<i>Karella</i>: Sweetness in bitter taste

Although many people, especially children do not like Karella's taste, but it is a very nutritious vegetable. It is a good source of vitamin C, containing most of the vitamin B complex and vitamin A in the form of carotene. It is also rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron.
Usually it is often prepared as vegetables dish with potatoes and other vegetables to balance the bitterness. But its health benefits are amazing. It is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent for its medicinal value. This is a popular medicinal food for diabetes. Many people make a mixture of equal amount of amla and karella juice with the belief that it helps reducing blood glucose level. It is also helpful in liver and spleen disorders.
Karella is also known as bitter gourd in English. From Colombia to China, there are different types of Karella throughout the world. But the medicinal value and taste are not the same. So, all types of available Karella do not bear the same medicinal quality. Concerned researchers can identify the real Karella that are really good for diseases like diabetes. For example, in Panama only the leaves of the plant (when ripe) are brewed in hot water to create a tea to treat malaria and diabetes. The leaves are allowed to steep in hot water before being strained thoroughly so that only the remaining liquid is used for the tea. This has been used in various Asian traditional medicine systems for a long time. Like most bitter-tasting foods, it stimulates digestion.