Bitter Gourd

Bitter Gourd

SCIENTIFIC NAME :

 Momordica Charantia

MEDICINAL VALUE :

 Applicable in blood disorders, cholera, diabetes, provides energy, healing eye problems, cleanses blood from toxins. It helps for easy digestion and peristalsis of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body. Thus, helps in relieving indigestion and constipation problems

NUTRIENT VALUE :

 Rich in dietary fibre, Vitamin C and beta carotene.  It is also a good source of niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium.

CULINERY AND OTHER VALUES :

 Some snacks, appetizers, salads and side dishes made with bitter gourd. Variety pickles are made with bitter gourd. Beef, pork or potato mixture are stuffed in the hollow space of bitter gourd for making stuffing dishes.

GLOSSARY :

• English : Bitter Gourd
• Tamil : Pavakkai
• Malayalam : Pavakka / Kaippakka
• Telugu : Kakara Kayi
• Kannada : Haggala Kai / Hagara Kai
• Hindi : Karela
• Bengali : Karela / Karola / Uchche
• Gujarati : Karela
• Konkani : Kaarathey / Karathen
• Marathi : Karle
• Oriya : Karala
• Punjabi : Karela
• Tulu : Kanchala
• Kashmiri : Karela