Summer favorite bitter gourd genome shows unusual domestication, insight into evolution
Tuesday, June 16, 2020 - 10:30
in Biology & Nature
The bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a summer vegetable that graces the tables of many homes and restaurants in Asia. In Okinawa and Kyushu, the southern islands of Japan, the bitter gourds grow easily and have long been said to have many health benefits. The bitter gourds are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, minerals, carotenes and catechins. It is thought to ward off the feeling of sluggishness that can accompany the summer heat and humidity.