Bitter gourd or Bitter melon also known as Karela has multiple health benefits and uses. It is recommended in PCOS, female infertility and Diabetes. It helps in weight loss
Table of content
Bitter gourd or Karela in ayurveda
Bitter gourd – Chemical constituents
Ayurvedic Properties of Bitter gourd / melon or Karela
Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses of Bitter Gourd or Karela
Bitter gourd or or Bitter melon or Karela in ayurveda
This fruit belongs to Cucurbitaceae family and its plant has a botanical name Momordica Charantia. This plant is a climber bares oblong shaped fruits. These fruits are very bitter to taste. Recipes of this vegetable is liked by everyone in India (except kids). This is recommended by ayurveda vaidyas for treatment of skin diaseses like acne, pimple, psoriasis etc. This also helps to detoxify rakta dhatu or blood.
Bitter gourd is known as Karela in hindi and is a very popular vegetable of Indian house hold. This vegetable is known by various names in regional languages of India.
It is ‘Kakarakaya‘ in Telugu, ‘Pavakkai‘ in Tamil, ‘Pavakka‘ in Malayalam, ‘Hagalkai‘ in Kannada, ‘Karela‘ in Gujarati, ‘Karle‘ in Marathi, and ‘Korola‘ in Bengali. Texts of Ayurveda refer this vegetable as Karavellaka.
Bitter gourd – Chemical constituents:
Karela contains 5-hydroxytryptamine, charantin, diosgenin, lanosterol and betasitosterol. Its bitter principles are cucurbitacin glycosides. The fruits and seeds contain polypeptide insulin called as p- insulin, alpha and beta glycoproteins. Especially seed contains hypoglycemic constituent vicine.
Ayurvedic Properties of Bitter gourd / melon or Karela
Texts of Ayurveda describe properties of this fruit as follows.
It is very bitter (tikta rasa) to taste and has katu rasa (pungent taste) . It retains pungent taste even after digestion. This vegetable is light to digest (laghu). On consumption of this vegetable the moistness of tissues get absorbed and leave them dry (rooksha) . Hence drinking good amount of water is very essential when you consume this vegetable. It has hot potency (ushna Veerya) and increase appetite. Leaf and fruit are used for medicinal purpose.
Bitter melon normalises Kapha dosha and pitta dosha. It does not allow vata dosha to get vitiated.
Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses of Bitter Gourd or Karela
Bitter gourd is used as remedy for various health conditions. Ancient texts of Ayurveda explain it as follows.
Leaves of Bitter melon
It can be used as Pathya (can be consumed along with other foods)
It increases pitta (Pittala)
Its juice can be used for intestinal worms and infected wounds (Krumihara) .
Karela Fruit –
Ayurveda acharyas recommend this fruit to improves digestion (Deepana) and relieve constipation (bedhana). strength
Bhedana – causes mild laxative effect
Avrushya – Un-aphrodisiac
Effect on digestive system
This fruit enhances secretion of digestive juices and sets right digestion. It improves appetite and removes intestinal parasites.
Effect on skin diseases
Since bitter gourd acts as blood purifier, its use is recommended in skin diseases like psoriasis (check ayurvedic remedy for psoriasis), acne and pimples.
Effect on body fat and weight loss
Karela acts as a drying agent. It dries up fat tissues and boosts fat metabolism. This vegetable and its plant parts suppress appetite. With these two qualities it acts as an excellent weight loss herb and ayurveda acharyas recommend this in obesity. (Check Ayurvedic Weight Loss Remedy)
Effect on blood Sugar level in Diabetes
Ayurveda acharyas recommend Karavellaka or bitter melon in diabetes. It effectively controls blood sugar level. (Check Ayurvedic remedies for diabetes)
How Karela Helps Diabetic Men in Erectile Dysfunction?
Usually men with diabetes suffer from erectile dysfunction. Regular consumption of bitter melon helps to reduce blood sugar level and also improve erectile dysfunction in diabetes. (Click here for diabetic Vajikarana Therapy).
Elevated blood cholesterol level also leads to Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation. When bitter gourd is used regularly it helps to bring down blood cholesterol level and improves sexual health of men
Obesity is another main reason for ED in men. Karela aids weight loss and helps to improve sexual energy and stamina in men.
Bitter melon controls two major conditions which cause erectile dysfunction in men. It improves diabetes and helps in weight loss. Hence it is very useful in conditions like erectile dysfunction in diabetes and erectile dysfunction due to obesity.
Effect on Female infertility and PCOS / PCOD
Various researches have shown that women with PCOS usually have elevated blood glucose level and they tend to develop diabetes. In this condition body cells fail to respond to insulin. Karela or bitter melon helps to reduce blood sugar level and also improves the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
Obesity is another cause for PCOS. The vicious cycle between PCOS and weight gain has to be braked to improve the condition. Bitter melon helps to reduce obesity and aids in weight loss. Thus regular use of this fruit brings the PCOS condition under control.
Apart from this texts of Ayurveda recommend this fruit for blood purification. It expels toxins of body and purifies blood. It also rejuvenates the lever and controls the production of cholesterol. When we use this fruit regularly we can see an improvement in blood cholesterol level. Bitter gourd is the best ayurvedic food for PCOS
Juice of karela is very effective in PCOS. Karela juice has to be consumed in morning in empty stomach when you plan to address PCOS. Karela can be used in PCOS diet along with soy or soybean.
Texts of Ayurveda eulogize the benefits of Bitter gourd in female infertility. Ayurveda acharyas recommend to use this herb along with other herbs like Ashoka, Lodhra, Jasad Bhasma or zinc, Turmeric, Shilajit and Cinnamon. Hence qualified experienced doctors at Moolika Ayurveda and Ayurhelp have combined bitter gourd with all these herbs .
Keeping all these benefits in view doctors at MOOLIKA AYURVEDA have added the herb as main ingredient in PCORID CAPSULES to treat PCOS and Female infertility in ayurvedic way. The ayurvedic treatment for PCOS and female infertility will be very effective when PCORID capsules are used with UTONORM Capsules. This combo has to be used for 3 months to completely get rid of PCOD or PCOS
Texts of Ayurveda recommend this fruit to regularise menstrual cycle and also purify breast milk. Bitter melon helps in pcod or pcos by improving insulin sensitivity of cells. It also aids in weight loss and improves female fertility.
How to consume bitter melon?
Make thin slices of Karela (remove seeds) and blend in mixer to extract its juice. Diabetics can consume 10 – 30 ml per day. Even you can consume boiled bitter melon.
Dosage of bitter melon
– Fresh juice 10-20 ml. per day
But consult a qualified ayurvedic physician before trying any ayurvedic home remedy.
Author – Dr.Savitha Suri. Consultant ayurvedic physician.
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