If you are pre-diabetic or diabetic, or simply looking for a healthy food to help you control your insulin and blood sugar levels, consider adding bitter melon to your diet.
Many people avoid bitter melon because they do not enjoy the bitter taste of this fruit. However, there are many health benefits of eating it.
Health Benefits of Bitter Melon
There are several ways that bitter melon can help control type 2 diabetes. There are at least 3 or more active substances found in bitter melon that has anti-diabetic properties.
These substances are charantin, vicine, and polypeptide-p. Charantin has been shown to lower blood glucose. All three of these substances work together in order to help reduce your blood sugar levels.
In addition, bitter melon has a lectin that helps reduce the blood glucose levels. It works by suppressing the appetite in a similar way that insulin does in the brain. It is thought to be one of the major factors of why there is a hypoglycemic effect developed after consuming bitter melon.
Bitter melon also has several other health benefits as well. It has been used for treating fevers, colic in babies, chronic coughs, burns, and even some skin conditions. In some areas of the world it is used to help with childbirth, heal wounds, and to treat or prevent malaria, chicken pox, measles and other viral diseases.
Eating Bitter Melon
Bitter melon can be simply eaten like any other fruit. Another option is to make it into a juice. The seeds can be ground into a powder and added to any type of food or drink. In addition, an extract made from the bitter melon can be purchased as an herbal supplement.
Bitter melon is most often found in Asian grocery stores and food stores. Other forms of the melon can be found in almost any health food shop.
When it comes to controlling your blood sugar levels and type 2 diabetes, your diet is extremely important. There are many great foods that you can eat to help you control your blood sugar levels and may even help you get rid of your insulin injections and other medications that you are currently using to control the disease.
It is important to get your type 2 diabetes under control as soon as possible. This is a dangerous disease that can cause you to lose your extremities and possibly your life if you are not careful. Try adding a bit of bitter melon to your diet along with other nutritious fruits and vegetables and an exercise regimen and you will be on your way to controlling this disease instead of it controlling you.
source: healthyfoodhouse
