Karela, a ridged or warty cucumber-like vegetable, grows on vines in tropical and subtropical areas of East Africa, South America, Asia and the Caribbean. Its common names include bitter gourd, bitter melon, balsam pear, wild cucumber, margose and leprosy gourd. Because of its natural bitterness, it's not a popular juice. You can make karela juice at home with a juicer in only a few minutes. Consuming karela juice can cause negative reactions, so consult your doctor before drinking it.
Step 1
Wash the karela under running water. Cut the gourd in half lengthwise. Place it cut-side down and cut it in half lengthwise again.
Step 2
Remove the seeds by cutting the seeds away from the rest of the flesh. Although some traditional recipes call for using the seeds in karela juice, ingesting the seeds could result in headache, fever, abdominal pain and coma, according to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Check that a slice will fit into your juicer. Cut the slices in half lengthwise again if the wedges are too thick.
Step 3
Turn on the juicer and feed a length of karela into the opening. Feed one wedge after another into the juicer.
Tips and Warnings
- Traditionally, people used the karela skins in making juice. If you don't have a juicer or choose not to juice the skins, consider using them in cooking. Add finely chopped karela peels and spices to a whole wheat bread recipe for another way to add karela to your diet. Add lemon juice and a pinch of salt to cut the bitterness, if desired. Combining karela juice with other juices, such as carrot, celery, bell pepper and tomato can improve the flavor. Traditionally, people use karela as both a food and a medicine. Its common names include bitter gourd, bitter melon, balsam pear, wild cucumber, margose and leprosy gourd. Preliminary studies indicate karela might help to lower blood sugar in healthy and diabetic people, but further research is required, according to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
- Pregnant women shouldn't consume karela. It can induce bleeding, contractions and abortion, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Keep unused Karela juice refrigerated. Limit karela juice to small servings, such as 1 tbsp. mixed with water or vegetable juice. There have been reports of serious adverse reactions requiring hospitalization following ingestion of kerala juice. One case involved a young man who consumed only 2 tbsp. three times a day.
Things You'll Need
- 1 small karela
- Juicer
References
- "Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen"; Yuan Wang, et al.; 2010
- "Home Remedies"; Tarla Dalal; 2003
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