Being caught up in the web of work and stress, I felt that my skin and hair were growing faster than me.

My mother recommended that I try bitter gourd juice.

Moms are always correct, right?

However, I did my own research too.

We despise bitterness.

However, I found out, bitter = better.

Scientific aspect:

The bitter taste helps activate receptors that stimulate a gut and liver cleanse. 

When you have a healthy gut and liver, it stimulates a better detox in the body.

This helps remove all the toxins, which paves a path to clear skin, and rebalances your scalp. It also helps binding the keratin particles of your hair follicles.

This helps with the reverse aging of skin and hair..

After this,

Began my 2 week journey with bitter gourd juice.

Here’s what I learnt:

My experience with bitter gourd juice:

At first it was bitter.

It still is, not gonna lie. It definitely is an acquired taste.

To make it taste better, I juiced it with some fresh cucumbers and limes every now and then. Apparently it was extremely good for the skin and hair too.

I personally drank around 100ml of bitter gourd juice, diluted, per day. It was not the best start to my morning, but I eventually got used to it.

I have read that the timings and quantity of consumption differs for each purpose. Hence, if you want to try it out, consult with a professional.

I did face a noticeable amount of side effects in the process. They are:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Gastric issues
• Contraction
• Headaches
• Constant weakness

Did it work?

No.

Drinking bitter gourd juice for 2 weeks did not improve the conditions of my hair and skin.

Could’ve been my lack of interest towards the taste,  or could’ve been my genes.

I don’t know.

What I do know is, it was supposed to work , and it didn’t. 

Why wouldn’t it? There are so many articles claiming the positive effects of  bitter gourd juice in hair and skin?

I did more research. This time, I also seeked professional help.

I tried to find out the root cause of the side effects. Discovered that:

• Bitter gourd juice everyday can cause dangerous lowering of blood sugar if taken with insulin
• Liver damage
• Favism (which can cause anemia) in those with G6PD deficiency
• Problems due to mixing with other drugs to alter effectiveness
• Problems in blood sugar control in those who have had recent surgery

Upon seeking professional help, I discovered that I did not have to worry about these due to a non-coinciding medical history. However, if you are thinking of committing to bitter gourd juice, then it is strictly advised to seek professional healthcare assistance to avoid any issues.

The theory of bitter= better was still valid.

I searched for better bitter replacements. Here’s what i found:

Some common bitter fruits ( from most bitter to least)

• Grapefruits
• Citrus peel
• Cranberries
• Bitter cherries

Some common bitter vegetables ( from most bitter to least)

• Kale
• Arugula
• Radishes 
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli 
• Cabbage

Most of these items were not locally available at cheap rates. Hence, I looked for better and more sustainable alternatives.

Came across kalmegh bitters.

Immediately took a switch.

Why did i switch from bitter gourd to kalmegh bitters?

It was more sustainable, easily accessible, cheaper and better.

It was way more convenient to open the bottle of kalmegh bitters and directly drink from it..

…rather than juicing a whole vegetable early in the morning.

It saved my time, energy, money and showed better results.Kalmegh Bitters is a natural, organic and bitter juice that can help you: 

• feel energetic, light, fresh
• With face clean up 
• reduces bloating
• Get clearer skin
• Have better hair quality and growth

It has the goodness of fresh and whole ingredients. 

And trust me, despite being bitter, it tastes way better than bitter gourd juice.

Here’s to a better tomorrow.