In recent years, as people's attention to health has increased, more and more people have begun to pay attention to blood sugar issues. In this context, there is a widely circulated saying that eating bitter gourd can lower blood sugar. However, the doctor questioned this and pointed out that although bitter melon has the effect of lowering blood sugar, it also has 5 major harms.
1. Can eating bitter gourd really lower blood sugar
Bitter gourd is a common vegetable that is widely believed to have hypoglycemic properties. This is because bitter melon contains a substance called "bitter melon", which can increase the secretion of insulin and promote the reduction of blood sugar.
In addition, bitter melon also contains a substance called "anti-glycation enzyme", which is able to inhibit the conversion of sugar in the body, thereby reducing the rise in blood sugar. Therefore, eating bitter gourd can indeed lower blood sugar to a certain extent.
Second, the doctor pointed out the five major harms of bitter gourd
First of all, bitter gourd has a strong bitter taste and is not easily accepted by some people.
Secondly, bitter gourd contains a substance called "bitter gourdine", which has a certain toxicity and may cause damage to the liver if consumed for a long time.
Third, bitter melon contains a substance called "flavonoids", which has a certain antioxidant effect, but excessive intake may cause the liver to be overburdened.
Fourth, bitter melon contains a substance called "saponin", which has a certain diuretic effect, but excessive intake may lead to dehydration.
Finally, bitter melon contains a substance called "protease inhibitor", which is able to inhibit the activity of proteases, thus affecting the digestion and absorption of proteins.
3. In addition to eating bitter gourd, we can also lower blood sugar in other ways
First of all, it is very important to maintain a good diet Xi habits. Rational combination of food, control carbohydrate intake, eat more vegetables and fruits, and eat less high-sugar and high-fat foods can effectively lower blood sugar.
Secondly, moderate exercise is also very important. Exercise can increase the body's metabolic rate and promote the consumption of blood sugar, which in turn lowers blood sugar.
In addition, regular monitoring of blood sugar and medication** as recommended by your doctor are also important means of blood sugar control.
Summary: It is true that eating bitter gourd can lower blood sugar, but at the same time, there are 5 major harms. Therefore, when choosing whether to consume bitter gourd or not, we need to weigh the pros and cons.
For people with high blood sugar, moderate consumption of bitter gourd can play a certain role in lowering blood sugar, but be careful not to consume it in excess, so as not to cause other health problems. For some special groups, such as people with poor liver function, pregnant women and children, it is best to avoid eating bitter gourd to avoid adverse health effects.