The bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, is a fruit that belongs to the momordica species. It’s a vegetable-fruit that has been used as food and medicine. It grows abundantly in the subtropical regions of South America, Asia, the Caribbean, and certain parts of Africa.
This oblong-shaped vegetable/fruit has a warty exterior with a distinctly bitter taste and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Scientific evidence has also shown that this food effectively fights cancerous tumors.
Insulin encourages pancreatic cancer cells to grow and it has been discovered that bitter melons can regulate insulin levels to prevent pancreatic cancer over the long-term. A study led by Dr. Rajesh Agarwal at Colorado University evaluated four different lines of pancreatic cancer and the effects of bitter melons in mice.
In this study, mice were injected with pancreatic tumor cells and were randomly selected into treatment and control groups. The treatment group received bitter melon for six weeks, while the control group received water. At the end of the study, the results showed that bitter melon juice did not only inhibit cancer cell proliferation, but also induced apoptosis [cancer cell death].
Pancreatic tumor growth was inhibited by 60% in the treatment group and there were no signs of toxicity or side effects on the body!
Pancreatic cancer typically appears after a person has diabetes for some time, so several researchers wondered if bitter melon could treat type 2 diabetes as well.
In previous study, researchers discovered that compounds in bitter melon improved glycemic control, helped cells uptake glucose, and improved overall glucose tolerance. This study led to promising advancements in treating diabetes and obesity.
Bitter melon has also been used in traditional medicine to treat colic, fever, burns, chronic cough, painful menstruation, skin conditions, to heal wounds, assist in childbirth, kill breast cancer cells, and in certain parts of the world to treat malaria and viral diseases.
Posted By: Sister Juanita From Memphis
Tuesday, December 23rd 2014 at 5:54PM
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