Momordica charantia is an annual climbing weak herb of Momordica charantia in Cucurbitaceae, with hairy stems and slender tendrils. The petiole is slender, the back is light green, and the veins are palmately shaped. Flowers are monoecious. The fruit is spindle-shaped or cylindrical, wrinkled at maturity and orange-yellow. The seeds are rectangular with carvings on both sides. "Compendium of Materia Medica" contains "Bitter is famous for its taste", hence the name of bitter gourd.
Bitter gourd originated in Indonesia and was introduced to China in Song and Yuan Dynasties. Now they are distributed all over China. Bitter gourd is resistant to damp and heat, with few pests and diseases. Bitter gourd is warm but not cold-resistant, resistant to moisture and waterlogging, and requires high temperature of soil and air. Spring and autumn are more suitable for planting, and the suitable temperature for growth is 20 to 30 degrees. The more sunshine, the more favorable it is for growth, and most of them are beneficial for seed reproduction.
Bitter gourd is not strict with land requirements, and all kinds of soil can be planted. However, it has developed root system, many lateral roots, wide root groups, fertilizer tolerance and barren tolerance, likes humidity and avoids waterlogging. Therefore, it is best to choose land with deep soil layer, loose soil and good drainage near water source. Before sowing, the land should be ploughed, ironed and raked to make it deep, loose, fat, broken and flat, laying the foundation for high yield.
The efficacy of bitter gourd:
1, hypoglycemic: Momordica charantia contains peptide -P similar to insulin, which can obviously lower blood sugar after eating, and is suitable for diabetics.
2, promote appetite: bitter gourd and bitter rosin in bitter gourd can increase appetite, spleen and appetite. Quinine, an alkaloid substance contained in it, has the effects of promoting diuresis and blood circulation, diminishing inflammation and reducing fever, clearing away heart fire and improving eyesight.
3, detoxification and weight loss: Bitter gourd can reduce the intake of fat and polysaccharide, and has a good weight loss and fat reduction effect.
4. Beauty: Bitter gourd contains nutrients beneficial to the skin. Squeeze bitter gourd juice and add rock sugar to drink, you can beauty beauty.