Cucumber quail is a plant with much to offer in the field of natural health support, including combating diabetic problems. Its main medicinal resource is the fruit, which in appearance resembles a cucumber with a heavily corrugated skin. Also often referred to as cucumber balm, cucumber balsam contains compounds that behave similarly to insulin in our bodies, which, when used regularly, produces the effect of more normalized sugar levels. Cucumber quail also has many other qualities, with strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, among others. Undoubtedly, it can be a comprehensive guardian of the body’s well-being. Find out more about this remarkable fruit with its rich nutritional properties.
Table of contents
- 1 Cucumber bollwort (Momordica charantia) – an exotic vegetable, a treat for gardeners or a conqueror of high sugar?
- 2 What does cucumber quail look like?
- 3 What does the fruit of cucumber quail look like?
- 4 Cucumber quail – composition
- 5 Cucumber quail – a remedy for high blood sugar levels
- 6 Cucumber quail – properties
- 7 Cucumber quail – how to consume, what dishes to add?
- 8 Cucumber quail – contraindications.
- 9 Cucumber quail extract – how to dose?
- 10 Cucumber balm cultivation
Cucumber bollwort (Momordica charantia) – an exotic vegetable, a treat for gardeners or a conqueror of high sugar?
Cucumber quail(Momordica charantia) is a plant native to China, which is both a cultivated, ornamental, edible and medicinal plant. It belongs to the cucurbit family, which also includes pumpkin, cucumber and watermelon. It grows in tropical and subtropical countries. It is cultivated in India, South America and East Africa, among others. It is an annual plant enjoying great popularity in Asian countries. It is used as part of many dishes. Its health benefits are also widely known.
Cucumber quail has a whole range of other names. It is referred to as balsam pear, cucumber balsam, karela, bitter calabash, bitter cucumber and bitter melon, among others. The epithet “bitter” is not accidental here. Indeed, the plant is characterized by a bitter taste, which does not change the fact that it is a highly desirable element in many Eastern-style dishes. The edible parts of the plant are primarily the fruit, but seeds, leaves, young shoots are also eaten.
What does cucumber quail look like?
Due to its aesthetic, medicinal and culinary qualities, cucumber quail is an increasingly popular inhabitant of European gardens. It is a climbing plant that looks very impressive on fences, trellises, walls and other supports.
Cucumber balm is equipped with clinging whiskers, which allow it to climb up freely. It also has long, thin, flexible, hairy stems of 3 meters in length. They grow numerous heart-shaped leaves. The leaves of the balsam are undersized, light green, heavily lobed. Flowers are large, yellow, funnel-shaped or bell-shaped.
What does the fruit of cucumber quail look like?
The fruit of the cucumber quail is oblong and resembles an undersized cucumber, but its skin has a slightly different texture. While the peel of a cucumber is smooth, the skin of the cucumber balsam is covered with heavily accentuated protuberances, which make the vegetable look very peculiar.
Balsam fruits can reach 18 cm in length, but are mostly smaller. They are green, but later turn yellow or orange. When they reach full maturity, they burst, showing red seeds. The plant blooms from June to July, and fruits from September to November.
Cucumber quail – composition
The chemical composition of cucumber quail includes a wide range of active compounds, which are responsible for the plant’s multiple health properties. Thanks to numerous amino acids, bitter melon supports cell regeneration processes and helps regulate hormonal balance. Thanks to rutin, catechins and other antioxidants, it protects cells from damage.
Thanks to its sterols and glycosides, chasteberry has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, thanks to its triterpene saponins and polyphenols it exhibits anti-inflammatory properties.anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and antimicrobial properties, and thanks to polysaccharides and polypeptides it has antidiabetic properties.
Cucumber balm’s active ingredients:
- polypeptides,
- triterpenoids,
- saponins,
- tannins,
- proteins,
- dietary fiber,
- amino acids (including aspartic acid, histidine, leucine, glutamic acid, lysine, serine, proline, tyrosine),
- glucosides,
- polyphenols (including catechins),
- phytosterols (taraxasterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, spinasterol),
- phenolic acids,
- alkaloids,
- vitamin C,
- vitamin A,
- minerals (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper).
Cucumber quail – a remedy for high blood sugar levels
Cucumber quail is a precious source of polypeptide-p. It is a compound similar to insulin and mimics its action. Polypeptide-p belongs to a group of proteins and is customarily called plant insulin. Also of note are polysaccharides, steroidal glycosides (charantin), alkaloids and dietary fiber.
All of these compounds have antidiabetic effects, improving insulin metabolism, normalizing blood glucose levels and lowering the risk of hyperglycemia.
Cucumber quail is one of the most effective natural remedies to help with high blood sugar problems. Highly concentrated extract of cucumber quail can be found in a multi-ingredient formula NuviaLab Sugar Control.
