Due to lifestyle and other factors, surging numbers of people were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a condition wherein your body has elevated blood sugar levels, which happens due to two things:

1. In Type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin.
2. In Type 2 diabetes, the body does not respond well to insulin.

Lack of exercise, unhealthy habits, age, and belonging to a certain ethnic background are some of the common factors contributing to Type 2 diabetes.

Your whole life changes once you are diagnosed with it. These are several lifestyle changes you have made for you to be able to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart diseases, and blurred vision.

Fortunately, you can prevent and control diabetes with the right diet and enough exercise. When it comes to diet, one common ingredient that has always been in the news is the bitter gourd.

Diabetes And Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourd has an antidiabetic property. It contains three active compounds – polypeptide-p, vicine, and charatin – that make it effective for managing blood sugar levels. These compounds help reduce glucose absorption in the body, help the cells take up sugar molecules, stimulate the liver and muscle glycogen synthesis, and increase insulin secretion.

However, despite the fact that bitter gourd is beneficial for diabetics, many people find its bitter taste unpalatable. Yet, by mixing it with other ingredients, you can still reap its benefits.

There are recipes wherein the taste of bitter gourd can be made more tolerable with the flavors of other diabetic-friendly vegetables and fruits. Lemon juice, cucumbers, green apples, and turmeric powder can use.

Having a glycemic index of 0, cucumbers can be eaten freely by diabetic people without worrying about their blood sugar. It has a special hormone that the pancreas utilizes to produce insulin, which in turn helps the cells convert carbohydrates into energy.

Green apples are healthy fruit that can be eaten by diabetic people. It is crunchy, juicy, and high in soluble fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C that can benefit the body in a number of ways. Pectin, which is also present in this fruit, can help detoxify the body and remove harmful waste.

Due to its vitamin C and soluble fiber, lemon juice is considered to be good for diabetic people.
Turmeric powder is also beneficial, due to its anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin.
Here are two different bitter gourd juice recipes recommended for people who have diabetes.

*Note: A sieve or strainer can be used if you cannot process high-fiber foods.

You may pass the juice through a sieve or strainer if you cannot process high-fiber foods. Also, check your blood sugar level before and after drinking the juice to make sure it suits your body.

Bitter Gourd And Turmeric Juice

This juice has a strong bitter taste, but at the same time, you cannot ignore the flavor of turmeric in it.

Things you’ll need:

2 bitter gourds
¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
½ of a lemon
A pinch of Himalayan salt
½ teaspoon of salt (optional)

Steps:

1. Wash and peel the bitter gourds, then deseed and chop them into smaller pieces.
2. Add ½ teaspoon of salt in a bowl of water and soak the chopped bitter gourd in it for 10 minutes.
3. Toss the bitter gourd in a juicer and extract the juice.
4. Add the lemon juice, turmeric powder and a pinch of Himalayan salt to the juice.

Drink this juice once daily on an empty stomach to keep your blood sugar level under control.

DIY Bitter Gourd and Cucumber Juice

This juice has a slightly sweet and bitter taste.

Things you’ll need:

2 large bitter gourds
1 green apple
1 medium cucumber
½ of a lemon
½ teaspoon of salt (optional)

Steps:

1. Wash the bitter gourds and peel off the skin.
2. Slit the bitter gourds vertically, and using a spoon or knife, remove the rind and seeds. Roughly chop the bitter gourds into smaller pieces and soak the pieces in a bowl of water for 10 minutes. Optionally, you can add ½ teaspoon of salt to the water.
3. Peel a cucumber and cut it into pieces.
4. Cut the green apple into small pieces.
5. Put the bitter gourd, green apple, and cucumber in a juicer to extract the juice. Add the juice of ½ of a lemon.

Your juice is now ready. Drink it once a day on an empty stomach to help control your blood sugar level.

Additional Tips

1. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
2. You can keep the bitter gourd skin if it does not bother you. Yet, see to it to rinse it thoroughly to remove all pesticide residues.
3. Limit your consumption of red meat and processed meat.
4. Quit smoking. It only increases your chances of getting diabetes.
5. Avoid sugar-rich drinks such as fruit drinks, sweet tea, sports drinks, fruit punch, sodas, and energy drinks.
6. Avoid white rice, regular pasta, instant oatmeal, sugary and breakfast cereals. Also, do not eat white bread, bacon, pastries, pretzels, cakes, French fries, whole milk, pancakes, and candies.
7. If you drink, do it in moderation.
8. Control your weight. If you are overweight, your risk of having diabetes increases.
9. Start exercising, instead of sitting on the couch. A simple brisk walk for 30 minutes a day lessens your chance of developing diabetes and helps better manage the disease.