Karela (Bitter Gourd) is a low calorie vegetable rich in many precious nutrients. It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, magnesium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber. It is considered rich in iron & contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach and twice the potassium of a banana. Bitter melon contains a unique phyto-constituent, charatin, which has been confirmed to have a hypoglycemic effect. There is also another insulin-like compound known as Polypeptide P.