Bitter gourd - just the name is enough to fill your mouth with the bitter taste of the dreaded vegetable, right?

Most of us have grown up snubbing this food and avoiding it at all costs. Have you ever wondered why despite its repulsive taste, our parents would force us to eat it?

The downright reason is its great nutritive properties. But there's another reason behind those incessant nudges to eat karela in all possible forms.

Everyone who has come to like bitter gourd eventually claims that it takes some time to develop a taste for it, and once you do, you surprisingly fall in love with it.

And what makes you love bitter gourd is its very bitter taste that used to repel us before. Strange, but true!

Here are 5 health benefits of bitter gourd

1.Helps with weight loss:

Yes, bitter gourd is extremely low in calorie content and is a low-fat and low-carb food - tick marking the most important pre-requisites of every weight loss diet.

2. Helps digestion:

Bitter gourd is a fibre-rich food, which means it bulks up stool and eases digestion and assimilation of foods. You'll never feel heavy, bloated or acidic after eating bitter gourd.

3. Great for diabetics:

According to the USDA, 100 grams of bitter gourd has just 13 milligram sodium but a whopping 602 grams of potassium. Also, it contains Polypeptide-p or p-insulin (plant-based insulin) that may help in lowering down high blood sugar level.

4. Boosts immunity

The anti-inflammatory properties and high vitamin C content of bitter gourd help in maintaining a healthy body, protecting it from various infections and illnesses.

5. Improves Skin

The presence of various vitamins and minerals like iron and magnesium in karela makes it a great food for skin and hair care diet. You must have heard of people drinking karela juice regularly for acne-free skin.

These are just a few of the may health-giving properties of bitter gourd. Drink its juice, make its sabzi, or enjoy it in some crispy snacks.

BK