Which one is better at lowering blood sugar: bitter melon or mountain bitter melon? Nutritionist: Eat vegetables wisely for diabetes

Diabetics generally know that they should eat less sweets to avoid a spike in blood sugar. If that’s the case, then it must be better to eat more “bitter” foods, which are the opposite of sweetness, right? So there is a saying on the Internet that "diabetics should eat more bitter melon and drink bitter melon juice to lower blood sugar." What is the truth? In addition, there is a saying that mountain bitter melon is better than ordinary bitter melon. How should diabetics eat vegetables and bitter melon wisely to help stabilize blood sugar levels after meals and delay the occurrence of complications? Let’s hear what the nutritionist says.

Vegetables have the characteristics of low GI sugar and low calories

In the process of blood sugar control, patients often complain that they do not feel full or satisfied, cannot satisfy their appetite, have restricted diets, worry about rising blood sugar levels, etc. The root cause is that patients themselves cannot clearly distinguish the different types of food, so they often find themselves in a dilemma. Now let us follow Taipei City United Hospital Zhongxiao Branch nutritionist Hong Ruopu to understand the relationship between vegetables and blood sugar!

First, let's understand the sugars and calories contained in each serving of vegetables. A 100-gram serving of vegetables contains about 5 grams of carbohydrates (sugars) and 1 gram of protein (about 25 calories). Vegetables have the characteristics of low GI sugar and low calories.

Vegetables contain dietary fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels after meals

In addition, let’s look at the nutrients contained in vegetables. Vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber can reduce and delay the absorption of sugar in the gastrointestinal tract, which is beneficial for controlling blood sugar, helps stabilize blood sugar levels after meals, and can increase satiety and promote bowel movements. Vegetables themselves also contain phytochemicals, which can remove free radicals produced by the body. They also contain antioxidant vitamins and minerals, which are also helpful in controlling blood sugar.

Eating bitter melon or drinking bitter melon juice alone does not increase the concentration of active ingredients

Now let’s discuss whether diabetics should eat more bitter melon to lower their blood sugar? Nutritionist Hong Ruopu said that the nutritional value of bitter melon and its special active ingredients can stabilize blood sugar, but it cannot cure diabetes. The goal of controlling diabetes is to stabilize blood sugar, avoid large fluctuations in blood sugar before and after meals, maintain a balanced diet, and consume a variety of foods to protect your health.

Bitter melon also contains active ingredients such as polypeptide-p, triterpenoids, and charantin. However, simply eating bitter melon or drinking bitter melon juice will not provide a high concentration of bitter melon peptides, and may not necessarily be effective. Only concentrated peptides extracted from bitter melon can achieve the expected benefits. It should be noted that bitter melon should not be consumed in excess, because it contains oxalic acid. If consumed in excess, it will affect the absorption of calcium and zinc in the intestines, and in the long run it will easily lead to calcium and zinc deficiency in the human body.

The role of "Momordica charantia" in assisting insulin is limited to type 2 diabetes

There is also a saying that "Bitter melon is more beneficial in lowering blood sugar than ordinary bitter melon" because studies have shown that bitter melon contains "balsam pear extract", which helps lower blood sugar. Nutritionist Hong Ruopu said that in fact, "Bitter Melon Extract" does have an auxiliary effect on insulin, but it is only limited to type 2 diabetes. For people with type 1 diabetes who completely lack insulin or who are using insulin to control blood sugar, eating bitter melon cannot replace regular insulin treatment. Excessive intake may backfire.

Whether you are eating ordinary bitter melon or wild bitter melon, it is recommended to blanch the bitter melon in boiling water before making bitter melon juice to remove excess oxalic acid so as not to affect nutrient absorption.

Finally, I would like to remind diabetic patients that they should monitor their diet every day, consume a fixed amount of carbohydrates (sugars) at each meal, and pair them with a variety of vegetables. That is, they should refer to the national dietary guidelines for all six categories and take a balanced and diverse diet as the starting point. They should also receive individualized guidance and suggestions from professional nutritionists, and conduct self-monitoring of diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar to maintain a good quality of life.

【3 tips for diabetes diet】:

1. Balanced intake of 6 major food categories: The diet is based on a "balanced diet", and the 6 major food categories should be consumed in moderation at each meal, including: whole grains and root vegetables, beans, fish, meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits, oils, and nuts and seeds.

2. Control starch intake: For example, the first thing to pay attention to is to control whole grains and root vegetables. Understand the daily requirement and distribute it evenly among all meals to ensure stable blood sugar levels.

3. Increase dietary fiber: Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, at least 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits every day. Because fruits contain high sugar content, it is recommended to maintain 2 servings per day. Each serving of fruit is about the size of a small baseball. In addition, eating more foods rich in water-soluble fiber, such as fungus, konjac, kelp, etc., can increase fiber quality and control blood sugar!