Bitter Melon

What It Is

Bitter Melon is an herb that comes from the gourd or squash family. It has lots of other names as well including: Balsam Pear, Bitter Cucumber, LaGua, Cerasee, Bitter Gourd, Bitter Squash, Karela, Leprosy Gourd, Momordica.

What It Does

In tropical climates of the world where it’s grown, Bitter Melon is an important food and medicine. Clinical studies show it has great promise in the treatment of diabetes. The fruit itself looks like a bumpy skinned cucumber and it is the fruit, not the leaves, that is used medicinally. Bitter Melon has been around for centuries and used in Chinese medicine to treat high blood sugar.

In some parts of the world, Bitter Melon is eaten as a vegetable. Active chemicals in Bitter Melon include a mix of steroidal saponins known as charantin, insulin-like peptides (polypeptide-b) and alkaloids which appear to help reduce blood glucose and urine glucose levels in subjects with Type-2 diabetes. The improved carbohydrate usage also decreased the frequency of urination.

Bitter melon is just one of 22 ingredients in the Vita-Betic™ blend multi-vitamin, mineral and herb supplement, formulated to meet the dietary needs of diabetics. Click here for more information on the Vita-Betic formula, or click here for information how to receive FREE vitamins.