Bitter melon or bitter gourd is beneficial to diabetics. Thank God we have tons in our backyard that my mother grew. I swear there are times when we have bitter gourd in our dish for consecutive days. As it is one of the most common local vegetables here (Philippines) we can cook them with practically anything.

One more thing about this wonderful vine-like plant is that when it starts bearing fruit, it will only stop when the vines dry up and die. When they start coming, bitter gourd will be coming out of your ears. After which, you just have to grow new ones from the seeds of the ripen fruit.

However, bitter gourd (or ampalaya as we call it here) may be a common vegetable (or fruit?) but it isn't everyone's favorite. The answer to that is really pretty obvious, because it is bitter.

I didn't like it as a child either. I've just learned to love it when I was a sleep-deprived college student. Because, aside from its anti-diabetes properties, bitter gourd is also known to be rich in iron and promotes the production of red blood cells.

Well, nobody in my household has diabetes but we all do love bitter gourd. Well most of us anyway. That is, except for my four year old son.

Frustrated with traditional medical treatments, many diabetics are turning to natural solutions. They are now going to the basics of which this natural ways are abundant and hopefully in the process can give cheaper solutions.

Of these, the most notable by far is the use of bitter melon as a treatment for diabetes. Many people, in fact, have claimed it has actually 'cured' their diabetes! Whether or not 'curing' diabetes is actually possible, there is in fact evidence that diabetic symptoms may be improved by ingesting bitter melon.

The fruit can be eaten raw, or consumed in juice or tea form. Also, it has now been turned into capsule form for easy swallowing. Since, most of us are not really fond of the bitter gourd. With of course caution that there are no therapeutic claims. It seems to work best for later onset, Type 2 diabetes.

In fact, at the popular Remedy Find, bitter melon is rated by consumers as the #1 treatment for diabetes, ahead of even insulin.