The Bitter Gourd (Karela) Explained

The bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), called karela in Hindi, is a tropical climbing vine of the gourd family grown for its warty, oblong, intensely bitter green fruit, which is eaten as a vegetable across India. The bitterness is the defining trait of the crop, and Indian cooks have developed a wide range of methods to tame, balance or celebrate it.

Bitter gourd is also one of the best-known vegetables in Indian folk medicine, particularly in connection with blood sugar, although the science behind such claims is limited and it is not a substitute for medical treatment. This explainer covers the plant, its fruit, its cultivation, its regional names and its place in the kitchen.

Quick Facts

Key Takeaways

• Bitter gourd, known as karela in Hindi, is the immature green fruit of Momordica charantia, a climbing vine in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae.
• Bitter gourd gets its sharp taste from naturally occurring bitter compounds, including cucurbitacin-type and triterpenoid substances concentrated in the fruit.
• Each bitter gourd plant bears separate male and female flowers, and only the female flowers can develop into fruit.
• Indian cooks reduce the bitterness of karela by removing the seeds, rubbing the slices with salt, or pairing the fruit with sour, sweet or fatty ingredients such as tamarind, jaggery and curd.
• Bitter gourd is used in Indian folk medicine for blood sugar, but evidence from clinical research is not strong enough to recommend it as a treatment, and it should never replace prescribed medicines.
• Bitter gourd is a different plant from the spiny gourd (kantola or kakoda), which belongs to the same genus but is a separate species, Momordica dioica.

What Is Bitter Gourd?

Bitter gourd is a fast-growing, tendril-bearing annual vine whose edible part is the elongated, ridged and warty fruit, harvested while it is still green and firm. The plant has deeply lobed leaves, thin stems and small yellow flowers, and it climbs readily over any support it can reach.

The vegetable is also called bitter melon in English and karela in Hindi, and it is cooked in many Asian, African and Caribbean cuisines. In India the fruit is available in several shapes, from long and slender types with narrow ridges to short, thick and heavily warty ones. Colour ranges from dark green to light green, and a pale, almost white type is also grown.

The bitterness comes from a group of chemical compounds that the plant produces, with higher concentrations in the seeds and the pith. These compounds probably help to deter animals from eating the plant, and they give the vegetable its notorious character. Many people dislike bitter gourd at first, but regular eaters often come to value the taste.

Where Does Bitter Gourd Come From?

Bitter gourd is believed to have originated in the tropical regions of the Old World, probably in parts of Africa or Asia, and it has been grown in India for a very long time. The species is now found cultivated, and sometimes naturalised, in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.

The vegetable features in traditional Indian food culture and in Ayurveda, where it is known by names derived from the Sanskrit word karavella. Because the plant spread across many climates and cultures, regional types developed that differ in fruit length, colour, wartiness and level of bitterness.

India is one of the leading producers of bitter gourd, and the vegetable is grown on both small family plots and commercial farms. The fruit is sold fresh in local markets, since it does not store well for long periods.

How Does the Bitter Gourd Plant Grow?

The bitter gourd plant grows as a climbing vine that uses tendrils to cling to supports, and it needs warm weather, strong sunlight and well-drained soil to flower and fruit well. In most farming systems the vine is trained up a trellis or a bower of bamboo and wire, which keeps the fruit clean and straight.

Climate and soil

The crop prefers warm and humid conditions, with temperatures in the range of roughly 24 to 32 degrees Celsius considered favourable. Cold weather slows growth, and frost kills the vine. A loamy or sandy loam soil rich in organic matter suits the plant, and standing water around the roots should be avoided.

Sowing and support

Seeds have a hard coat, and farmers commonly soak them in water overnight before sowing to improve germination. Plants are generally sown at wide spacings, with enough room between rows for the vines to spread. A trellis or pandal is widely used because it improves air circulation, reduces disease and makes picking easier.

Flowering and fruiting

Bitter gourd is monoecious, which means that male and female flowers grow separately on the same plant. The female flower can be recognised by the tiny swollen fruit at its base, just below the petals. Insects, especially bees, carry pollen between the two types of flowers, and fruit set can be poor where pollinators are scarce.

The first fruits are usually ready for harvest around two months after sowing, and the vine continues to bear for several weeks.

What Gives Bitter Gourd Its Bitter Taste?

The bitter taste of bitter gourd comes from a mix of natural plant chemicals, including cucurbitacin-type compounds and bitter triterpenoids such as momordicosides, which are found throughout the fruit. These substances are strongest in the pith and the seeds, and are more concentrated in some varieties than in others.

