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The Bitter gourd, whose Latin name is "Momocordica charantia", is a tropical vine and a member of the cucumber family. Its other names are called Bitter Melon, Balsam Pear, Ku Gua and Ampalaya.

It is one of popular vegetables in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, India and Phillipines. It is now also becoming acception in South and North America.

The bitterness of this vegetable is an acquired taste. The bitter taste is caused by the presence of quinine, a medicinal property.

It has long been one of nature's most complete medicines and is rich in essential vitamins and minerals espeicially A, B1, B2, C and iron.

Traditional and folk healers form as far apart as India and Brazil have all found umpteen medical uses for the bitter gourd.

• Juice of the bitter bourd can be rubbed on painful joints to alleviate the pain of arthritis
• Healers also prescribe it for a variety of diabetes, jaundice and stomach worms.
• Leaves of Bitter Gourd are rinsed and squeezed onto raw wounds
• Treat anaemia, regarding it as a "blood giving" vegetable
• Treat certain kinds of tumour.
• May be useful in treating HIV patients.

From a team of researches have confirmed that it does indeed alleviate symptoms of diabetes. They discovered that the vegetable contains a hypoglycaemic that is highly efficient in lowering blood and urine sugar levels.

Tips for cooking Bitter Gourds:

• The best bitter gourds are pale green and young one
• Salt the halves or sliced unpeeled bitter gourd liberally to decrease the bitterness
• Can be stir frying it with black beans and meat, stewing, stuffuing, or pickling it.
• A very simple dish can be made using chopped up bitter gourd, and a chopped onion and potato and then stire fry for few minutes. Serve with rice.