Does karela juice make you go UGH? Try these ways to make it more delectable

No prizes for guessing — bitter gourd is quite bitter to taste, which is why most people run away from it! Whatever be the case, we cannot deny the fact that bitter gourd juice can do wonders for our health. Also known as karela juice, it is a drink that is packed with a whole lot of nutrition, but its bitter and pungent taste is a dampener. But we have a solution to bring down its bitterness and make it more delectable for you! Excited to know how?

Using bitter gourd juice is very simple. In this case, we are adding some more ingredients to make it even more effective and delectable. Follow these three different ways of making karela juice: 

1. Karela juice with lemon juice

Ingredients

2 medium-size bitter gourd/karela

¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp lemon juice

Here’s how to make it

1. Wash the bitter gourd properly with water. Since the karela peel has many health benefits, don’t peel it. 

Note: If you don’t like it, then you can peel the karela. 

2. Cut the karela into small pieces.

3. Scoop out the seeds from each piece using a spoon and discard them.

4. Take a bowl now and add the bitter gourd, water, salt, and turmeric powder. 

5. Mix well and keep it for about 10- 15 minutes to get rid of the small amount of bitterness.

6. Using a strainer, take out the bitter gourd and discard the remaining water.

7. Take a blender now, add the bitter gourd pieces, water, Himalayan salt, and lemon juice.

8. Blend it until smooth and transfer it into a glass.

Your healthy drink is ready to serve!

Also, read: This roasted karela chips recipe is as yummy as it is healthy

2. Karela juice with apple or pear juice

Ingredients:

1 medium-size bitter gourd/karela

½ tsp salt

½ tsp lemon juice

½  cup of apple or pear juice

Here’s how to make it

1. Slice from the center, and scoop the white flesh and seeds of the vegetables.

2. Chop them into tiny chunks.

3. Soak the chopped pieces in cold water for about 30 minutes.

4. Blend in a mixer grinder with salt and lemon juice. 

5. To reduce the bitterness, pair it with sweet fruits like apples or pears. Add the juice of apple or pear, and blend the ingredients well.

6. Transfer the concoction to a glass and enjoy. 

3. Karela juice with honey or jaggery

Ingredients:

2 medium-size bitter gourd/karela

1 ginger

2 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp black salt (kala namak)

Honey or jaggery to taste

Mint leaves

Here’s how to make it:

1. Cut the bitter gourd into small pieces. 

2. Place the bitter gourd, ginger, and water into the juicer and extract the juice out.

3. Pour the juice into a glass, add all the remaining ingredients including lemon juice, black salt, honey, and mint leaves, and give it a good stir. 

4. Serve the bitter gourd juice immediately!

Here are some surprising benefits of drinking karela juice

Karela juice is packed with several important nutrients that play a critical role in improving overall health.

1. Karela juice provides an ample amount of vitamin C, an antioxidant that promotes immunity, brain health, and tissue healing.
2. It’s a great source of provitamin A. This is a substance that your body converts into vitamin A, which further helps with good eyesight and skin health. 
3. It provides folate, which is essential for growth and development. Moreover, it also contains small amounts of potassium, zinc, and iron. 
4. Bitter melon is an excellent source of catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid —all powerful antioxidants compounds that can help protect your cell against damage. 
5. Bitter melon makes an excellent addition to a weight loss diet, because it’s low in calories yet high in fibre. 
6. According to a 2011 study published in the Journal Ethnopharmacology, a four-week clinical trial showed that 2,000 mg of bitter melon, when taken on a regular basis, reduced the blood glucose level significantly in patients suffering from type-2 diabetes.

So ladies, it’s time to keep your health on track with karela juice.