Are you looking for some means to get rid of a few calories from your body and get a slim and fit figure? You can of course go to the gym or do some workouts at home to achieve this. But if you do not have the time to go to the gym, then there are many other ways to lose weight. It is a good idea to look for healthy options that work on your body from inside. Drinking bitter gourd juice is an excellent option. It is healthy for your body and helps in losing weight naturally without causing any side effects.
What is Bitter Gourd – Quick Overview
Bitter gourd is the name by which this vegetable is commonly known. But it has another name also. In some parts of the globe it is known as bitter melon. It is green in color but when it becomes very ripe, it turns yellow in color. This vegetable was cultivated by the tribes of Amazon rainforest. Later on the farming spread to Asia, South America, Caribbean and Africa.
How Bitter Gourd Juice Helps you to Lose Weight?
As you can see from the name itself, bitter gourd is bitter to taste. Certain substances are present in bitter gourd that helps in maintaining the levels of blood sugar in the body. It also has the power to prevent your body from absorbing extra sugar. In addition, bitter gourd is also good for increasing the number of beta cells in your pancreas. These cells play an important part in the secretion of insulin. When the level of insulin in the body increases, the blood sugar levels decrease. This way it helps in losing weight and slimming your body effectively.
Bitter Gourd Juice Recipes for Weight Loss:
The Fruit and Vegetable Mix:
Ingredients needed:
- 1 bitter gourd
- 2 sticks of celery
- 2-3 apples
- 1 cucumber
- 1 peeled lemon
How to prepare:
- Take a bitter gourd and cut it lengthwise into two halves. Now you have to scoop out the seeds in the vegetable.
- Take the other fruits and vegetables and chop. Now take all the chopped vegetables and fruits along with bitter gourd and blend them well in a blender.
- If you feel the juice is very bitter, then you can add some more fruits to compensate for the bitterness.
- You may also add other fruits and vegetables that you prefer to make this juice.
Only Bitter Gourd:
In this recipe you use only bitter gourd. Here is how you make it.
How to prepare:
- Take a bitter gourd and peel it. Use a knife to take its peel. Do not use a peeler as it can remove more of the vegetable. Wash the vegetable thoroughly under cold running water for a few minutes. Now place the bitter gourd on a cutting board and slice it to the center.
- After slicing it, you have to scoop out the white flesh inside as well as the seeds.
- Cut the bitter gourd into tiny pieces and put these pieces in a bowl filled with water. Leave it for about 30 minutes to soak.
- Now you have to add ½ teaspoon of salt to the water. You may also add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice instead of salt.
- Add the bitter gourd to a juicer and then add lemon or apple juice to the bitter gourd. This is added because it helps in bringing down the bitterness considerably. You may also add some black pepper and honey to the juice to enhance its taste.
- Blend the ingredients well and serve.
Your healthy juice is ready for you to consume. Filter out the vegetable pieces using a strainer. If it is not very easy for you to drink this juice, you can add some honey add black pepper to the juice and have it. Make sure that you blend all the ingredients well in the juicer. Store the juice in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 hours. Drink this juice regularly and you will soon be able to lose weight.
Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd (Karela) Juice:
Aids metabolism:
Bitter gourd helps in stimulating the secretion of bile juice by the liver. This aids in the metabolism of fats and helps in losing weight.
Breaks down body fat:
Body fat is chemically composed of connected chains of fatty acids. The enzymes present in bitter gourd help breaking down fat into free fatty acids. This way it helps in reducing body fat.
High in water content:
Bitter gourd contains about 90% water. This makes it very effective for helping your suppress hunger. Consuming this vegetable helps in keeping your body well hydrated and helps in flushing out all toxins from the body. This in turn helps in losing weight.
Low in calories:
According to USDA, 100 gm of bitter gourd contains only 34 calories. So, consuming this vegetable is a very effective way to lose weight naturally.
Stabilizes insulin levels:
Pancreatic beta cells in bitter gourd help in storing and releasing insulin. Insulin is the hormone behind regulating glucose levels in blood. This way bitter gourd helps in stabilizing insulin levels. When there is a rise in insulin levels in the body, it can lead to an increase in hunger and increased intake of food. This is one of the main reasons for obesity.
Recommended intake:
It is better to drink bitter gourd juice in the morning on an empty stomach. This way you will get maximum results. If you find it too bitter, you can add honey, carrot or apple juice to the juice. If you suffer from diabetes, you can have this juice with green apple juice. After you drink this juice, you should avoid consuming anything for an hour. To get quick results, you can combine this juice with 30 minute exercise.