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Home / Health Tools / Food Benefits A–Z / Bitter gourd Benefits & Nutrition

Bitter gourd Benefits & Nutrition

Bitter gourd benefits: nutrition per 100 g (17 kcal, 2.8 g fibre), how much to eat a day, who should take care and its season. Also called Karela.

Written by HealthSensibly Editorial TeamReviewed by the HealthSensibly editorial teamUpdated

Karela · Vegetables

  • 17 kcalenergy
  • 1 gprotein
  • 2.8 gfibre
  • Apr–Sep (summer & monsoon)best season in India

Per 100 g (raw)

Health benefits of bitter gourd

  • Very low in calories and a good source of vitamin C.
  • Some studies suggest bitter gourd may help lower blood sugar, but results are mixed and it does not replace diabetes treatment.
  • Is a source of fibre and folate.

How to eat it

Stir-fry or stuff karela as a sabzi; salting and squeezing the slices reduces bitterness.

How much a day: As a vegetable in normal meals.

Who should be careful

  • If you take diabetes medicine, talk to your doctor before karela juice or supplements — blood sugar may drop too low.
  • Pregnancy: avoid karela juice and supplements.
  • Large amounts of juice can upset the stomach.

Best season in India

Apr–Sep (summer & monsoon). See the month-by-month seasonal chart →

Frequently asked questions

What are the health benefits of bitter gourd?

Very low in calories and a good source of vitamin C. Some studies suggest bitter gourd may help lower blood sugar, but results are mixed and it does not replace diabetes treatment. Is a source of fibre and folate.

How much bitter gourd can I have a day?

As a vegetable in normal meals. Stir-fry or stuff karela as a sabzi; salting and squeezing the slices reduces bitterness.

Who should be careful with bitter gourd?

If you take diabetes medicine, talk to your doctor before karela juice or supplements — blood sugar may drop too low. Pregnancy: avoid karela juice and supplements. Large amounts of juice can upset the stomach.

When is bitter gourd in season in India?

Apr–Sep (summer & monsoon).

Please note: Values are approximate; they vary by recipe, brand, variety and portion size. This page is general information, not medical advice — if you are pregnant, have diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure or another condition, or take regular medicines, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet.

More vegetables

🌿 Moringa leaves🥬 Spinach🥗 Beetroot🥕 Carrot🥗 Bottle gourd🍅 Tomato🍠 Sweet potato🥦 Broccoli🥒 Cucumber🎃 Pumpkin🥗 Okra🥦 Cauliflower🥗 Green peas🥬 Celery

← All foods A–Z

Who wrote and checked this

Written byHealthSensibly Editorial Team

Our editors write every tool explainer and guide in plain language from current guidelines and research, and list the sources on the page.

ReviewReviewed by the HealthSensibly editorial team

We check every tool and guide against the sources listed on the page and update it when guidance changes.

Updated: · How we write and review content