Though there is a definite split regarding the distinct bitterness that comes from eating bitter gourd, Okinawa style cooking wouldn't be complete without including vitamin C and folic acid rich Goya as it is referred to in Japanese.

Bitter gourd when looked at in terms of 1 whole Goya is unarguably nutritious. On the other hand when looked at for practically reasons using such standards as 100g serving sizes, bitter melon differs little from vegetables such as bell peppers in terms of nutrition.

One thing that is for certain is that vitamin C content in bitter gourd being relatively high is no mistake. However, do not that through cooking and otherwise exposer to heat, the vitamin C content actually found is negligible.

The substance found in Goya that makes bitter gourd taste so bitter is vegetable insulin. More than being a hard vegetable to bite into, bitter melon is said to help reduce blood sugar and smooth out the blood. There have been clinical experiments showing that eating Goya produces results.

Recipes that use bitter melon: Okinawan style stir-fry; Goya chips; Cooked Goya; and Tempura Goya.