View source for Momordica charantia

{{Short description|Bitter melon, tropical & subtropical}}
{{Redirect|Bitter melon|"bitter melon" in Australia|Citrullus lanatus}}
{{Redirect|Bitter squash|another "bitter squash"|Cucurbita digitata}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = 
| image_alt =
| image2 = Momordica_charantia_Blanco2.357.png
| image2_alt = [[Botanical illustration]]
| genus = Momordica
| species = charantia
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

'''''Momordica charantia''''' (commonly called '''bitter melon''', '''gouya''',  '''cerassee''', '''goya''', '''bitter apple''', '''bitter gourd''', '''bitter squash''', '''balsam-pear''', '''karela''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=HORT 281 :: Lecture 11 |url=http://eagri.org/eagri50/HORT281/lec11.html |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=eagri.org}}</ref> '''karavila''' and many more [[#Uses|names listed below]])<ref name="BSBI07">{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17}}</ref> is a [[tropical]] and [[subtropical]] [[vine]] of the family [[Cucurbitaceae]], widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible [[fruit]]. Its many [[variety (botany)|varieties]] differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit.

Bitter melon originated in Africa,<ref name="PNAS 2020">{{cite journal |last1=Renner |first1=Suzanne |title=Bitter gourd from Africa expanded to Southeast Asia and was domesticated there: A new insight from parallel studies |journal=[[PNAS]] |date=October 6, 2020 |volume=117 |issue=40 |pages=24630–24631 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2014454117 |pmid=32994347 |pmc=7547224 |bibcode=2020PNAS..11724630R |doi-access=free }}</ref> where it was a dry-season staple food of [[ǃKung people|ǃKung]] hunter-gatherers.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bitter Melons |date=1966 |publisher=[[Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology|Peabody Museum]], Documentary Educational Resources |location=[[Watertown, Massachusetts]] |url=https://archive.org/details/bittermelons |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> Wild or semi-domesticated variants spread across Asia in prehistory, and it was likely fully domesticated in Southeast Asia.<ref name="PNAS 2020" /> It is widely used in the cuisines of [[East Asian cuisine|East Asia]], [[South Asian cuisine|South Asia]], and [[Southeast Asian cuisine|Southeast Asia]].

== Description ==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2024}}
This [[herbaceous]], [[tendril]]-bearing vine grows up to {{convert|5|m|abbr=on}} in length. It bears simple, [[Phyllotaxis|alternate leaves]] {{convert|4–12|cm|abbr=on}} across, with three to seven deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears separate yellow [[Plant reproductive morphology#Flowering plants|male and female flower]]s. In the Northern Hemisphere, flowering occurs from June to July, and fruiting from September to November. It is a frost-tender [[Annual plant|annual]] in the temperate zone and a [[perennial]] in the tropics. It grows best in the [[USDA zone]]s 9 to 11.<ref>[http://heritagegarden.uic.edu/bitter-melon BITTER MELON (''MOMORDICA CHARANTIA'')] [[UIC Heritage Garden]]</ref>

The fruit has a distinctive warty exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large, flat seeds and pith. The fruit is most often eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow. At this stage, the fruit's flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to [[cucumber]], [[chayote]], or green [[bell pepper]], but bitter. The skin is tender and edible.  Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits; they are not intensely bitter and can be removed before cooking.

Some sources claim the flesh (rind) becomes somewhat tougher and more bitter with age, but other sources claim that at least for the common Chinese variety the skin does not change and bitterness decreases with age.  The Chinese variety is best harvested light green possibly with a slight yellow tinge or just before.  The pith becomes sweet and intensely red; it can be eaten uncooked in this state and is a popular ingredient in some Southeast Asian [[salad]]s.

When the fruit is fully ripe, it turns orange and soft and splits into segments that curl back to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp.

