Originally growing in the East Indies in the tropical zone of Asia, bitter gourds were widely planted in Japan, India and Southeast Asia, and their seeds were brought in Mainland China in the 16th century. Though we cannot find any written record relating when and how they were imported to Taiwan, Taiwan is renowned for its outstanding techniques in improving their strain. Today, Taiwan’s bitter gourds are supplied in three strains: white bitter gourds, green bitter gourds, and wild bitter gourds.

Bitter gourds grow into different shapes, such as long spindle, short spindle, long Rugby ball, and olive. The edible part is the fruit whose pulp contains abundant Momordicine, Vitamin B & C, and extract from bitter melon. Though they taste very bitter, they are efficacious in detoxifying, reducing heat and keeping eyes sharp.

◆Production Season : Bountiful in May-October.
◆Cultivation Regions : Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou and Pingtung counties.
◆Requirements for Selection : The darker, the more bitter. For white bitter gourds, the whiter the peel, the better the quality is. For green bitter gourds, the peel should be green but the fruit should not be overripe. The shape of the fruit should be perfect without sunken spots.
◆Composition of Nutrition (%): Calorie 18, moisture 94.7, protein 0.8, fat 0.2, carbohydrates 3.7, fiber 0.6, ash 0.6, Vitamin A, B, & C, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphor and iron.