National Bitter Melon Council

Scientific Name: Momordica Charantia L.
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Color: a range from white to light/mid green
Common names used in the U.S.: Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter cucumber, Karela (Hindi), Balsam pear, Balsam apple
Nutritional Value: 44 kcal, 5.6 g protein, 290 mg calcium, 5 mg iron, 5.1 mg vitamin A, 170 mg vitamin C per 100 g serving.

Bitter Melon is a member of the gourd family, and a relative of squash, watermelon, muskmelon, and cucumber. The tropical vine is a tender perennial. Its fruit is green, warty, and tastes very bitter. The inside of the melon is filled with spongy pulp whose color ranges from white to light green.

Bitter Melon is commonly used in tropical areas such as Latin America, India, East Africa, and Asia, where it is used as a food as well as a medicine, however it appears in gardens and farmland all over the world. A compound known as 'charantin' present in the Bitter Melon is used in the treatment of diabetes to lower blood sugar levels. The plant also has a rich amount of Vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, phosphorus and carbohydrates. Bitter Melon is rich in iron; it has twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the potassium of bananas, and contains vitamins A, C, and B1 to B3, phosphorous and good dietary fiber.

This vine has a slender hairy stem with numerous branches and dense foliage. The plant grows up to 6 feet tall and develops small, yellow flowers both male and female, on the same plant. The fruits are green usually oblong, has an irregular surface with warts and 8-10 vertical ridges. When ripe, the fruits turn yellowish orange in color.