Bitter melon

Nutrition value per All links open in new tab
Proteins and Amino Acids 1 g
Carbohydrates (By Difference) 3.7 g
- Fiber, total dietary 2.8 g
Ash (Minerals) 1.1 g
- Calcium, Ca 19 mg
- Iron, Fe 0.43 mg
- Magnesium, Mg 17 mg
- Phosphorus, P 31 mg
- Potassium, K 296 mg
- Sodium, Na 5 mg
- Zinc, Zn 0.8 mg
- Copper, Cu 0.034 mg
- Manganese, Mn 0.089 mg
- Selenium, Se 0.2 µg
Vitamins 85.001 mg*
- Vitamin A (total, IU) 471 iu
- Vitamin A (total, RAE) 24 µg
  - Vitamin A1 (retinol) 0 µg
  - Provitamin A (beta-carotene) 190 µg
  - Provitamin A (alpha-carotene) 185 µg
- Vitamin D, total, IU 0 iu
- Vitamin D, total (D2 + D3) 0 µg
- Lutein + Zeaxanthin (yellow-red carotenoid) 170 µg
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 84 mg
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B3 (niacin) 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 0.212 mg
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.043 mg
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) 0 µg
- Vitamin B9 (folate, DFE) 72 µg
  - Vitamin B9, total (folate) 72 µg
    - Vitamin B9 (folic acid) 0 µg
    - Vitamin B9 (folate, food) 72 µg
Fat (Lipids) 0.17 g
- Fatty acids, total trans 0 g
- Sterols 0 g*
  - Cholesterol 0 mg
Water 94.03 g
Energy 17 kcal
Energy 71 kj

The fruit has a distinct warty exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large, flat seeds and pith. The fruit is most often eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow. At this stage, the fruit's flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to cucumber, chayote or green bell pepper, but bitter. The skin is tender and edible. Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits; they are not intensely bitter and can be removed before cooking.

Bitter melon is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavor, typically in stir-fries (often with pork and douchi), soups, and also in tisanes. It has also been used in place of hops as the bittering ingredient in some Chinese and Okinawan beers.

Bitter melon Nutrition Facts: Calories, Carbs, and Health Benefits

Bitter melon is composed of 94.03% water, 3.7% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and 0.17% fat. One bitter melon supplies you with 4.588 grams of carbohydrates, which is 3.53 percent of the minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates you should have daily. That same a 100 gram reference serving of bitter melon provides 17 calories and has a high content of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), containing 112% of the Daily Value (DV) per 100-gram amount (right table of USDA nutrient values). This means if your diet contains bitter melons, it helps your body to reduce probability of heart disease by fighting cholesterol, reduce the risk of anemia as this vitamin absorbs iron, improve the efficiency of lymphocytes (or white blood cells) to heal wounds and it is effective against dementia since vitamin C impacts memory positivelyhigh blood pressurethe occurrence of cancer. With this it contains a modest amount of Zinc (10% DV).