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Leaf of bitter gourd.jpg|Leaf
|Momordica charantia - female flower - side view 01.jpg|Female flower
|Momordica charantia 007.JPG|Ripe fruit
|Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia).jpg|Two halved and two cross sections
}}

=== Varieties ===
Bitter melons come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The common Chinese variety is 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long, oblong with blunt ends, pale green in color, and has a slightly undulating warty surface. The common Indian bitter melon is narrower in shape, pointed at both ends, and covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. It ranges from green to white in color. There are many intermediate shapes between these two extremes. Some bitter melons produce miniature fruits that are only 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) long and are eaten alone as a stuffed vegetable. These miniature fruits are popular in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and other countries in South Asia. The subcontinental variety is most popular in Bangladesh and India.

{{multiple image|align=center
| image1 = bittermelonfruit.jpg|width1=230|caption1=Chinese variety
| image2 = Bittermelloncloseup.jpg|width2=165|caption2=Indian variety
}}

=== Pests ===
''M. charantia'' is one of the main [[host (epidemiology)|host]]s of ''[[Bactrocera tau]]'', a fly known to prefer Cucurbitaceae.<ref name=btaucabi>{{cite web|year=2022|publisher=CABI Digital Library, CABI Compendium |s2cid=253607462 |title=''Bactrocera tau'' |url=https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.8741|doi=10.1079/cabicompendium.8741|access-date=4 May 2025 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== Adverse effects ==
A possible side effect is [[Gastrointestinal disease|gastrointestinal discomfort]].<ref name="mskcc">{{cite web |title=Bitter Melon |url=http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/bitter-melon |access-date=17 October 2013 |publisher=[[Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center]]}}</ref> The ripe fruit and the mature seeds are toxic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-04-15 |title=Momordica charantia - Bitter Melon, Balsampear, Balsam-pear, Balsam-apple, Bitter Gourd, Bitter Cucumber, Carilla Gourd |url=https://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/958/momordica-charantia-bitter-melon/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== In pregnancy ===
Bitter melon is [[contraindicated]] in pregnant women because it can induce bleeding, contractions, and miscarriage.<ref name="mskcc" />

== Uses ==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2024}} 

=== Cooking ===
{{nutritionalvalue | name = Bitter gourd pods<br />boiled, drained, no salt
| water=93.95 g
| kJ=79
| protein=0.84 g
| fat=0.18 g
| carbs=4.32 g
| fiber=2 g
| sugars=1.95 g
| calcium_mg=9
| iron_mg=0.38
| magnesium_mg=16
| phosphorus_mg=36
| potassium_mg=319
| sodium_mg=6
| zinc_mg=0.77
| manganese_mg=0.086
| vitC_mg=33
| thiamin_mg=0.051
| riboflavin_mg=0.053
| niacin_mg=0.28
| pantothenic_mg=0.193
| folate_ug=51
| vitA_ug=6
| betacarotene_ug=68
| lutein_ug=1323
| vitB6_mg=0.041
| vitE_mg=0.14
| vitK_ug=4.8
| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168394/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}
{{Cookbook|Bitter Melon}}

Bitter melon is generally consumed cooked in the green or early yellowing stage. The young shoots and leaves of the bitter melon may also be eaten as [[Leaf vegetable|greens]]. The raw fruit is bitter and can be soaked in cold water and drained to remove some of those strong flavours.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

==== China ====
In [[Chinese cuisine]], bitter melon ({{linktext|lang=zh|苦瓜}}, {{zh|p=kǔguā |poj=khó͘-koe}}) is used in [[stir-fries]] (often with pork and ''[[douchi]]''), soups, dim sum, and [[herbal tea]]s (gohyah tea). It has also been used in place of [[hops]] as the bittering ingredient in some beers [[Beer in China|in China]] and Okinawa.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cao|first1=Heping|last2=Sethumadhavan|first2=Kandan|last3=Grimm|first3=Casey C.|last4=Ullah|first4=Abul H. J.|date=2014-09-09|title=Characterization of a Soluble Phosphatidic Acid Phosphatase in Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=9|issue=9|article-number=e106403|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0106403|issn=1932-6203|pmc=4159287|pmid=25203006 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2014PLoSO...9j6403C }}</ref>

==== India ====
Bitter gourd is commonly eaten throughout India. In [[North Indian cuisine]], it is often served with yogurt on the side to offset the bitterness, used in [[curry]] such as ''sabzi,'' or stuffed with spices and then cooked in oil.

