Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges, short: nutrition for pregnancy & family
Also known as Kerela, Uchhe, Bitter melon, Bitter squash, Balsam pear, Marela, Karela, Hagal kai, Kerela rit, Kaippakka, Karon Akhabi, Karle, Tite karela, Kalara, Tillikaa, Paavakkai, Kakara kaya. Food group: Other Vegetables. Vegetarian.
What 100 g gives you in pregnancy
| Folate | 51 mcg — 9% of the daily need in pregnancy |
- Folate lowers the risk of neural tube defects, which form in the first weeks of pregnancy.
Daily requirements are NIH / US Dietary Reference Intakes recommended intakes for pregnancy. Requirements differ by country — folate is 600 mcg in US guidance against 570 mcg in India's — so percentages are only meaningful against the authority named here. They are for 100 g of this food and are a guide, not a meal plan; your doctor may advise different amounts for you.
Explore further
Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges, short is a notable source of folate and vitamin c — see what each does in pregnancy.
More other vegetables: Ash gourd, Bamboo shoot, tender, Bean scarlet, tender, Bitter gourd, jagged, smooth ridges, elongate, Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges, elongate, Bottle gourd, elongate, dark green.
Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges, short in Indian languages
| Assamese | Kerela |
| Bengali | Uchhe |
| English | Bitter melon, Bitter squash, Balsam pear |
| Gujarati | Marela |
| Hindi | Karela |
| Kannada | Hagal kai |
| Kashmiri | Karela |
| Khasi | Kerela rit |
| Malayalam | Kaippakka |
| Manipuri | Karon Akhabi |
| Marathi | Karle |
| Odia | Kalara |
| Punjabi | Karela |
| Sanskrit | Tillikaa |
| Tamil | Paavakkai |
| Telugu | Kakara kaya |
| Urdu | Karela |
Regional names as recorded by ICMR-NIN in the Indian Food Composition Tables.
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 19 kcal |
| Protein | 1.3 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 2.5 g |
| Fibre | 3.5 g |
| Iron | 1.1 mg |
| Calcium | 16 mg |
| Folate | 51 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 50.9 mg |
Why it can help during pregnancy
- Folate: Folate supports your baby's early neural development.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron from food.
Consensus public-health guidance (WHO / ICMR-NIN). A balanced, varied diet matters more than any single food.
Nutrition source: ICMR-NIN — Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT). Values are typical per 100 g and vary by variety and preparation.
Educational information, not medical or dietary advice. Most everyday foods are fine in normal amounts — ask your doctor or dietitian about anything specific to your pregnancy.