When you hear Karela or bitter gourd, perhaps you try to escape from it, and then your mother forces you to eat it by speaking about it’s numerous health benefits. Bitter Gourd, commonly known as Karela, is not liked by many because of its bitterness and strange appearance. But do you know that it has several benefits? Karela or Bitter Gourd is a great source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and C. It also has rich iron and calcium content. Full of high dietary fiber, this bitter-tasting vegetable has magnesium, folate, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese too. Eating a little of it every day can do wonders for your health and skin says nutritionist Avni Kaul.
This blog by India’s leading weight loss nutritionist and dietician, Avni Kaul, shares some of the health benefits of eating bitter gourd.
Promotes Good Digestion: Bitter Gourd helps in reducing intestinal disorders and stomach ailments. Eating bitter gourd on a regular basis helps improve the overall digestive health of the body.
Blood Purifier: Bitter gourd contains antimicrobial and antioxidant properties which aid in removing toxins from the skin. It also helps in the purification of blood thus reducing skin problems, blood disorders and also enhancing blood circulation. Bitter gourd also hinders the growth of cancer cells within the body.
Aids in Weight Loss: Having bitter gourd regularly stimulates the liver to secrete the bile acids. These acids are vital for metabolising fat in the body. Also, bitter gourd has antioxidants that flush toxins out of your body that ultimately help in the proper functioning of the digestive system and weight loss.
Assists in Overcoming Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes occurs because of the inability of cells to absorb sugar in the blood. This leads to development of resistance towards insulin or insufficient insulin in the body. This can be overcome by drinking the juice of bitter gourd every day. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027280/
Glowing Skin: To get an excellent glow on skin one needs to regularly consume bitter gourd as it has strong anti-oxidants, Vitamin A and Vitamin C which prevents skin aging and also diminishes wrinkles. When the toxins get excreted from the body, pimples do not erupt. And when the skin is kept safe from UV rays, there occurs a glow on the skin.
Helps in Acne: Bitter Gourd aids in preventing skin infections. It treats blood disorders such as psoriasis, itching, ringworm, and other fungal infections. Because of its anti-inflammatory components, it is capable of treating acne.
Anti-aging: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Biotin are known for imparting a glow to the skin. The presence of free radicals makes bitter gourd a good anti-aging agent.
Brings Shine to Hair: Apply a cup of bitter gourd juice over your hair for half an hour and let your scalp soak it. Wash your hair with water and observe the shine on your hair. Bitter gourd also aids in smoothening the hair texture.
This is generic information shared. If you have any underlying health condition, it is recommended to consult a qualified nutritionist first.
**This article has been written by team Nutri Activania**
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