In [[South Indian cuisine]], it is used in numerous dishes such as ''[[thoran]]'' / ''thuvaran'' (mixed with grated coconut), ''pavaikka [[mezhukkupuratti]]'' (stir-fried with spices), ''[[theeyal]]'' (cooked with roasted coconut), and ''[[pachadi]]'' (which is considered a medicinal food for [[diabetes|diabetics]]), making it vital in [[Malayali]]'s diet. Other popular recipes include preparations with curry, deep-frying with peanuts or other ground nuts, and ''Kakara kaya pulusu'' ({{Lang|te|కాకర కాయ పులుసు}}) in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], a tamarind-based soup with mini shallots or fried onions and other spices, thickened with chickpea flour. In Karnataka, bitter melon is known as ''hāgalakāyi'' ({{lang|kn|ಹಾಗಲಕಾಯಿ}}) in [[Kannada language|Kannada]]; in Tamil Nadu it is known as ''paagarkaai'' or ''pavakai'' ({{lang|ta|பாகற்காய்}}) in [[Tamil language|Tamil]].<ref name=Lim_Edible>{{cite book|last=Lim|first=T. K.|title=Edible medicinal and non-medicinal plants |year=2013 |publisher=Springer |location=Dordrecht |isbn=978-94-007-1764-0 |pages=331–332}}</ref> In these regions, a special preparation called ''pagarkai pitla'', a kind of sour ''koottu'', is common. Also commonly seen is ''kattu pagarkkai'', a curry in which bitter melons are stuffed with onions, cooked lentils, and grated coconut mix, then tied with thread and fried in oil. In the Konkan region of Maharashtra, salt is added to the finely chopped bitter gourd, known as ''karle'' ({{lang|mr|कारले}}) in [[Marathi language|Marathi]],  and then it is squeezed, removing its bitter juice to some extent. After frying this with different spices, the less bitter and crispy preparation is served with grated coconut. Bitter melon is known as ''karate'' ({{langx|kok|कारांतें}}) in [[Goa]] where it is used widely in [[Goan cuisine]]. In [[Bengal]], where it is known as ''korola'' (করলা) or ''ucche''  (উচ্ছে) in Bengali, bitter melon is often simply eaten boiled and mashed with salt, mustard oil, sliced thinly and deep fried, added to lentils to make "tetor" [[dal]] (bitter lentils), and is a key ingredient of the [[Shukto]], a Bengali vegetable medley that is a mixture of several vegetables like raw banana, drumstick stems, bori, and sweet potato.

[[File:Momordica charantia bd.jpg|thumb|Ripe and unripe fruits]]

In northern India and Nepal, bitter melon, known as ''tite karela'' ({{lang|ne|तीते करेला}}) in [[Nepali language|Nepali]], is prepared as a fresh pickle. For this, the vegetable is cut into cubes or slices, and sautéed with oil and a sprinkle of water. When it is softened and reduced, it is crushed in a [[mortar and pestle|mortar]] with a few cloves of [[garlic]], salt, and a red or green pepper. It is also eaten [[Sautéing|sautéed]] to golden brown, stuffed, or as a curry on its own or with potatoes.

==== Myanmar ====
In [[Burmese cuisine]], bitter melon is sauteéd with garlic, tomatoes, spices, and dried shrimp and is served as an accompaniment to other dishes. Such a dish is available at street stalls and deli counters throughout the country.

==== Sri Lanka ====
It is called {{transliteration|si|karavila}} ({{langx|si|කරවිල}}) in Sri Lanka and it is an ingredient in many different curry dishes (e.g., ''karawila'' curry and ''karawila sambol'') which are served mainly with rice in a main meal. Sometimes large grated coconut pieces are added, which is more common in rural areas. ''Karawila'' juice is also sometimes served there.

