Bitter gourd is also known as horse hoof, water chestnut, and Pu Ji. Bitter gourd has a sweet and cold taste, and it has the effects of clearing heat and phlegm, improving appetite and digestion, moistening dryness and quenching thirst, and brightening the eyes and sobering up. It is commonly used in the clinical treatment of cough with excessive phlegm. The specific methods of consumption are as follows:
The Main Values of Bitter Gourd
1. Edible
Bitter gourd can not only promote metabolism in the human body but also has certain antibacterial effects.
Bitter gourd has the highest phosphorus content among all stem vegetables. Phosphorus can promote human development and regulate the metabolism of sugar, fat, and protein, as well as balance acid and alkaline levels in the body.
2. Medicinal
Bitter gourd has a cold nature and has the effects of clearing heat and detoxification, cooling blood and nourishing body fluids, diuresis and bowel movement, dispelling dampness and phlegm, and relieving bloating and aiding digestion.
It can be used to treat jaundice, dysentery, infantile paralysis, constipation, and other diseases.
Bitter gourd contains an antibacterial component that has a certain effect on reducing blood pressure and also has preventive and therapeutic effects on cancer.
Can Bitter Gourd Be Eaten Raw?
Bitter gourd grows in swamps or paddy fields, and the growth environment is relatively dirty, which may contain ginger worm eggs or roundworm eggs, so it is best to cook it before consumption.
If you want to eat bitter gourd raw, you must wash it thoroughly. In the southern dialect, it is said to twist the braids and throw them into the mouth.
When eating bitter gourd, be sure to pluck off the small braids on top, then it is recommended to soak it in salt water, and then peel and wash it after peeling.
Taboos of Bitter Gourd
Due to the cold nature of bitter gourd, it should be used with caution during menstruation in women, as well as for those with spleen and stomach deficiency-cold, blood deficiency, and blood stasis. It is also not suitable for children with enuresis and diabetes patients.
