The Effect of Bitter Melon and Diabetes

by: Julia Hanf

A popular Asian vegetable has been steadily gaining acceptance as a safe and natural way to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. The Ampalaya, or Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia Linn.), has been found to contain several key compounds that researchers agree may be beneficial to diabetics, in helping them regulate blood sugar levels.

Bitter Melon contains powerful insulin lowering properties which are thought to be an effective treatment for Diabetes. Current studies suggest that Bitter Melon promotes blood sugar control by controlling how the body produces insulin. Some studies report that this bitter gourd can enhance the cells’ uptake of glucose, promotes insulin release, and makes the effect of insulin more potent. Some even document Bitter Melon’s ability to effectively lower cholesterol.

Natural health practitioners and scientists are focusing on the beneficial properties of this gourd with promising returns. In Ayurvedic medicine, Bitter Melon is seen as a “plant-insulin”, and some studies show that, if administered correctly, it can behave similarly to slow-acting animal insulin which represents exciting potential for a more sustainable, vegetarian, source of insulin. Please note that we do not advise that you substitute eating Bitter Melon for taking insulin.

In some countries doctors are so confident about the anti-diabetic effect of Bitter Melon that it is sometimes dispensed in hospitals to people suffering from diabetes. Generations of Asian diabetics have known about the benefits of Bitter Melon, and just recently science has confirmed it. In numerous pre-clinical and limited clinical studies conducted on the plant, researchers have isolated, in particular, plant insulin that mimics animal insulin found in Bitter Melon. Additionally, the department of Health in the Philippines has recommended Bitter Melon as one of the best herbal medicines for treating diabetes.

Even before researchers started unlocking the plant’s anti-diabetes properties, the Bitter Melon had long been used as a traditional home remedy in many Asian countries to help control blood sugar levels. Many diabetics regularly consume the fruit, which is easily prepared as part of the daily meals. Diabetics who have come to trust this natural remedy claim to be able to live a normal, active life by eating the Bitter Melon as part of a healthy daily diet.

However, to reap its benefit, Bitter Melon must be taken on a regular basis. This is where the Melon’s natural bitter taste often poses a problem. To solve this, some companies are manufacturing all-natural Bitter Melon teas and capsules, a more convenient and more pleasant-tasting way to get the plant's healthy benefits. These products retain the key compounds, while avoiding the bitter taste.

Today, more and more Bitter Melon products are starting to enter markets around the world, giving diabetics a safer, more natural way to help manage their blood sugar levels. If you or someone you know has diabetes or other blood sugar problems, you should consider using Bitter Melon to help you. It's even available as a capsule if you don't have access to the fruit itself!