How cucumber quail works on blood sugar levels:
- increases insulin activity,
- increases insulin secretion by the pancreas,
- leads to an increase in the sensitivity of cells to insulin, which helps cells better utilize glucose,
- reduces the absorption of glucose from food,
- helps inhibit the activity of enzymes associated with gluconeogenesis, the process of glucose production by the liver,
- protects the cells of the insulin-producing pancreas from oxidative stress,
- helps delay the absorption of glucose from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream.
For best results in lowering blood sugar levels and regulating insulin secretion, cucumber quail should be used regularly, for a longer period of time and in appropriate doses. However, people who have type 2 diabetes and are taking anti-diabetic drugs should be careful with it, as cucumber quail can potentiate their effects.
Cucumber quail – properties
Bitter melon is a real antioxidant bomb. It contains large amounts of polyphenolic compounds, including catechins, which scavenge harmful free radicals, stimulate the removal of heavy metalsheavy metals from the body, slow down the body’s aging processes, support the cardiovascular system and metabolism, and have antimutagenic and anticancer effects.
Cucumber quail exhibits:
- Antimicrobial and immune-stimulating properties. Cucumber quail has a beneficial effect on the immune system. It supports the production of immune cells and antibodies, inhibits inflammatory processes. It inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria, viruses, protozoa and other pathogens and contributes to their faster removal from the system. Thanks to these properties, cucumber quail can be a valuable support for people with weakened immunity, as well as those suffering from bacterial, viral and fungal infections and parasitic diseases.
- Detoxifying properties. Cucumber quail helps cleanse the liver and speeds up the process of removing harmful metabolic products, toxins, food residues, intestinal deposits and heavy metals from the body.
- Anti-cancer and antioxidant properties. Thanks to the content of a whole range of powerful antioxidants, quail protects the body from premature aging and counteracts cancerous processes. As numerous studies have shown, quail can exhibit anti-cancer activity against breast, liver, pancreas, prostate, colon cancer, among others.
- Beneficial effects on the heart and cardiovascular system. Cucumber quail is helpful in lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. It also protects the heart muscle and helps normalize excessively high blood pressure.
- Beneficial effects on the digestive system. Bitter melon stimulates the secretion of digestive juices, thereby aiding the digestion of food. It also improves intestinal function and prevents constipation.
- Maintaining normal body weight. Cucumber quail positively affects metabolism, improves the oxidation of fatty acids and inhibits lipogenesis (the process of fat tissue formation). Importantly for those who train, it positively influences the growth of muscle tissue and physical performance of the body.
Cucumber quail – how to consume, what dishes to add?
The fruits of cucumber balsam are harvested before they are fully ripe. They should then be green in color and about 10-15 cm long.
Admittedly, the fruits of cucumber quail have a bitter taste, but for many dishes, especially in the Eastern style, it is a great asset, not a disadvantage. Asian dishes are often a fusion of 5 flavors (sour, salty, sweet, umami and bitter), and it is in these kinds of dishes that bitter melon works well. Although it is not very well known in our country, it is very popular in many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisines.
Bitter melon works well as an ingredient in sauces, one-pot dishes, meat dishes, fish dishes, vegetable dishes, salads and aromatic soups. It can also be eaten raw.
Cucumber quail – contraindications.
Admittedly, cucumber quail can be a support in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but it should be watched out for if simultaneouslyuse of diabetes medications (the plant can exacerbate the effects of medications and contribute to an excessive drop in blood sugar levels).
Cucumber balm should also be used with caution by people taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with serious gastrointestinal diseases, and those with low blood sugar levels.
Cucumber quail extract – how to dose?
Dosage of cucumber quail extract may vary depending on the specific preparation. The manufacturer includes dosage recommendations on the product label. Typically, the recommended dosage is about 300-500 mg per day.
When using extracts of cucumber quail, always stick to the recommended dosages. If you exceed the recommended dosage, you increase the risk of side effects, such as abdominal pain, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting.
Cucumber balm cultivation
Cucumber balm, or bitter melon, is a plant with fairly high requirements. It grows best in warm, sunny climates (it prefers temperatures above 20°C). It is a very frost-sensitive plant. It likes positions sheltered from the wind, quiet and peaceful. The soil should be fertile, moderately moist, well-drained, with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH.
Cucumber balsam is unfortunately quite susceptible to disease, so it should be protected from pathogens, including pests such as aphids and spider mites or viruses such as cucumber mosaic virus.
Cucumber balsam seeds are sown in late April or late April/early May. Legally, it can be grown in the ground, but then the yields are not very abundant. The best results, in terms of fruiting, will be obtained by planting the quail in plastic tunnels. We can do this by a string or by any other support.
Water the plants regularly, especially during dry periods. However, avoid overwatering the soil, as this can lead to root rot. Weeds should also be systematically removed. Fertilization is also required.
Sources:
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bitter-gourd
- https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/natural-remedies-type-2-diabetes
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bitter-melon
- https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/bitter-melon-and-diabetes