==== Okinawa ====
Bitter melon, known as ''gōyā'' ({{lang|ryu|ゴーヤー}}) in [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]], and {{Nihongo||苦瓜|nigauri}} in [[Japanese language|Japanese]] (although the Okinawan word ''gōyā'' is also used), is a significant ingredient in [[Okinawan cuisine]], and is increasingly used in [[Japanese cuisine]] beyond that island.

==== Pakistan ====
In Pakistan, where it is known as ''karela'' ({{lang|ur|کریلا}}) in [[Urdu]]-speaking areas, bitter melon is often cooked with onions, red [[chili powder]], [[turmeric]] powder, salt, [[coriander]] powder, and a pinch of [[cumin]] seeds.  Another dish in Pakistan calls for whole, unpeeled bitter melon to be boiled and then stuffed with cooked minced beef, served with either hot ''[[tandoori]]'' bread, ''[[naan]]'', ''[[chappati]]'', or with ''[[khichri]]'' (a mixture of lentils and rice).

==== Indonesia ====
In [[Indonesian cuisine]], bitter melon, known as ''pare'' in [[Javanese language|Javanese]] and [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] (also ''paria''), is prepared in various dishes, such as ''[[gado-gado]]'', and also stir-fried, cooked in coconut milk, or steamed.  In Christian areas in Eastern Indonesia it is cooked with pork and chili, the sweetness of the pork balancing against the bitterness of the vegetable.

==== Vietnam ====
In [[Vietnamese cuisine]], raw bitter melon slices known as ''mướp đắng'' or ''khổ qua'' in [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]], eaten with [[dried meat]] floss and bitter melon soup with [[shrimp]], are common dishes. Bitter melons stuffed with ground pork are commonly served as a summer soup in the south. It is also used as the main ingredient of stewed bitter melon. This dish is usually cooked for the [[Tết]] holiday, where its "bitter" name is taken as a reminder of the bitter living conditions experienced in the past.

==== Thailand ====
In [[Thai cuisine]], the Chinese variety of green bitter melon, ''mara'' ({{lang|th|มะระ}}) in [[Thai language|Thai]], is prepared stuffed with minced pork and garlic, in a clear broth. It is also served sliced and stir-fried with garlic and fish sauce until just tender.  Varieties found in Thailand range from large fruit to small fruit.  The smallest fruit variety (''mara khii nok'') is generally not cultivated but is occasionally found in the wild.

==== Philippines ====
In the [[cuisine of the Philippines]], bitter melon, known as ''Ampalaya'' in [[Filipino language|Filipino]] and ''Paria'' in [[Ilokano language|Ilokano]], may be stir-fried with ground beef and [[oyster sauce]], or with eggs and diced tomato. The dish ''[[pinakbet]]'', popular in the [[Ilocos]] region of [[Luzon]], consists mainly of bitter melons, eggplant, okra, string beans, tomatoes, lima beans, and other various regional vegetables all stewed together with a little ''[[bagoong]]''-based stock.

The name of the fruit is rooted in the bitterness of its taste, (Filipino: ''Ampait'') which means bitter. In pre-colonial Spanish in [[Ilocandia]], the name is locally translated to ''Amparia'' and ''Ampalaya'' in the [[Filipino language]].

==== Trinidad and Tobago ====
In [[Trinidad and Tobago]], bitter melons, known as ''caraille'' or ''carilley'', are usually sautéed with onion, garlic, and [[scotch bonnet pepper]] until almost crisp.

==== Africa ====
In [[Mauritius]], bitter melons are known as ''margose'' or ''margoze''.

