A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Back to 500BC.
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Sunday, September 25, 2016
The 7 Sweet Health Benefits Of Bitter Melon
The distinct flavor of the aptly named bitter melon can be an acquired
taste. In fact, if you have always steered clear of this odd-looking
vegetable or balked at the thought of eating something so bitter, you
have plenty of company. Yet, this melon or gourd is so chock-full of
nutritional goodness that it's a good idea to work it into your weekly
menu plans.
A bitter melon is probably the last veggie you’d think of cooking for
that weeknight dinner. But it is a taste well worth acquiring. This
knobbly green vegetable, also called the bitter gourd or balsam pear,
can be a great source of nutrients that do everything from building
stronger bones to improving immunity, and possibly even protecting
against cancer. Here’s a lowdown on all its goodness.
It Keeps Your Diabetes in Check
If you have a family history of diabetes or have already been diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes mellitus, bitter melon can really help. The extract
from bitter melon is believed to be structurally similar to animal
insulin and can lower blood glucose levels in someone who has type 2
diabetes.1 In
one study, patients who consumed 2000 mg of bitter melon daily saw
levels of fructosamine drop significantly, alongside a “modest
hypoglycemic effect.” What you must remember, though, is that bitter
melon cannot be a substitute for medication you take.2
It Helps With Eye Health
Vitamin A is a nutrient your eyes love. Besides helping prevent the
development of cataract or even night blindness, this vitamin promotes
good eye health in general. It is needed for normal function of your
cornea and conjunctival membranes. A typical serving of bitter melon
gives you nearly a third of the vitamin A recommended for your body
daily.3
It Builds Bone Strength And Prevents Osteoporosis
Bitter gourd contains high levels of vitamin K, a nutrient essential for building bone.4Without
it, all that calcium you consume (of which bitter melon is again a good
source) will not be worth all that much, because it works in tandem
with this vitamin to improve your bone density. You could easily ward
off osteoporosis and osteoarthritis if you have enough of this vitamin,
and even lower chances of having a fracture. So if you’d like to be a
little less “breakable,” help yourself to a generous portion of bitter
melon.5
It Loves Your Liver
Bitter melon is taken as “liver tonic” because of its ability to help
digestion, purify blood, and detox your body. According to traditional
Chinese medicine, bitter substances like bitter gourd can help remove
any excess heat in your body, act as a natural detox, and restore
balance.6 The vitamin K in bitter melon also cuts the risk of bleeding related to liver disease.7
What is attracting more followers to the vegetable is its role in
lowering triglyceride levels in your liver. Animal studies on multiple
varieties of bitter melon have found they all impact hepatic
triglyceride levels to varying degrees.8
It Is An Ally In The Fight Against Cancer
Bitter melon also offers hope to those with cancer. The various parts of
bitter melon, from seed extracts to the pericarp and placenta, have
been used in research against leukemia. These studies have found that
the vegetable extracts have the potential to cause apoptosis or cell
death of HL60 leukemia cells in humans.9
Studies exploring the impact of bitter melon extract treatment on breast
cancer cells have found that the remedy reduces cell proliferation
significantly. The extract also cause apoptotic cell death of these
cancerous cells, making it a good alternative therapy to consider
alongside medical treatment.10 Its
effectiveness in stimulating apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells is
especially heartening, given the poor prognosis associated with this
form of cancer.11
It Aids Weight Loss And Cuts Fat
Studies have found that bitter melon can cut the accumulation of tissue fat in your body.12This
is a result of bitter melon’s ability to stimulate the breakdown of
lipids or fats, while also inhibiting fatty acid or triglyceride
synthesis, making it a good choice for someone on a weight-loss plan. 13
If you are counting calories and trying to stay fit, there’s more.
Because the bitter melon isn’t very calorific, you will be able to get
in vitamins A, C, K, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium
without consuming too many calories.14
It Builds Immunity
Bitter gourd also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. The phenolic
compounds gallic acid, catechin, and caffeic acid in bitter melon are
powerful antioxidants, making a serving of the vegetable immensely
beneficial for your immunity.15 For
those with diabetes, animal studies indicate that it might even help
normalize antioxidant status that is otherwise impaired.16 As one study found, the intake of this gourd can help induce systemic and intestinal anti-inflammatory responses.17