The bitter flavor of cucurbits may come from cucurbitacin, bitter cucurbits can not be eaten. Gourd growth time, in special circumstances such as high temperature and drought, forced by the environmental pressure will automatically produce cucurbitacin used to protect themselves. This substance has a bitter taste and spreads to the whole gourd fruit, making the gourd bitter. Or it is due to excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer. If a single nitrogen fertilizer is used, there is an excess of nitrogen nutrients, which also tends to increase the concentration of cucurbitacin in cucurbits. Therefore, the bitter gourd is best not to eat.
This is a kind of plant toxin that is not afraid of high temperature. Even if the gourd is cooked to death, this toxin may not be destroyed and decomposed. It enters the human body, just a few hours can lead to the emergence of dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration and other food poisoning symptoms. Xiao-Jiu reminds, once accidentally eat bitter gourd, should immediately pick the throat to vomit, and immediately to the hospital to accept the poisonous symptomatic treatment.
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