Can you eat bitter melon raw?

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat bitter melon raw?” with an in-depth analysis of bitter melon, different ways to consume bitter melon, required daily dose of bitter melons, some supplements of bitter melon, health benefits, and some disadvantages of eating raw bitter melon.

Can you eat bitter melon raw?

Yes, we can eat bitter melon either in raw form or in cooked form. There will not be any side effects of eating bitter melon raw. In fact, bitter melon provides more calcium in raw form as compared to when it is cooked.

Different ways to consume bitter melon

Bitter melon can be consumed in different ways. It can be eaten as a fruit, taken as a juice or consumed in herbal supplements. In addition, seeds of bitter melon can be used in food in powdered form

A daily dose of raw bitter melon 

Although raw bitter melon has many health benefits. But excessive consumption of raw bitter melon in excess is not safe for health. The key is to consume a moderate amount of bitter melon to benefit from its nutrients. 

A diabetic patient can only take 50 to 100 millimetres of raw bitter melon in juice form. While one small bitter melon in raw form can be taken daily.

Best bitter melon supplements

Numerous bitter melon supplements are available. Some best bitter melon supplements are as follows:

  • Bulksupplements Bitter Melon Extract Powder.
  • Naturevibe Botanicals Organic Bitter Melon Powder.
  • Swanson Bitter Melon

Different varieties of raw bitter melon 

Raw bitter melon is not restricted only to one type. Basically, two different types of bitter melon are available throughout the world which includes:

  • Bitter melon which is found in China is green in colour.
  • Bitter melon which is found in Taiwan is white in colour. Bitter melons of Taiwan are softer in texture and more bitter in flavour.

Some ways to make bitter melon less bitter

Due to the bitter taste of bitter melon, many people do not like to eat it. So some ways have been devised in order to decrease its bitter taste. These are as follows:

  • Raw bitter melon can be cut into slices. After making slices, frying them helps a lot to reduce bitterness.
  • Applying salt and lemon on bitter melon and keeping it for thirty minutes helps a lot in the reduction of the bitter taste.
  • Organic bitter melon is also less bitter as compared to inorganic bitter melon.
  • By scraping all the white parts of bitter melon, its bitterness can be reduced as this part contains much bitterness.

Some recipes of bitter melon

Following are some recipes of bitter melon:

  • Bitter melon stir fry: Firstly all the ingredients including melon, minced garlic, red wine sugar, and light soy sauce are taken. Then bitter melon is cut into two pieces lengthwise. By using a small metal spoon, all the seeds are removed. 

After bitter melon is cut into slices, salt is sprinkled and all other ingredients are added in the desired quantity. Lastly, it is stirred in a few drops of sesame oil and served.

  • Beef with bitter melon: Firstly bitter melon is cut into two pieces lengthwise. After that bitter melon is blanched into one cup of boiling water containing baking soda. After that lemon and beef are added and cooked at the desired temperature in order to get it ready.
  • Bitter melon with egg: To prepare this recipe, bitter melon is first to cut into semi-circle slices. After this, they are sprinkled with salt and drained. Oil is heated in a wok. Bitter melon is added and tossed well on high eat. Bitter melon is tossed till it becomes tender. After this eggs are added and scrambled.

Health benefits of eating raw bitter melon 

As bitter melon is rich in nutrients, we can obtain a lot of nutrients after eating it some of which are as follows:

  • The level of blood sugar can be reduced by eating raw bitter melon.
  • Raw bitter melon is anti-carcinogenic, so it protects us from some types of cancer.
  • Cholesterol levels can be reduced to some extent by eating raw bitter melon.

Side effects of eating raw bitter melon

Following are some side effects of eating raw bitter melon

  • Eating a lot of raw bitter melon can lead to diarrhoea, intestinal issues, and vomiting.
  • If a pregnant woman eats raw bitter melon, in an extreme case it can lead to abortion or vaginal bleeding.
  • It can cause complications in the blood sugar level of those people who have had recent surgery. 

Other FAQs about Melon that you may be interested in.

Can you eat melon seeds?

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Can you eat bitter melon raw?” with an in-depth analysis of bitter melon, different ways to consume bitter melon, required daily dose of bitter melons, some supplements of bitter melon, health benefits, and some disadvantages of eating raw bitter melon.

References

https://findanyanswer.com/can-you-eat-bitter-melon-leaves-raw
https://www.thespruceeats.com/the-best-bitter-melon-recipes-4071414
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/bitter-melon-and-diabetes#risks-and-complications