The level of bitterness varies with variety, growing conditions and ripeness. Small, dark green, spiny types tend to be the most bitter, while the long, pale green types are often a little milder. Fruits harvested young are generally preferred for cooking, because they are firm and less seedy.

Ripe bitter gourd turns orange-yellow and splits open to reveal seeds coated in a bright red, sticky aril. The ripe fruit is not normally used as a vegetable in Indian cooking, although the red aril is sweet and edible in small amounts. People should be careful not to eat large quantities of seeds, as some compounds in them can upset the stomach.

Which Varieties of Bitter Gourd Are Grown in India?

Indian bitter gourd varieties are classified mainly by fruit length, colour and wartiness, and many have been released by agricultural universities and research institutes. Hybrid seeds are also widely used because they give uniform fruit and high yields.

• Pusa Do Mausami: A variety from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), suited to both the summer and rainy seasons, as the name, meaning “two seasons”, suggests.
• Pusa Vishesh: A variety from IARI with green, medium-long fruits.
• Arka Harit: A variety from the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, with green fruits of moderate bitterness.
• Coimbatore Long White: A pale, long-fruited type from Tamil Nadu.
• Preethi and Priya: Varieties released by Kerala Agricultural University, popular in Kerala.
• Kalyanpur Baramasi: A variety developed in Uttar Pradesh, noted for bearing over a long period.

Local landraces also remain popular in many districts. These include small, spiky, very bitter types, valued in some regions for their strong flavour.

Where and When Is Bitter Gourd Grown in India?

Bitter gourd is grown across India, from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal in the Indo-Gangetic plain, and the crop is sown in two main seasons. The table below shows the usual calendar in the plains.

In cooler hill regions, bitter gourd is grown as a summer crop, since the vine is sensitive to frost. Home gardeners in cities often grow it on terraces, balcony railings or fences, where the vine can climb freely.

How Is Bitter Gourd Cooked in India?

Bitter gourd is cooked across India as a stir-fry, a stuffed vegetable, a crisp fry, a curry and a pickle, usually with ingredients that soften or balance its bitterness. Cooks traditionally slice the fruit, scoop out the seeds and pith, and rub the pieces with salt before squeezing out the juice.

Bitter gourd juice is also consumed in some households, mostly because of its reputation in traditional medicine. The juice is very bitter and is often mixed with other juices or diluted.

How Can You Reduce the Bitterness of Bitter Gourd?

The bitterness of bitter gourd can be reduced by removing the seeds and white pith, rubbing the cut pieces with salt, soaking them briefly in water or buttermilk, and cooking them with sour, sweet or fatty ingredients. No method removes the bitterness entirely, and many cooks prefer to keep some of it.

• Choose younger, lighter green fruits, which are usually milder.
• Scrape or scoop out the seeds and pith, which are the most bitter parts.
• Toss the slices with salt, leave them for 20 to 30 minutes, and then squeeze out the liquid.
• Soak the pieces in sour curd or buttermilk for a short time before cooking.
• Cook with onion, jaggery, tamarind, coconut or tomato, which balance the flavour.
• Fry the slices in oil until crisp, since browning mellows the taste.

Heavy squeezing can wash away some of the water-soluble nutrients, so the technique is a matter of taste rather than nutrition.

Does Bitter Gourd Help with Diabetes?

Bitter gourd is widely used in Indian folk medicine for managing blood sugar, but scientific evidence is not strong enough to say that it treats diabetes, and it should not replace prescribed medicines. Laboratory and animal studies have reported blood-sugar-lowering effects from certain compounds in the plant, while human trials have been small and of mixed quality.

The traditional reputation is long-standing, and Ayurvedic practice includes the vegetable among bitter foods considered helpful for metabolic health. Modern medical bodies, however, do not list bitter gourd as an approved treatment for diabetes.

Several cautions are often stated in health guidance. People who take medicines for diabetes should speak to a doctor before consuming large amounts of juice or extract, because the effect on blood sugar could add to the effect of medication. Pregnant women are commonly advised to avoid concentrated bitter gourd products, and the seeds should not be eaten in quantity. As a regular vegetable cooked in normal portions, bitter gourd is considered safe for most healthy people.

What Pests and Diseases Affect Bitter Gourd?

The most damaging pest of bitter gourd in India is the melon fruit fly, whose maggots feed inside the young fruit and cause it to rot and drop. Farmers also face diseases such as downy mildew and powdery mildew, especially in humid weather.

• Melon fruit fly: Females lay eggs under the skin of young fruit, and the larvae feed inside it.
• Red pumpkin beetle: A bright orange beetle that eats the leaves of young seedlings.
• Aphids and whiteflies: Sap-sucking insects that weaken the plant and can spread viral diseases.
• Downy mildew and powdery mildew: Fungal diseases that cause yellow patches or white powder on leaves.
• Mosaic viruses: Viral diseases that distort leaves and reduce fruiting.

