Bitter Melon, commonly known as Bitter Gourd or Karela in Hindi may not be a favourite of one and all in terms of taste, but this wonder herb offers incredible health benefits. It has numerous of antioxidants and nutrients to offer. Widely known as Karela in many parts of India, Kakarakaaya in Telugu and Pavakkayi in Tamil, the herb is in fact a vegetable fruit, belonging to the family of Cucurbitaceae veggies like cucumber, zucchini, and goes with the botanical name Momordica charantia. Bitter gourd is also known as balsam apple, balsam pear, bitter apple, lakwa, margose, wild cucumber and bitter cucumber.

Karela has been used as a folk remedy for a variety of ailments, particularly stomach complaints. In traditional medicine of India different parts of the plant are used to help in diabetes, as a stomachic, laxative, anti-bilious, emetic, anthelmintic agent, for work against cough, respiratory diseases, skin diseases, wounds, ulcer, gout, and rheumatism. It can be used efficacious in helping lower blood glucose levels, thus is extremely popular amongst diabetics.