Story & photos by Henrylito D. Tacio
There is one natural weapon against diseases that can be found in your kitchen. It’s that wrinkly green vegetable with a distinctive bitter taste. Yes, you’re right, it’s ampalaya, known in the science world as momordica charantia and in English-speaking countries as bitter gourd or bitter melon.
In terms of nutritional contents, the fruits and leaves of the ampalaya are reportedly rich in minerals and vitamins. Here’s what livestrong.com said: “Containing only 21 calories for an entire fruit, ampalaya is a nutrient-dense food that has significant nutritional value at a low-caloric cost.”
Unknowingly, ampalaya is one of the best sources of vitamin C. “One ampalaya fruit contains 174 percent of the average daily requirement for vitamin C,” livestrong.com says. “Vitamin C has multiple functions in the body. It is a key factor in the synthesis of the protein known as collagen, a major component of the connective tissue, and also is a powerful antioxidant. Like other antioxidants, it helps safeguard the body’s cells from damage from the dangerous free radicals believed to play a role in chronic disease.”
Ampalaya is also one of the good sources of folate; it contains 22 percent of the average daily requirement for folate. Folate, called folic acid in its synthetic form, can help prevent spina bifida and anencephaly, also known as neural tube defects, or birth defects that impact the spine and the brain. Folate might be protective against strokes, breast cancer and colon cancer, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Fourteen percent of the average daily value for dietary fiber is present in one ampalaya fruit. Dietary fiber contributes to gastrointestinal health and the utilization of the nutrients in your food. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, fiber also might protect against heart disease, diabetes, diverticulitis and some cancers.
Ampalaya is also a good source of carbohydrates, used for quick energy; vitamin A, critical to good vision; and the minerals iron, phosphorus and potassium. Like other vegetables, it is also free of cholesterol and fats.
In the Philippines, ampalaya is prepared into various dishes: it can be stir-fried with ground beef and oyster sauce, or cooked with eggs and diced tomato. A very popular dish from the Ilocos region is the pinakbet, which consists mainly of ampalaya, eggplant, okra, string beans tomatoes, lima beans, and other various regional vegetables stewed with a little bagoong-based stock.
“Commonly known as ampalaya in the Philippines, researchers refer to it as a vegetable, fruit, or herb,” wrote Frank Murray in his book, Ampalaya: Nature’s Remedy for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. “It is indigenous to Asia, but is cultivated around the world, where it goes by almost 90 different names.”
Yes, ampalaya has been considered as nature’s answer to diabetes. Today, almost 100 studies have demonstrated the blood sugar lowering effect of this bitter fruit. Dr. A. Raman and Dr. C. Lau, who reviewed over 150 pre-clinical and clinical studies on amplaya’s anti-diabetes properties and phytochemistry, concluded that, “Oral administration of fruit juice or seed powder [of bitter melon] causes a reduction in fasting blood glucose and improves glucose tolerance.”
In the Philippines, Dr. William Torres, former director of Bureau of Food and Drugs, came up with this conclusion after reviewing several studies done on ampalaya: “Ampalaya fruits, leaves, seeds and other parts, when used as dry powders, extracts, decoctions, fresh or cooled, have clearly demonstrated hypoglycemic activity.”
Researchers have identified the key compounds present in ampalaya, notably polypeptide-P, a plant insulin found only in the ampalaya. Similar to animal insulin, polypeptide-P lowers elevated blood sugar levels. Torres maintains that ampalaya, when taken regularly, helps to increase glucose tolerance and “potentiate insulin.”
Even ampalaya leaves have some blood sugar lowering effect among diabetics, according to Dr. Eduardo G. Gonzales of the College of Medicine at De La Salle University. “This effect is noticeable regardless of how the leaves are prepared—boiled then eaten, or in the form of extract, tea, capsule or tablet.”
However, most medical practitioners cautioned that those who have diabetes should not immediately replace their proprietary medicines with ampalaya teas, capsules or tablets. As Dr. Herbert Ho wrote in an article for a national magazine: “At this time, ampalaya, in whatever preparation [fresh fruit, tea leaves, capsules or tablets] is not yet a recommended substitute for standard medical care and standard antidiabetic drugs.
“No known side effect does not necessarily equate to no side effect, especially if the preparation is new,” Ho continued. “We need to wait for the results of the large-scale human studies. Patients are advised to discuss the matter with their physicians, especially with endocrinologists, who are specialists in the management of diabetes.”
As the bitter fruit is famous for its many medicinal attributes, there are also other unique ways in preparing mixtures, drinks or solutions made from ampalaya. Those with cough, fever, worms, and diarrhea are advised to drink a spoonful of grounded and juiced ampalaya leaves every day. For other health conditions, the fruit and leaves can both be juiced and taken orally. For wounds, burns and other skin diseases, the fruit’s warmed leaves may be applied to the affected area.
The fruit’s leaves are also used for children’s coughs and are utilized in the treatment of skin diseases and sterility in women. Like most bitter-tasting fruits and vegetables, ampalaya stimulates digestion and can be very potent in people with dyspepsia and constipation.
Just a warning: in large dozes, pure ampalaya juice can be a purgative and may cause pregnancy abortion.