Common management practices include bagging young fruit, collecting and destroying affected fruit, rotating crops, training the vines on trellises for better airflow, and using pheromone traps for fruit flies.

Is Bitter Gourd the Same as Spiny Gourd?

Bitter gourd and spiny gourd are not the same vegetable, because bitter gourd is Momordica charantia and spiny gourd, called kantola, kartoli or kakrol, is a separate species, Momordica dioica. Both belong to the same genus, which is why the two have similar-looking leaves and flowers.

The spiny gourd is smaller and rounder, covered with soft spines and noticeably less bitter. It is grown from tubers and sold in the monsoon season in parts of central, eastern and western India. Bitter gourd, by contrast, is an annual grown from seed and has a much stronger taste.

Bottom Line

Bitter gourd is a climbing gourd whose intense bitterness is the signature of one of India’s oldest and most distinctive vegetables. It is easy to grow on a trellis, versatile in the kitchen and rich in folk-medicine tradition, although its health claims should be treated with caution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is bitter gourd called in Hindi?

Bitter gourd is called karela in Hindi. The vegetable has many other regional names, such as pavakkai in Tamil, kakarakaya in Telugu, karle in Marathi, ucche in Bengali and paavakka in Malayalam. In English it is also called bitter melon.

Why is bitter gourd so bitter?

Bitter gourd is bitter because it contains natural plant chemicals, including cucurbitacin-type compounds and momordicosides, that taste sharply bitter. They are most concentrated in the seeds and white pith. The plant probably produces them to discourage animals from eating it.

How do you remove the bitterness from karela?

The most common way to reduce the bitterness of karela is to scoop out the seeds and pith and rub the slices with salt before squeezing out the liquid. Soaking the pieces in buttermilk, or cooking them with tamarind, jaggery, onion or coconut, also softens the flavour. The bitterness cannot be removed completely.

Is bitter gourd good for diabetes?

Bitter gourd is traditionally used in India to manage blood sugar, but there is not enough reliable clinical evidence to call it a treatment for diabetes. It can be eaten as a normal vegetable, but people on diabetes medicines should consult a doctor before taking juice or extracts. It must not be used in place of prescribed treatment.

When is bitter gourd sown in India?

Bitter gourd is sown in India mainly in February to March for a summer crop and in June to July for a rainy-season crop. In warm southern regions, planting can be staggered through much of the year. The vine is sensitive to frost and does not grow well in cold weather.

Is bitter gourd the same as bitter melon?

Yes, bitter gourd and bitter melon are two English names for the same plant, Momordica charantia. “Bitter gourd” is more common in Indian English, while “bitter melon” is common in American usage and in East and Southeast Asian cooking. In Hindi, the vegetable is called karela.

{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@graph”:[{“@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”What is bitter gourd called in Hindi?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Bitter gourd is called karela in Hindi. The vegetable has many other regional names, such as pavakkai in Tamil, kakarakaya in Telugu, karle in Marathi, ucche in Bengali and paavakka in Malayalam. In English it is also called bitter melon.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Why is bitter gourd so bitter?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Bitter gourd is bitter because it contains natural plant chemicals, including cucurbitacin-type compounds and momordicosides, that taste sharply bitter. They are most concentrated in the seeds and white pith. The plant probably produces them to discourage animals from eating it.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How do you remove the bitterness from karela?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”The most common way to reduce the bitterness of karela is to scoop out the seeds and pith and rub the slices with salt before squeezing out the liquid. Soaking the pieces in buttermilk, or cooking them with tamarind, jaggery, onion or coconut, also softens the flavour. The bitterness cannot be removed completely.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Is bitter gourd good for diabetes?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Bitter gourd is traditionally used in India to manage blood sugar, but there is not enough reliable clinical evidence to call it a treatment for diabetes. It can be eaten as a normal vegetable, but people on diabetes medicines should consult a doctor before taking juice or extracts. It must not be used in place of prescribed treatment.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”When is bitter gourd sown in India?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Bitter gourd is sown in India mainly in February to March for a summer crop and in June to July for a rainy-season crop. In warm southern regions, planting can be staggered through much of the year. The vine is sensitive to frost and does not grow well in cold weather.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Is bitter gourd the same as bitter melon?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Yes, bitter gourd and bitter melon are two English names for the same plant, Momordica charantia. “Bitter gourd” is more common in Indian English, while “bitter melon” is common in American usage and in East and Southeast Asian cooking. In Hindi, the vegetable is called karela.”}}]}]}