the bitter gourd or melon also known as balsam pear or ampalaya is the edible fruit of a vine the shiny pod with longitudinal wart like ridges is usually eaten when it is still green and young when cut open the fruit exposes a hollow cavity filed with white pith and hard cream colored seeds the pith and seeds become red nd the fruit turns yelllow when it ripens the two main varieties of bitter melons are chinese young leaves of the vine are also eaten leaf extracts actually contain the proven blood sugar lowering effects of the plant regulates meabolism and use of blood sugar stimulates insulinnsecretion from the pancreas elicits glucose uptake in the liver increases sperm count relieves premenstrual syndrome regulates sex hormones reduces tumor growth for cervical prostate and breast cancers has anti inflammatory properties contains powerful antioidants also good for promoting the discharge of mucus from cough delaying premature aging helping maintain healthy skin and mucuos membranes activating the body's natural killer cells to help fight off viruses minimizing spinal bone loss the more mature the fruit is the more bitter it is choose young podsand leaves