What are the benefits of eating bitter melon?

Dec 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Huang Yuhong

Introduction

Generally, bitter gourd is a common vegetable known for its dual use as both food and medicine. Its benefits include clearing heat and relieving summer heat, aiding blood sugar regulation, promoting digestion, providing antioxidant and skin-nourishing effects, and enhancing immunity. However, since bitter gourd is considered cold in nature, people with weak spleen and stomach or those prone to cold conditions should consume it in moderation to avoid discomfort such as bloating or diarrhea. Its cold properties can be reduced by blanching or combining it with warming ingredients.

Generally speaking, bitter melon is a common vegetable known for its dual role as both food and medicine. Consuming it offers various benefits, including clearing heat and relieving summer heat, assisting in blood glucose regulation, promoting digestion, providing antioxidant and skin-nourishing effects, and enhancing immunity. The details are as follows:

1. Clearing Heat and Relieving Summer Heat: Bitter melon has a bitter and cold nature, which helps eliminate internal heat. It is especially suitable for consumption during summer. For symptoms caused by excessive summer heat—such as dry mouth, irritability, sore throat—moderate intake of bitter melon can help alleviate discomfort and promote the expulsion of internal heat, making it a commonly used ingredient for beating the summer heat.

2. Assisting Blood Glucose Regulation: Bitter melon contains active compounds such as momordicosides. These components may help stimulate insulin secretion and improve cellular utilization of glucose, thereby contributing to better blood sugar control. It is therefore recommended as a dietary therapy ingredient for individuals with elevated blood glucose levels.

3. Promoting Digestion: Bitter melon is rich in dietary fiber and momordicin (bitter melon extract). Dietary fiber enhances intestinal motility and helps prevent constipation, while momordicin stimulates gastric juice secretion, improving poor appetite and indigestion, thus supporting healthy gastrointestinal function.

4. Antioxidant and Skin Care Benefits: Bitter melon is high in vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenolic compounds, all of which possess strong antioxidant properties. These nutrients help neutralize free radicals in the body, reduce damage to skin cells, slow down skin aging, and also contribute to a brighter, more even skin tone.

5. Enhancing Immunity: Nutrients in bitter melon such as vitamin C and minerals can stimulate the activity of immune cells, strengthen the body's resistance to diseases, help defend against infections, maintain immune system stability, and reduce the risk of illness.

It should be noted that due to its cold nature, people with weak spleen and stomach or those suffering from deficiency-cold conditions should consume bitter melon in moderation to avoid digestive discomfort such as bloating or diarrhea. To reduce its cooling effect, it can be blanched before cooking or combined with warming ingredients. Proper and balanced consumption allows one to better benefit from this nutritious vegetable.

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