When Is the Best Time to Drink Bitter Melon Juice? An Analysis of Its Heat-Clearing, Detoxifying, Acne-Fighting and Blood-Sugar-Lowering Effects

In summer, bitter melon is the best vegetable for clearing heat and detoxifying. Bitter melon is rich in vitamin B, vitamin C, calcium, iron and more, and the juice extracted from bitter melon is also highly nutritious. So when is the best time to drink bitter melon juice? What are its benefits and effects? Can it fight acne?

According to research findings, bitter melon has a notable blood-sugar-lowering effect and has a certain therapeutic effect on diabetes. It also has a certain antiviral capacity and anti-cancer effect. Bitter melon has very high nutritional value, is rich in vitamin C, and can also increase the permeability of blood vessels and protect the cardiovascular system; eating more of it helps lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol. If bitter melon juice is chilled, it is even more of a summer heat-relieving treasure; if you really find it too bitter, you can add a little honey to season it. But note that bitter melon is cold in nature, so people with a weak, cold constitution should consume it with caution.

When is the best time to drink bitter melon juice?

Actually, bitter melon juice can be drunk at any time, but it is best to choose to drink it half an hour after dinner, as this is better for your health. If you use bitter melon for weight loss, you must note that eating bitter melon raw has no weight-loss effect; it only works through bitter melon juice. And even if you use bitter melon juice for weight loss, you should also note afterward that women during their menstrual period should not drink bitter melon juice. And even at ordinary times, you should not drink bitter melon juice on an empty stomach. Drinking bitter melon juice is not a pleasant experience.

Should bitter melon juice be drunk raw or cooked?

Drinking it raw is better. The purpose of drinking bitter melon juice in summer is to get the best heat-clearing and fire-reducing effect, so freshly squeezed bitter melon juice is of course best drunk raw, and even better with ice. Only then will its heat-clearing and detoxifying effect be the best and most complete.

Heating bitter melon juice causes nutrient loss

Bitter melon is rich in vitamins, such as vitamin B and vitamin C, as well as trace elements like calcium and iron. If bitter melon juice is heated before drinking, it will destroy the nutrients in bitter melon, leading to a loss of nutritional value.

Bitter melon juice pairings

(1) Apple

Bitter melon juice and apple are a very good pairing. Apple tastes sweet and fragrant, has a unique fruity aroma, and is also very rich in nutrients; it does not conflict with bitter melon juice in any way. Drunk together, they can both neutralize part of the bitterness of the bitter melon and help regulate the stomach and intestines and delay aging.

(2) Cucumber

Bitter melon juice can also be paired with cucumber. Cucumber tastes crisp and refreshing, and pairing it with bitter melon juice can offset some of the unpleasant taste while also enriching the juice's nutrition. In addition, both ingredients are relatively low-calorie vegetables, so drinking it during a weight-loss period can also help with slimming.

(3) Honey

Many people cannot stand the bitterness of bitter melon juice, and honey can solve this bitterness very well. Honey is sweet and palatable; adding an appropriate amount of honey to bitter melon juice can immediately improve the heavy bitterness of the bitter melon, so honey is also very suitable for drinking together with bitter melon juice.

The benefits and effects of bitter melon juice

1. Bitter melon juice has the effects of clearing heat, nourishing blood and boosting qi, tonifying the kidney and strengthening the spleen, and nourishing the liver and brightening the eyes. It has a certain effect on treating dysentery, sores and swellings, heatstroke and fever, excessive prickly heat, conjunctivitis and other conditions.

2. The vitamin C content in bitter melon juice is very high, and it has the effects of preventing scurvy, protecting cell membranes, preventing atherosclerosis, improving the body's stress capacity, and protecting the heart.

3. The active ingredients in bitter melon juice can inhibit the cancerous transformation of normal cells and promote the recovery of mutated cells, giving it a certain anti-cancer effect.

4. The charantin in bitter melon juice is known as the “fat killer” and can reduce the intake of fat and polysaccharides.

5. Bitter melon juice can clear heart fire, detoxify, brighten the eyes, boost qi and benefit essence, quench thirst and relieve summer heat, and treat carbuncles.

Contraindications for bitter melon juice

1. People with low blood pressure and low blood sugar should not drink bitter melon juice.

2. The oxalic acid in bitter melon hinders the absorption of calcium from food. Therefore, people who need to supplement a large amount of calcium should not drink bitter melon juice.

3. Pregnant women should drink bitter melon juice with caution, because bitter melon contains quinine, and quinine stimulates uterine contractions and can cause miscarriage.

4. Bitter melon is a cold and cooling food. People who usually have loose stools, clear and abundant urine, poor appetite and fear of cold, a pale complexion, and a pale tongue with a deep pulse mostly have a weak constitution with insufficient yang qi or a constitution with spleen and stomach deficiency-cold. Such people should not drink bitter melon juice; otherwise they may easily experience symptoms such as stomach discomfort, abdominal distension and pain, and even vomiting and diarrhea.

Can bitter melon juice fight acne?

When it comes to fighting acne, strictly speaking, it can achieve the purpose of suppressing acne from one aspect. One of the causes of acne is excessive liver fire, that is, internal heat. Bitter melon has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying and lowering blood lipids, so it can indeed be said to have a certain effect on acne, and eating more bitter melon at ordinary times can also nourish the complexion.

If you want to apply bitter melon juice directly to your face in order to fight acne, this is not recommended, because pure bitter melon juice is highly concentrated and contains many unstable factors; applying it directly to the face may cause discomfort to the facial skin and trigger allergies.

Can bitter melon juice lower blood sugar?

Bitter melon can effectively lower blood sugar, which is recognized in the medical field. Scientific research shows that the reason bitter melon can lower blood sugar levels is that bitter melon seeds contain a protein similar in function to insulin. As is well known, insulin has the effect of converting glucose in the blood into heat, thereby regulating the body's blood sugar and keeping it at a normal level.

Similarly, extracts of the fruit or seeds of bitter melon can also promote the breakdown of sugar, have the effect of converting excess sugar into heat, and improve the body's fat balance. In addition, it can also eliminate obesity or constipation, which are triggers of diabetes. Therefore, people with higher blood sugar levels may want to drink more bitter melon juice.

How to make bitter melon juice

Prepare the ingredients

Bitter melon 250 grams net weight after removing seeds, purified water 250 grams, honey (white sugar) 25 grams

Method

1. Two bitter melons, 280 grams

2. Cut the bitter melon in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, wash, and cut into small cubes (250 grams net weight). Pour into a blender, add 250 grams of purified water, and blend into a pulp. After filtering, add 25 grams of honey or white sugar and it is ready to drink; the taste is even better after chilling in the refrigerator.