Bitter melon
| Garden cucumber | ||||||||||||||
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| Momordica charantia |
The bitter melon (or bitter gourd) is the edible fruit of the plant Momordica charantia, which belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. Bitter melon grows in tropical and subtropical climates. The fruit is green (orange-yellow when ripe) and has warty appearance and oblong shape.
It is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavour. Bitter melons also have various uses as traditional medicine around the world, and has potential use for treating HIV infections.
