Bitter gourd or karela is not really a vegetable but a fruit? The part of the plant that is used for consumption and for various medicinal purposes is the fruit of the bitter squash. While we’ve been so busy condemning its bitter taste, we’ve not only overlooked this fact but also the wide range of benefits that drinking bitter gourd juice offers. Bitter gourd juice contains a train of important nutrients ranging from iron, magnesium and vitamin to potassium and vitamin C. One of the main benefits of bitter gourd juice or karela juice is its ability to regulate blood sugar levels. Another one of its wondrous benefits is cleansing the liver naturally. It also aids weight loss. However, there is another way to load up on the benefits of bitter gourd and that is through bitter gourd tea. It's not a very popular beverage (for obvious reasons!) but has a number of health benefits.
According to the USDA, 100 grams of bitter gourd has about 34 calories with 13 milligram sodium, 602 grams potassium, 7 grams total carbohydrate and 3.6 grams protein.
Bitter gourd tea is a herbal drink made by infusing dried slices of bitter gourd or bitter melon in water and is sold as a medicinal tea. Bitter gourd tea is available as a powder or an extract. It is also known as the gohyah tea and can be easily prepared at home. Unlike bitter gourd juice, bitter gourd tea can be made by using its leaves, fruit and seeds, all at the same time. Here in this article we are going to tell you about Health Benefits Of Bitter Gourd Tea.
Helps in regulation of blood sugarBitter gourd has traditionally been considered a natural food to regulate blood sugar levels and manage diabetes. Bitter gourd tea may also help diabetics.
Helps reduce cholesterol in bloodBitter gourd tea may also help cholesterol patients reduce levels of cholesterol in their blood, due to anti-inflammatory properties of bitter gourd. Bitter gourd juice is anti-inflammatory and also helps in lowering the bad cholesterol levels in the body. Thereby, it significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. It is rich in iron and folic acid which are known to decrease the risk of stroke and keep your heart healthy.
Boosts Immune systemThe presence of vitamin C in bitter gourd or karela means that the tea may also help you fight infections and gives a boost to your immune system. It reduced the risk of prostate, breast and cervical cancer.
Improves eyesightBitter melon tea or karela tea may also improve your eyesight, due to the presence of vitamin A in the vegetable. Vitamin A is a precursor for beta-carotene, which is important for eye health.
Cleanses the liverBitter gourd tea cleanses your bowel as well as heals many liver problems. A study concluded that a compound called Momordica Charantia provides protection against liver failure by strengthening anti-oxidant activity of the enzymes in the liver. It also boosts the functioning of your bladder.
How To Make Bitter Gourd TeaYou can easily make bitter gourd or bitter melon tea at home. All you need for the herbal concoction is some dried or fresh slices of bitter gourd, some water and optionally, any natural sweetener like honey or agave syrup.
The tea may also be made from dried leaves of bitter gourd, but you may use the gourd itself as it's more easily available.
All you need to do to make this tea is bring the water to a boil in a pot and add the dried or dehydrated karela slices to it.
Let the water boil for 10 minutes on medium heat so that all the nutrients of the bitter gourd are seeped into it.
Remove the water from flame and let the slices steep in it for some more time.
Filter the contents of the pot out into a teapot or individual cups.
Add some honey or other sweetener to it, to give the tea some taste and voila! However, it's best to avoid the sweeteners, if the tea is being consumed primarily to regulate blood sugar levels.
Bitter gourd may have some side effects for, say, people suffering from hypoglycaemia. This is why it is recommended that you consult a physician before adding this tea to your diet.