=== Herbal medicine ===
Bitter melon has been used in various Asian and African [[herbal medicine]] systems.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Grover |first1=J.K |last2=Yadav |first2=S.P |title=Pharmacological actions and potential uses of ''Momordica charantia'': a review |journal=[[Journal of Ethnopharmacology]] |date=July 2004 |volume=93 |issue=1 |pages=123–132 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2004.03.035 |pmid=15182917 }}</ref><ref name=belo>{{cite journal |last1=Beloin |first1=Nadine |last2=Gbeassor |first2=Messanvi |last3=Akpagana |first3=Koffi |last4=Hudson |first4=Jim |last5=de Soussa |first5=Komlan |last6=Koumaglo |first6=Kossi |last7=Arnason |first7=J. Thor |title=Ethnomedicinal uses of ''Momordica charantia'' (Cucurbitaceae) in Togo and relation to its phytochemistry and biological activity |journal=[[Journal of Ethnopharmacology]] |date=January 2005 |volume=96 |issue=1–2 |pages=49–55 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2004.08.009 |pmid=15588650 }}</ref>

==Research==

''Momordica charantia'' does not significantly decrease fasting blood [[glucose]] levels or [[Glycated hemoglobin|A1c]], indicators of blood glucose control, when taken in [[Capsule (pharmacy)|capsule]] or [[Tablet (pharmacy)|tablet]] form.<ref name="cochrane">{{cite journal |last1=Ooi |first1=Cheow Peng |last2=Yassin |first2=Zaitun |last3=Hamid |first3=Tengku-Aizan |title=''Momordica charantia'' for type 2 diabetes mellitus |journal=[[Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews]] |date=15 August 2012 |volume=2013 |issue=8 |article-number=CD007845 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD007845.pub3 |pmid=22895968 |pmc=11836555 |url=http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/15716/1/Momordica%20charantia%20for%20type%202%20diabetes%20mellitus.pdf }}</ref>
==Subspecies==
The plant has one subspecies and four [[Variety (botany)|varieties]]:

*''Momordica charantia var. abbreviata''
*''Momordica charantia var. charantia''
*''Momordica charantia ssp. macroloba''
*''Momordica charantia L. var. muricata''
*''Momordica charantia var. pavel''

''M. charantia var. charantia'' and ''pavel'' are the long-fruited varieties, whereas ''M. charantia var. muricata'', ''macroloba'' and ''abbreviata'' feature smaller fruits.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ghosh |first1=Ipshita |last2=Bhowmick |first2=Biplab Kumar |last3=Jha |first3=Sumita |date=20 October 2018 |title=Cytogenetics of two Indian varieties of Momordica charantia L. (bittergourd) |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0304423818304199 |journal=Scientia Horticulturae |language=en |volume=240 |pages=333–343 |doi=10.1016/j.scienta.2018.06.027|bibcode=2018ScHor.240..333G |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Gallery ==
=== Plant ===
<gallery>
File:Momordica charantia - D7-09-2953.JPG|Seeds
File:Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) seeds.jpg|Seeds
File:Bitter Melon conjoint twin fruit.png|Unusual [[conjoined]] twin fruit
</gallery>

=== Dishes and other uses ===
<gallery>
File:Momordica charantia (jetalone).jpg|Ready to be cooked|alt=Cleaned and sliced for cooking
File:Bittermelonsambal.jpg|Malaysian-style, cooked with ''[[sambal]]'', onion, and red bird's-eye chili peppers
File:Goya chanpuru - Okinawan food - June 14 2015.jpg|''[[Gōyā chanpurū]]''
File:Aloo Karela Bhaaji from India.jpg| ''Sabzi'' (mixed vegetables and spices) from North India
File:串太郎IMG 20220122 04.jpg|Bitter melon [[tempura]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
* ''[[Momordica balsamina]]'' (balsam apple)
* ''[[Momordica cochinchinensis]]'' (gac)
* ''[[Momordica cymbalaria]]''
* ''[[Momordica foetida]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Momordica charantia}}
{{Wikispecies|Momordica charantia}}
{{WestAfricanPlants|Momordica charantia}}
* [https://expertsnote.com/agriculture/bitter-melon-cultivation/ Bitter Melon Cultivation]

{{Melons}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q428750}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Abortifacients]]
[[Category:Asian vegetables]]
[[Category:Flora of Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of tropical Asia]]
[[Category:Flora of Australia]]
[[Category:Fruit vegetables]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants of Asia]]
[[Category:Melons]]
[[Category:Momordica|charantia]]
[[Category:Okinawan cuisine]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Plants used in traditional African medicine]]
[[Category:Filipino cuisine]]