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It’s cultivated around the world for its edible fruit, which is considered a staple
in many types of Asian cuisine.
The Chinese variety is typically long, pale green, and covered with wart-like
bumps.
On the other hand, the Indian variety is more narrow and has pointed ends
with rough, jagged spikes on the rind.
In addition to its sharp flavor and distinct appearance, bitter melon has been
associated with several impressive health benefits.
One cup (94 grams) of raw bitter melon provides (1Trusted Source):
Calories: 20
Carbs: 4 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin C: 93% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Vitamin A: 44% of the RDI
Folate: 17% of the RDI
Potassium: 8% of the RDI
Zinc: 5% of the RDI
Iron: 4% of the RDI
It’s also high in vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes skin health and
proper vision (3Trusted Source).
In recent years, several studies confirmed the fruit’s role in blood sugar
control.
Another study in 40 people with diabetes found that taking 2,000 mg per day
of bitter melon for 4 weeks led to a modest reduction in blood sugar levels.
Bitter melon is thought to improve the way that sugar is used in your tissues
and promote the secretion of insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating
blood sugar levels (9).
For example, one test-tube study showed that bitter melon extract was
effective at killing cancer cells of the stomach, colon, lung, and nasopharynx
— the area located behind the nose at the back of your throat (10Trusted
Source).
Another test-tube study had similar findings, reporting that bitter melon extract
was able to block the growth and spread of breast cancer cells while also
promoting cancer cell death (11).
Keep in mind that these studies were performed using concentrated amounts
of bitter melon extract on individual cells in a laboratory.
Further research is needed to determine how bitter melon may affect cancer
growth and development in humans when consumed in the normal amounts
found in food.
Another study noted that giving rats a bitter melon extract significantly
reduced cholesterol levels compared to a placebo. Higher doses of bitter
melon showed the greatest decrease (14).
Additional studies are needed to determine whether these same effects apply
to humans eating the gourd as part of a balanced diet.
Fiber passes through your digestive tract very slowly, helping keep you fuller
for longer and reducing hunger and appetite (15Trusted Source, 16).
Some research also shows that bitter melon can have beneficial effects on fat
burning and weight loss.
One study found that consuming a capsule containing 4.8 grams of bitter
melon extract each day led to significant decreases in belly fat.
Participants lost an average of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from their waist
circumference after seven weeks (17Trusted Source).
Similarly, a study in rats on a high-fat diet observed that bitter melon extract
helped decrease body weight compared to a placebo (18Trusted Source).
Note that these studies were performed using high-dose bitter melon
supplements. It remains unclear whether eating bitter melon as part of your
regular diet would have the same beneficial effects on health.
SUMMARYBitter melon is low in calories but high in fiber. Human and animal
studies have found that bitter melon extract may also help decrease belly fat
and body weight.
To prepare it, start by washing the fruit and cutting it lengthwise. Then use a
utensil to scoop out the seeds from the center, and cut the fruit into thin slices.
In fact, it can be pan-fried, steamed, baked, or even hollowed out and stuffed
with your choice of fillings.
Here are a few interesting ways to add bitter melon to your diet:
Juice bitter melon along with a few other fruits and vegetables for a
nutrient-packed beverage.
Mix bitter melon into your next stir-fry to bump up the health benefits.
Sauté bitter melon alongside tomatoes, garlic, and onions and add to
scrambled eggs.
Combine seedless bitter melon with your choice of dressing and garnish
for a savory salad.
In particular, bitter melon has been linked to diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach
pain (19Trusted Source).
It’s also not recommended for women who are pregnant, as its long-term
effects on health have not been extensively studied.
Due to its impact on blood sugar, you should consult with your healthcare
provider before eating it if you’re taking any blood sugar-lowering medications.
It’s not only rich in several important nutrients but also linked to numerous
health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and cholesterol levels.
If you’ve ever eaten a chili pepper, you might have noticed that the
second bite is hotter than the first. Some people believe it’s because
the seeds are the spiciest part, but it’s actually the flesh near them
that sets your tongue on fire. The part of the pepper closest to the
stem is usually the hotter part because it has the highest
concentration of capsaicin. These components of the pepper irritate
the skin and cause your mouth to feel that distinct burning pain.
