Health Tip: If you have Diabetes, try "Bitter Melon"

[True Blue]

I have type 2 diabetes and take Metformin (pill) with mixed results. Wife fries a Chinese vegetable called "Bitter Melon". It looks like a larger shriveled cucumber (no John Holmes jokes please!). Tastes best when fried in olive oil with chopped garlic. Google "bitter melon" for a picture so you know what you are looking for when you shop for it at your local Asian grocery market. Never saw it at American grocery story or farmers market

 

I eat it alternating with bites of other vegetables and some soup. About 3 hours later my blood sugar level drops down by 30 points.

 

Apparently "bitter melon" was loved by Mao.

 

Americans like sour - I love limes and lemons - not my wife - my wife can't eat sour at all. I think "Bitter "takes some getting used to for us Americans. Wife and Chinese friends have no problem with it. It does the job, not my favorite thing but sort of like when you had to eat spinach and carrots as a kid. Its good for you if you have diabetes (type 2 diabetes at least - I would think also for type 1 but don't know for sure).

 

• if you know the Chinese name for this let us know
• If you have type 1 diabetes give it a try and let us know if it helps as well

Best regards,

 

True Blue

[Dennis143]

Here's a link with a picture that discusses the health benefits of bitter melon and diabetes...

http://peggy-w.hubpages.com/hub/Health-Benefits-of-Bitter-Melon-Cooking-with-Bitter-Melon-Amazing-Plant

 

Bitter melon is pretty much a staple at every Chinese get together here in my hood. I like it! It's not that bitter or pungent either.

[Dan R]

I started taking this http://www.belllifestyleproducts.com/40-bloodsugarimbalance.htm after complications from glyburide-metformin. At week seven I suddenly gained 13 pounds and my legs swelled up. I took myself off the medication and switched to the herbal mix that includes bitter melon (Chinese: 苦瓜, pinyin: kǔguā, "bitter gourd"). Interested to see if my tests do any better next month.

[warpedbored]

I also have diabetes type two. Metformin didn't agree with me at all so my doctor put me on Glyburide which hasn't caused me any ill effects. It's a struggle to keep my blood sugar below 150. I also have read that bitter melon helps. My wife bought some bitter melon tea for me which isn't too bad. I don't care much for bittermelon itself but will eat it. Another tastier thing that is purported to help diabetes is cinnamon. I drink it with cocoa powder, splenda and soy milk.

[Yuanyang]

Wife has several tasty recipies using bitter melons so we usually have some in the kitchen.

[PandaMaker]

Thanks for the tip. I have type 1...just on insulin. I've had bitter melon soup many times, but never knew the benefits of it for diabetes. I'm a Cantonese speaker, and for those that need the pronunciation in Cantonese, it's "Fu Gua". The use of Mandarin is growing by leaps and bounds in the US, but I still find it a hit or miss at Asian markets for now.

 

Will report back my results soon!

[Dan777]

I eat it because I decided to eat what my wife cooks. The first time I tried it I did not like it at all (too bitter). But I think it is an acquired taste. Her friend grows it so I have been eating it several times a week since we visited her and her husband. They say it is good for the skin. I am going to test my blood sugar after I eat it next time. I don't check my blood sugar much as it does not seem to vary much. I am happy with a 150 but sometimes it gets to 190. Thanks for the info. I get served rice three times a day and I don't think that is good for a diabetic but I am not sure. My wife has only been cooking for me for a month but I feel fine every day. My wife only likes Chinese foods. She did say she wanted to try Pizza. She wants me to cook a Pizza for her which I think is funny. I did think she understood we will go out to a pizza place.