Does eating bitter melon help cool the liver?

Many people dislike the bitter taste of bitter melon. However, this plant offers numerous benefits, from aiding digestion and controlling blood sugar to boosting immunity. Many studies have also demonstrated the benefits of bitter melon for the liver.

Eating bitter melon regularly can have the following effects on the liver:

Clears heat and detoxifies the liver.

In traditional medicine, bitter melon is considered a cooling herb with a bitter taste, helping to clear heat, detoxify, promote urination, and aid digestion. In particular, bitter melon is often used to cool the liver, reduce internal heat, and alleviate symptoms such as acne and constipation, according to the health information website Everyday Health (USA).

Bitter melon contains many nutrients that help improve liver function.

PHOTO: AI

Anti-inflammatory, supports liver function.

Modern studies show that bitter melon contains many antioxidant compounds such as catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid. These substances all help protect liver cells from damage caused by oxidative stress.

Furthermore, a study on obese mice showed that bitter melon extract can reduce the expression of inflammatory genes in the liver while enhancing fatty acid metabolism. Therefore, bitter melon may help improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Improves liver function and digestion.

Bitter melon not only supports the liver but also benefits the digestive system. This plant stimulates bile secretion, aids in fat digestion, and reduces bloating and indigestion. Some studies also show that bitter melon helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, two factors associated with disease. fatty liver disease.

Notes on using bitter melon

Although bitter melon has many health benefits, it's not suitable for everyone. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid eating bitter melon. This is because bitter melon contains substances such as momordicin, charantin, vicine, and especially quinine. These substances can stimulate uterine smooth muscle contractions and affect the fetus.

People with hypoglycemia or those taking blood sugar-lowering medication should also be cautious. Bitter melon has a blood sugar-lowering effect. If taken concurrently with blood sugar-lowering medication, it can intensify the hypoglycemic effect, causing excessively low blood sugar. Symptoms of this condition include fatigue, dizziness, sweating, and even fainting.

People with low blood pressure should also limit their consumption of bitter melon. Bitter melon contains certain substances that have a mild blood pressure-lowering effect. These substances can cause dizziness, fatigue, and sudden drops in blood pressure in people with low blood pressure, according to Everyday Health .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/an-kho-qua-co-mat-gan-khong-185250530162527063.htm