Bitter melon juice!

After months of going through kale juice withdrawal, I finally found my dream drink—kugua 苦瓜 or bitter melon juice! A group of us were walking down old street in Tamsui when we came across a vegetable juice stand that made kugua juice (a combination of white bitter gourd, green pepper, cucumber, celery, and apple). It was well, bitter, but so incredibly delicious. I soon felt energetic and alert after drinking it. When i got home i immediately purchased a backpack full of kugua along with other veggies to make at home. Lucky for me, these kugua juice stands are everywhere in Taipei, just don't let them add any sugar! What I didn't realize was that the health benefits of kugua are well-documented and heavily researched. Kugua has been known to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics, fight cancer and infections, prevent leprosy, alleviate eye problems, cleanse the liver, increase the immune system and remove toxins from the body. There are numerous recipes online but I am going to use the following ratio in my juicer (1 bitter melon, half cucumber, 1 green pepper, 1 apple, 1 celery stalk). I honestly was getting worried about the "no kale" situation in Taipei but I am fairly confident that kugua is my new fave drink. Just make sure, like everything, you consume in moderation.