5. ONLY MAMMALS ARE SENSITIVE TO IT.
While capsaicin may burn and irritate the flesh of mammals, birds
are completely immune to its effects. As a result, birds are largely
responsible for helping wild peppers spread by eating them and
excreting the seeds.
6. ALL BELL PEPPERS ARE THE SAME PLANT.
While the peppers definitely look different, all colors are actually all
the same fruit in varying levels of maturity. The peppers start off
green, then turn yellow, and finally red (but some of the time the
orange or yellow is the fully mature color). Green peppers taste
more bitter than their counterparts because they lack the same
chemicals and vitamins that the more mature fruits develop. Thanks
to a supply of chemicals like vitamin C and beta-carotene, orange
and red bell peppers have a much sweeter taste. You may have
noticed that these differences affect the prices at the grocery store.
Jalapeños also turn red, but are usually picked before they're ripe.
7. BELL PEPPERS CAN BE PURPLE.
Red, green, orange, and yellow bell peppers regularly line the
produce aisle—but the mild, sweet pepper can also be purple! When
harvested in the early stages of maturation—before developing any
yellow, orange, or red spots—bell peppers can be a beautiful shade
of aubergine, with striking white or lime green interiors.
8. THERE'S A HOTNESS SCALE FOR PEPPERS.
There is a very strict and definitive scale for ranking your pepper’s
hotness. Called the Scoville scale, it’s named after a pharmacist
named Wilbur Scoville. Scoville wanted a standard measurement
with which to compare pepper hotness, but found the only way to do
so was by human taste; the tongue could detect lower concentrations
of capsaicin than machines could. To perform the test, dried pepper
is soaked in alcohol and then diluted in sugar water. The solution is
diluted more and more until a panel of five trained testers can no
longer detect it. The more dilution needed, the more units of heat the
pepper has. Mercifully, this method isn’t used much anymore.
Instead, scientists use high-performance liquid chromatography to
extract the capsaicin and calculate a corresponding Scoville score.
But true chili-heads argue that this method understates the real heat
by around 30 percent compared to the real Scoville.
The more mild bell peppers fall within the 1-100 SHU (Scoville
Heat Units) side of the scale, while hotter peppers like cayenne are
more like 30,000 – 50,000 SHU. If you’re curious about what’s at
the very end of the spectrum, the spiciest pepper known to man is
called the Carolina Reaper, which can get up to 2.2 million SHU.
The two spicy peppers are known for having their own distinct
tastes, but that’s a result of how they’re treated after being
harvested. Chipotle peppers are really just red jalapenos that have
been smoke-dried.
11. CHILI PEPPERS HAVE A LOT OF VITAMIN C.
Malabar Spinach
Culinary, Vegetation
Malabar spinach is not spinach at all.
Malabar spinach is eaten like a leafy vegetable, and is a perennial vine, although it is
often grown as an annual in cooler climates as frost affects the plant.
‘Malabar spinach’ is also known as ‘creeping spinach’, ‘climbing spinach’, ‘Indian
spinach’, ‘Chinese spinach’, ‘vine spinach’, ‘Vietnamese spinach’ and ‘Ceylon spinach’.
Malabar spinach has the scientific name of Basella alba, a white flowering, green
stem variety, or Basella rubra, a plant that has red stems.
Malabar spinach is from the family Basellaceae, the family of some flowering plants
including a number of other vines, with edible leaves and roots.
In a tropical environment, a Malabar spinach vine can grow up to a height of 10
metres (33 feet).
Malabar spinach has thick, green glossy leaves that can grow quite large, and berries
that contain a red liquid that can be used as dye.
Malabar spinach leaves are commonly used in Asian cuisine, either cooked or raw,
and they are said to have pepper and citrus flavours when raw, as well as being high
in iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fibre and other vitamins and minerals.
Malabar spinach, although named ‘spinach’, is not from the spinach family at all,
although it tends to resemble spinach when it is cooked.
Malabar spinach is a great thickener for soup and other dishes, due to the mucilage
(glutinous carbohydrate) content in the plant, that tends to cause the leaves to
become slimy if they are cooked for more than a short time.
Malabar spinach grows best in a sunny area and warm climate, and is a great
summer vegetable.