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic properties. The studies conducted have found out that there is a connection between eating copious amounts of bitter gourd and the prevention or reduction of tumor growth for cancer patients (prostate, cervical, and breast cancer).
A True Superfood
Time and time again, bitter gourd has proven itself to be the penultimate superfood with the tons of health benefits that it has that scientists discover regularly. Not just for diabetics, bitter gourd is for everyone who wants to have a healthy life and to help alleviate some of the diseases mentioned above.
Everyone who suffers from respiratory infections, skin conditions, heart diseases, kidney stones, and even cancer can take herbal supplements for diabetes that contains bitter gourd. Knowing full well that this wonderful superfood doesn’t just help the body normalize its blood sugar levels but also helps prevent certain types of diseases.
