A member of the melon family Cucurbitaceae, organic bitter gourds (Momordica charantia) 苦瓜Kǔ Guā are a rich source of soluble fibre and have a low glycemic index (GI) making them a useful component in a healthy diet. Several scientific reviews suggest that raw or in juice form the fruit helps to lower blood glucose levels.

苦瓜中含有三种具有活性的物质：降低血糖的苦瓜皂苷（Charantin）、作用类似胰岛素的苦瓜碱（Vicine）以及多肽-P（Polypeptide-p）。此外，苦瓜还含有一种凝集素，它能作用于外周组织并抑制食欲，这可能是苦瓜降血糖作用的主要因素。