Bitter melon, a vegetable well known amongst Indians and called ‘karele’ in Hindi, enables a chain of events which kills breast cancer cells, preventing them from multiplying, so says a researcher of Indian origin from Saint Louis University.
This vegetable is a staple in the Indian diet .
Ratna Ray, PhD., professor in the department of pathology at Saint Louis University and lead researcher, stated that she was surprised that the bitter melon she cooks in stir fries prevents the growth of breast cancer cells.
It is the first study conducted into the effect of bitter melon on cancer cells and its results are highly encouraging.
It has been demonstrated that bitter melon significantly induces death in breast cancer cells and lowers their spread and growth.
These vegetables are available from Indian green grocers and need sliced horizontally, their seeds removed and salted overnight before use.
It is advisable to lightly fry or deep fry the karele before adding to the dish of your choice as they can be quite bitter to taste otherwise.