Karela is one of the healthiest vegetables in the food kingdom. It is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It can be eaten as a vegetable, a pickle, or as a juice. There are many benefits to the regular consumption of bitter gourd.
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Bitter gourd or Karela is low in calories. 100 grams of bitter gourd gives about 19 calories of energy. Around 3.5 grams of carbohydrates and 2.4 grams of fibre are present in 100 grams of karela while it contains only 150 mg of fats and 930 mg of proteins. It also has a high water content of 87 grams.
Karela is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. Minerals like potassium, folate, zinc and iron are also present in karela.
Antioxidants like catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin and chlorogenic acid are obtained from karela, which helps to keep us free from many diseases.
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Helps in maintaining blood sugar levels
Consuming a glass of karela juice is so effective that diabetics can contol their high blood sugar levels in additon to the doctor’s precribed medicines. Karela and diabetes are often coined together because bitter gourd has a compound that functions similar to insulin. It reduces the blood glucose levels in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Beneficial for skin and hair
Bitter gourd juice is rich in antioxidants and vitamins A and C, both of which are beneficial to the skin. It tackles acne and skin imperfections while also slowing down the ageing process. It can also be used to treat a variety of skin conditions such as psoriasis and itching. Karela juice locks the texture of the hair and helps to prevent dandruff, hair loss, and split ends as well.
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Weight control
Being low in calories and high in fibre, karela promotes weight reduction. It inhibits the development and proliferation of adipose cells, which are responsible for fat storage in the body. It boosts metabolism and the antioxidants assist cleanse the body, resulting in fat loss.
Blood purifier
Bitter gourd has a high amount of antioxidants, and this helps it to cure many problems related to tainted blood. Regular consumption of bitter gourd leads to improvement in skin, hair and cancer problems. Also, it helps to improve blood circulation effectively.
Boosts immune system
Bitter gourd fights viruses and bacteria and strengthens your immunity. It prevents allergies and indigestion. The antioxidants work as powerful defence mechanisms against illness and also help fight free-radical damage that can cause various types of cancer. It inhibits cancer cell growth and prevents tumour development substantially.
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Heals injuries and wounds
Bitter gourd possesses powerful anti-inflammatory effects. It regulates blood flow and coagulation, resulting in faster wound healing and a reduction in infections at a great scale.
Detoxifies liver and cures hangover
You can rid of a mjor hangover by sipping some bitter gourd juice which wipes out the alcoholic intoxication settled in your liver. Bitter gourd is beneficial to the liver and detoxifies it. It increases liver enzymes and is an excellent hangover treatment. The consumption of it is beneficial to the bladder and intestines.
