| ≥1 piece |
Mixture of Olive Oil and Bitter Melon
50 ml
Natural Herbal Essential Oil for Skin Care
Ingredients: Olive Oil, Bitter Melon Oil
It is obtained by using maceration method.
Usage: Internally, should be taken 2-3 times a day by adding 4-6 drops into cup of water.
Caution: Store are room temperature (15-30 C), away from heati light and moisture. Keep out of reach of children.
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Product Name |
MIXTURE OF OLIVE OIL AND BITTER MELON |
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SPECIFICATION |
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APPEARANCE |
CLEAR LIQUID |
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ODOUR |
TYPICAL |
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FLAVOUR |
TYPICAL |
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COLOUR |
YELLOW |
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PHYSICAL STATE |
MOBILE LIQUIDE |
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SPECIFIC GRAVITY@25 O C |
0,909-0,945 |
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ADDITIONAL DATA |
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Palmitic acid |
C16:0 |
10 - 15 |
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Palmitoleic acid |
C16:1 |
<0,5 |
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Margaric acid |
C17:0 |
<0,1 |
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Stearic acid |
C18:0 |
3 - 8 |
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Oleic acid |
C18:1 |
60-70 |
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Linoleic acid |
C18:2 |
10 -15 |
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Alpha linolenic acid |
C18:3 |
<2 |
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Arachidic acid |
C20:0 |
<0,5 |
Bitter melon is one of the popular edible pod vegetable in many Asian countries. It is grown widely as a field crop as well as backyard vegetable and, in fact, is among the most bitter of all culinary vegetables.
Bitter melon is a temperate/tropical vegetable probably originated in South-East Asia. Like in other members of the Cucurbitaceae family, this plant too is a fast-growing, trailing or climbing vine with thin stems and tendrils which require trellis to support their climbing vines.
Bitter melon pods are characterized with soft lengthwise ridges and uneven pebbly surface. Depending upon the cultivar type, immature pods can be light to dark green and have oblong or oval shapes with a pointed tip at the blossom end. Internally, the flesh is white with rough edged seeds, somewhat similar to ridge gourd seeds in appearence. As the fruits begin to mature, they gradually become hard, turn yellow or orange.
Health benefits of Bitter Gourd
The vegetable is very low in calories, providing just 17 calories per 100g. Nevertheless, its pods are rich in phytonutrients like Dietary Fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
Bitter melon notably contains phyto-nutrient, polypeptide-P, a plant insulin known to lower blood sugar levels. In addition, it composes hypoglycemic agent called charantin. Charantin increases glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis inside the cells of liver, muscle and adipose tissue. Together, these compounds have been thought to be responsible for reduction of blood sugar levels in the treatment of type-2 diabetes.
Fresh pods are an excellent source of folates, carrying about 72 µg/100g (18% of RDA). Folates, when taken by mothers during their early pregnancy time, would help reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in the newborn babies.
Fresh bitter melon is an excellent source of vitamin-C (100 g of raw pod provides 84 mg or about 140% of RDI). Vitamin-C is one of the powerful natural antioxidants which helps scavenge deleterious free radicals from the human body.
Further, it is an excellent source of health benefiting flavonoids such as ß-carotene, α-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. It also contains a good amount of vitamin-A. Together, these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease processes.
Bitter melon stimulates easy digestion and peristalsis of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body. Thus, it helps in relieving indigestion and constipation problems.
In addition, it is a moderate source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium.
Early laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection.
See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:
Bitter gourd or Bitter melon (Momordica charantia),
fresh, raw, Nutritive value per 100 g
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle Nutrient Value Percentage of RDA
Energy 17 Kcal <1%
Carbohydrates 3.70 g 3%
Protein 1.00 g 2%
Total Fat 0.17 g 0.5%
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Dietary Fiber 2.80 g 7%
Vitamins
Folates 72 µg 18%
Niacin 0.400 mg 2.5%
Pantothenic acid 0.212 mg 4%
Pyridoxine 0.043 mg 3%
Riboflavin 0.040 mg 3%
Thiamin 0.040 mg 3.5%
Vitamin A 471 IU 16%
Vitamin C 84 mg 140%
Electrolytes
Sodium 5 mg <1%
Potassium 296 mg 6%
Minerals
Calcium 19 mg 2%
Copper 0.034 mg 4%
Iron 0.43 mg 5%
Magnesium 17 mg 4%
Manganese 0.089 mg 4%
Zinc 0.80 mg 7%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß 190 µg --
Carotene-α 185 µg
Lutein-zeaxanthin 170 µg --
Selection and storage
Fresh bitter melon pods can be available in the markets round the seasons. When you buy them, look for fresh, bright pods that feature dark-green, without any cuts, or blemishes on their surfaces. Choose young, tender immature pods. Immature-fruits are least bitter since their bitter level increases as the pods mature.
At home, fresh bitter gourd pods are placed in the plastic zip pouch and stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, where they stay afresh for up to a week.
Preparation and serving methods
Wash bitter gourds thoroughly in cold running water before cooking. Fresh pods as well as young leaves can be used for cooking. Bitterness can be reduced by marinating in salted spice mixture and drying under sunlight. There are several local traditional methods to reduce bitterness like boiling in salt water for 5-10 minutes and then discarding the water or marinating in yogurt for about 30 minutes.
Although its pith and seeds are discarded due to their higher alkaloid content, they can also be enjoyed in some Asian regions without any reservations.
Here are some serving tips:
goya chanpuru prepared with bitter melon, tofu, egg and onion
Goya chanpuru. A okinawan dish prepared with bitter melon, tofu, egg and onion.
Photo courtesy: jetalone
In India, where it popularly known as karela, is used in variety of recipes either stir-fried or stuffed with garam-masala, tomato, onions, green chilies, garlic and curry leaves.
Goya chanpuru, Okinawan stir-fry with bitter melon, onion, tofu, pork, and eggs, is a special dish of health-conscious island inhabitants.
Known as ampalaya in the Philippines, it has been widely used in special dishes like Pinakbet Ilocano, prepared with shrimp paste and mixed with vegetables like eggplant (aubergine) and okra.
Dried, and ground whole bitter gourd has been used in the preparation of iced or milk tea in some East Asian regions.
Bitter gourd is al