Bittergourd
| Momordica charantia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Momordica |
| Species: | M. charantia |
| Binomial name | |
|
Momordica charantia L. |
|
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 79 kJ (19 kcal) |
|
4.32 g
|
|
| Sugars | 1.95 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2 g |
|
0.18 g
|
|
|
0.84 g
|
|
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A equiv. |
(1%)
6 μg
(1%)
68 μg1323 μg
|
| Thiamine (B1) |
(4%)
0.051 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) |
(4%)
0.053 mg |
| Niacin (B3) |
(2%)
0.28 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) |
(4%)
0.193 mg |
| Vitamin B6 |
(3%)
0.041 mg |
| Folate (B9) |
(13%)
51 μg |
| Vitamin C |
(40%)
33 mg |
| Vitamin E |
(1%)
0.14 mg |
| Vitamin K |
(5%)
4.8 μg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium |
(1%)
9 mg |
| Iron |
(3%)
0.38 mg |
| Magnesium |
(5%)
16 mg |
| Manganese |
(4%)
0.086 mg |
| Phosphorus |
(5%)
36 mg |
| Potassium |
(7%)
319 mg |
| Sodium |
(0%)
6 mg |
| Zinc |
(8%)
0.77 mg |
| Other constituents | |
| Water | 93.95 g |
|
|
|
|
|
| Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
|
Momordica charantia, known as bitter melon, bitter gourd, bitter squash, or balsam-pear, is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit. Its many varieties differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit. Bitter melon also has names in other languages which have entered English as loanwords, e.g. kǔguā (苦瓜) from Chinese, nigauri (苦瓜) from Japanese, gōyā (ゴーヤー) from Okinawan, kaipakka (കിയാപാക്ക്ക) in Malayalam, kakarakaya (కాకరకాయ) in Telugu, Hāgala (ಹಾಗಲ) in Kannada, pākal (பாகல்) in Tamil and karela (करेला and كاريلا) or kareli (करेली and کریلی) in Hindustani (Hindi and Urdu), coming from Sanskrit. In Bengali, it is known as uchche (উচ্ছে). Those from the Caribbean island of Jamaica commonly refer to the plant as cerasee. In Brazil this plant is called Saint Cajetan's Melon (melão-de-são-caetano).
Bitter melon originated in India and was introduced into China in the 14th century. It is widely used in East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian cuisine.
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Wikipedia