Ingredients : Bitter Melon 100%

Use in Traditional Herbalism: Diabetes Treatment, Hemorrhoid Relief, Immune System Health, Cancer Prevention, Respiratory Conditions, Fungal Infections.

Bitter Melon, also commonly known as bitter gourd or bitter squash in some western , has a wealth of health benefits that can be derived by including it in your diet. Some of the most well-known benefits of bitter melon are its ability to help manage diabetes,  prevent and reduce symptoms of cancer, reduce the effects of hemorrhoids, improve respiratory health, improve skin health, and boost the immune system. It is also proven that bitter melon has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antibiotic, anti-allergenic, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and expectorant qualities. For these reasons and more, bitter melon is a staple among a number of cultural cuisines across the world.

Health Benefits of Bitter Melon

Although the fruit can be difficult to find and the timing of harvest is important, it can be a delicious way to add another nutritious and healthy food into your diet, and the number of health benefits it is impressive. The main, well-studied benefits are listed below: 

Diabetes Treatment: Bitter melon is one of the most potent fruits for managing diabetes mellitus for a few reasons. There are significant levels of charntin, peptides that resemble insulin, and alkaloids within the fleshy fruit of bitter melon. All of these components actively affect the levels of blood sugar, namely in reducing it. It also helps to prevent unpredictable spikes and drops in insulin levels by regulating the metabolism and use of sugar that the body has consumed in food.  As a powerful hypoglycemic agent, bitter melon should not be used in conjunction with other medicines that lower blood sugar, because it can actually cause a dangerous lack of blood sugar in the body!

Hemorrhoid Relief: A number of studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory qualities present in bitter melon make it a very good salve for the uncomfortable condition of piles, also known as hemorrhoids. When you create a paste from the root of the bitter melon plant, you can apply it topically to reduce the inflammation and relieve pain and bleeding. If you drink bitter melon juice, you can also receive similar benefits, if you can handle the taste! 

Immune System Health: Bitter melon is a source of many different antioxidants that make it a powerful defense mechanism against illness in the body. Antioxidants scavenge the body for free radicals, dangerous compounds released during cell metabolism that can cause any number of different illnesses. By adding bitter melon to your diet, you can greatly improve your chances of defending against very serious diseases, including heart attack, kidney damage, and liver failure; three of the many places where free radicals like to cause health issues.

Cancer Prevention: The antioxidants present in bitter melon may help to seek out and destroy free radicals that can cause diseases (including numerous forms of cancer), but that is not the only benefit the fruit has in terms of cancer. Bitter melon has been widely studied as an anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic agent all by itself, along with its natural boost to antioxidant numbers in the body. Primarily, studies have shown positive correlations between eating bitter melon and the prevention or reduction in tumor growth for cervical,prostate and breast cancer patients. Some of this is due to the fruit’s ability to induce apoptosis (cell death) in cancerous cells. However, more studies are being done all the time to find out more about the powerful anti-cancer properties that this unassuming fruit seems to possess, and which other types of cancer patients it could benefit.

Respiratory Conditions:There have been a number of studies that showed bitter melon as a means of getting relief from respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and hay fever (rhinitis). It’s anti-histamine, suppressant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and antiviral properties make it an ideal booster for respiratory health. It is recommended to eat some bitter melon before going to bed, so the soothing effects occur while you’re sleeping!

Fungal Infections: The anti-fungal and antibacterial qualities of bitter melon make it ideal for fighting off various fungal infections, and also helping to rid the bloodstream of those toxins before they can do any more damage. Specifically, in terms of infections and skin health, bitter melon has been useful in treating ringworm and psoriasis. Furthermore, its anti-inflammatory qualities reduce the irritating itching associated with such skin conditions and infections. The juice extracted from the leaves can be the best salve or cure for these conditions, topically applied to the affected areas.

A Few Words of Caution: The chemicals in bitter melons are powerful health tools, but should be respected as well. Pregnant women should not consume bitter melon, because it can stimulate excess menstrual bleeding, and more research must still be done on consuming bitter melon while breast-feeding, so for now, it is best to avoid it. Also, as mentioned earlier, it acts very strongly to reduce blood sugar levels, which can become dangerous, particularly in the time leading up to and after surgical procedures.

Finally, some people are particularly sensitive to dehydrogenase deficiency, which bitter melon can cause. The symptoms of this are similar to anemia, and also include headaches, fevers, and stomach pains. This is a very powerful fruit, and it is highly recommended that you speak with your doctor or physician before adding it to your diet.

성분 : 여주 100%

전통적 사용유례: 혈당을 낮추고 췌장의 기능을 촉진해 당뇨병 환자에게 좋다고 알려졌다. 식중독과 혈액순환에도 도움이 되며 당뇨 합병증인 망막증이나 심근경색, 뇌졸증 등의 혈관성질환에 대한 예방효과도 있다.

여주 열매는 보통 1∼3m에 이르고 모양이 수세미와 비슷하게 생겼으며 도깨비 방망이와 같은 모양으로 생겼다. 덩굴손으로 다른 식물이나 물건을 지지대로 삼아 감아서 올라가며 국내서는 4월에 파종한다. 원산지는 인도 등 아시아 열대지방으로 수년전부터 우리나라에서 재배하기 시작했다. 특히 여주열매는 특유의 씁쓸한 맛으로 한자로는 고과(苦瓜)라고도 불린다.

여주 열매는 혈당을 낮추고 췌장의 기능을 촉진해 당뇨병 환자에게 좋다고 알려졌다. 특히 식중독과 혈액순환에도 도움이 되며 당뇨 합병증인 망막증이나 심근경색, 뇌졸증 등의 혈관성질환에 대한 예방효과도 있다. 

여주에는 식물인슐린과 카라틴 성분을 함유하고 있는데 식물인슐린은 우리 몸속의 인슐린과 비슷한 작용을 하고 있는 펩타이드의 일종으로 특히 여주열매와 씨에 많이 포함돼있다. 식물인슐린은 간에서 포도당이 연소 되는 것을 돕고 당분이 체내에서 재합성 되는 것을 막아줌으로써 혈당수치를 낮춰 당뇨병 환자들에게 아주 효과적이다. 

또한 여주열매에는 베타카로틴 성분이 풍부하게 함유되어 있는데 이 성분이 비타민A로 바뀌면서 시력회복과 눈 피로 개선, 안구건조, 노안 등에 좋은 것으로 나타났다. 이런 이유로 최근 여주열매가 눈에 좋은 영양제 못지않은 인기를 얻고 있다.