These vegetables can be used and prepared as fruits and vegetables. Most people choose a supplement with bitter gourd extract as a source of nutrients and beneficial substances. Supplementation is a good choice to ensure the daily intake of beneficial substances in the body although consuming pumpkin in integral form is also a great choice.
Bitter gourd / melon can be found in local markets, health food stores and supermarkets. All parts are good for health. Bitter gourd naturally lowers blood sugar, relieves digestive problems, prevents infections and even stops the growth of malignant cells. Therefore, it can be used as a natural remedy in the treatment of cancer. However, the bitterness of all parts of the plant can be repulsive to some people. Therefore, these vegetables with the same positive effects can be used in the form of tinctures, oils and supplements. To alleviate the bitterness, be sure to rub a little salt into the cut half of the fruit. Wait a few minutes. Rinse off excess salt. Cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces.
5 most important characteristics of bitter gourd:

1. It lowers the level of glucose in the blood – because it speeds up the metabolism of carbohydrates, then bitter gourd naturally lowers the level of sugar in the blood. It is especially recommended for diabetics and people who have a problem with insulin utilization. The fruit of this vegetable contains at least 3 active chemicals that have an action similar to insulin (quarantine, vicin and polopeptide P), and a type of lectin that has a hypoglycemic effect. Because of this effect and the risk of hypoglycemia, diabetics (who are on insulin or antibiotic therapy) should consult a doctor before including bitter gourd in their daily diet. After that, they need to control their blood glucose levels more often to adjust the doses of therapy.
2. Weight reduction – this vegetable can be an effective anti-weight loss agent due to the same effect of carbohydrates on metabolism. It has been scientifically established that the chemicals in the composition of the plant activate a specific enzyme (AMPK) that transmits glucose to the cells. It is the same enzyme that is activated during physical activity. Therefore, including bitter gourd in the reduction diet and exercise can accelerate weight loss.
3. Alleviating Digestive Disorders — Studies show that pumpkin can alleviate a number of symptoms in the digestive process (including duodenal and gastric ulcers, nervous bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease). Other scientific studies and analyzes show that the application of the supplement accelerates the healing of ulcers.
4. Help in the treatment of cancer-the subject of scientific research for years are the effects of bitter gourd in the prevention and treatment of cancer. A study from 2016 found that bitter gourd can stop the growth of squamous cell skin tumors on the head and neck. Due to the natural mechanism of AMPK activation, bitter bitterness stops the growth of cancer cells in the ovaries. However, in the case of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, it is necessary to consult with aljekar (due to the possible interaction of bitter gourd with drugs in therapy).
5. For better liver function, this vegetable is a multi-purpose remedy. It has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic traditional medicine. One of the applications is liver cleansing. In one of the numerous researches of modern science, it has been confirmed that bitter gourd suppresses inflammation and liver fibrosis due to its antioxidant properties. Due to the same effect, it can prevent the appearance of certain skin diseases (acne, eczema and psoriasis). The principle of action is very simple – when the liver is cleansed, the skin becomes healthy and clean. This vegetable opens the appetite, improves the blood picture, protects the eyes, improves the work of the spleen and kidneys.
   Bitter gourd has a distinct cooling effect, so it is an ideal vegetable in the summer diet. Fried or stewed pumpkin is a healthy dish that is prepared easily and quickly. This dish is suitable for everyone, especially for people with diabetes. Due to the bitterness and bitter taste that many people do not tolerate, you need to know how to choose the fruit and how to use vegetables in meals. For fried pumpkin, you need 2-3 bitter gourds, salt and spices to taste and frying oil. Wash the pumpkins with the peel. Cut the pumpkins in half lengthwise. Take out the seeds with a large spoon. Turn the halves on the board so that the recess is on the underside. Squeeze into thin slices. Rub a little salt into each slice. Fry in preheated hot oil (cold-pressed sunflower oil, canola, grape seed oil). Fry the pumpkins until golden brown and soft.
6. The yellow rind says that the pumpkin was picked too early and that the pulp will be soft and not crispy.
7. The dark green color of the bark indicates that the fruit is very bitter.
8. The best choice is a light green pumpkin with large warts, which means that the fruit is fleshy enough.
9. Buy pumpkins with pronounced bumps. The larger and softer the pulp, the larger the bumps.
10. Choose pumpkins with green not yellow rind.
11. It is good to know that pumpkins with dark green rind are bitter than pumpkins with light green rind.