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FAQs

  1. What is Charantia?
    Charantia is the registered brand name of Herbcare Corporation for its line of Herbal Food Supplement products made from 100% Ampalaya whole fruits of the plant (Bitter Melon plant).
  2. What is Charantia for?
    Charantia is a dietary food supplement primarily intended for type 2 diabetics to reinforce their daily diet, exercise to achieve better control of blood sugar levels. It also helps prevent those at risk from acquiring diabetes due to unhealthy lifestyle, obesity and/or have a family history of diabetes.
  3. What is/are the basis for the claimed beneficial effect of Charantia in blood sugar management?
    The Ampalaya has long been used as a Traditional Home Remedy for diabetes in many parts of the world. In addition, numerous published scientific studies of the various aerial parts of this plant conducted worldwide also confirm that indeed the Ampalaya plant (especially its fruit and seeds) contains several elements that bring about hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic action that are useful in the control of blood sugar in humans. Being made from 100% Ampalaya fruits and seeds, the established anti-diabetic potency of Charantia’s raw material would ordinarily be sufficient basis for Charantia to make the claim of being a useful anti-diabetic food supplement product. However, realizing that the potency of the raw materials can be lost, diminished or altered during its processing into a finished commercial product, Herbcare has submitted Charantia, the product, to a clinical trial by independent diabetologists in order to ascertain that it still contains its raw materials’ anti-diabetic potency and could therefore be relied upon to deliver the Ampalaya’s proven antidiabetic usefulness. The result of this clinical trial which was published in the July-August 2001 issue of the Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine concludes that “Ampalaya fruits and seeds prepared as a tea can be useful dietary adjunct in the treatment of diabetes.” The results of these clinical trials as the basis for Charantia’s antidiabetic claims and accordingly Charantia is promoted solely as a food supplement for diabetics to reinforce their diet, exercise and doctor-prescribed medication. The 3 gram-per-day recommended dosage for diabetics is also based on this clinical trial. Charantia is not a substitute for the medicine prescribed by doctors.
  4. How many types of Charantia Food Supplement products are there and how are they prepared and taken? There are three variants of Charantia Ampalaya Food supplements, all of which are made of the same raw materials: dried fruits and seeds of the Ampalaya that are dehydrated by a special process that removes the Ampalaya’s notorious bitter taste while retaining its safety and anti-diabetic potency. These are:
    • Charantia Ampalaya Loose Tea
      The first and original form of Charantia, made from 100% Ampalaya fruits and seeds. One tablespoonful weighs approximately 3 grams, the daily dosage clinically proven to lower the blood sugar levels of an average-sized patient suffering from diabetes. It can be prepared by infusion or steeping in boiled water for 1-2 minutes. The recommended ratio is 1 liter of freshly boiled water poured over one tablespoonful or 3 grams of loose bits. You can also make the tea by ecoction or boiling the tablespoonful of loose bits in 1 liter of water.
    • Charantia Ampalaya Tea in Tea Bags
      Every tea bag contains about 1.75 grams of tea made from 100% Ampalaya fruits and seeds, packed in a sachet to preserve its aroma and freshness. A diabetic is advised to use 2 teabags per day to make four to five cups of the same pleasant-tasting and bitterless tea-like drink. The extra 0.5grams in the two teabags over the recommended dose of 3grams/day is to allow for wastage in the normal use of teabags.
    • Charantia 500mg Ampalaya Capsules
      The same dried fruit and seeds of the Ampalaya used in the first two variants are simply pulverized into very fine powder and encapsulated at 500mg per capsule. Thus, a diabetic should take 2 capsules after each meal or 6 capsules a day to attain the 3,000 mg or 3grams/day dosage. Non-diabetics may take half or the same recommended dosage for diabetics. There is no danger of overdose.
  5. What improvement can one expect after adding Charantia to his daily regimen?
    As far as blood sugar level lowering effect is concerned, this may vary from person to person. Diabetics who have added Charantia to their daily diet, exercise and medication report blood sugar levels dropping as early as seven days after they started taking Charantia. Others report longer intervals of 10-40 days for improvement. Thus those who take Charantia should be patient and continue to take it daily to allow time for its natural beneficial effects to take place. Diabetics also report that after their blood sugar dropped to near-normal or normal levels, it continued to stay at that level – so long as they remained faithful to their daily regimen of proper diet plus Charantia, regular exercise and continued taking their doctor-prescribed medication.Aside from the lowering and stabilizing of the blood sugar levels, diabetics regularly taking Charantia report a significant decrease in their nightly urination that leads to their being able to sleep better and wake up more alert and experience an improvement in their general well-being.
  6. After adding Charantia to the diet, can medication be reduced or stopped?
    MEDICATION SHOULD ONLY BE REDUCED OR STOPPED UNDER YOUR DOCTOR’S ADVICE. Always remember that Charantia is a FOOD SUPPLEMENT intended to reinforce the diet. It is NOT an alternative medicine to replace your current doctor-prescribed medication. Having said this, it must be mentioned that an increasing number of doctors who recommend Charantia to their patients are able to reduce the more expensive medication after observing a sustained improvement in their patient’s blood sugar level and general health condition. Consult your doctor about your medication.
  7. Can Charantia cause hypertension or an increase in blood pressure?
    No. A clinical trial of Charantia concluded that it has no effect on blood pressure. On the contrary, some studies of the Ampalaya plant done worldwide report that the Ampalaya has hypotensive effects, meaning it helps lower blood sugar.
  8. Why are you using fruits and seeds instead of other aerial parts of the Ampalaya?
    Herbcare believes that all parts of the Ampalaya plant contain some level of anti-diabetic potency. However, the numerous and more comprehensive studies of the Ampalaya in many parts of the world show that the seat of the Ampalaya’s antidiabetic potency is really in its fruits and seeds. As a matter of fact, one of its identified active ingredient, the plant insulin known as polypeptide p is extracted from the seeds and the other known active ingredients known as Momordicin and Charantin are taken from the fruits. To use the leaves, stem, bark or roots would harm the plant, whereas the fruits and seeds are intended to be harvested-and thus aside from their possessing the plants’ greatest antidiabetic potency, the fruits and seeds are the most logical parts to be used that is in harmony with nature.
  9. What did the studies of the Ampalaya plant done in other countries reveal about the anti-diabetic potency of the plant?
    The most important and relevant conclusions that these studies show are:

    • The active ingredients of the Ampalaya are best found in the fruits and seeds.
    • These active Ingredients include an insulin-like protein known as Polypetide-p and two substances called Momordicin and Charantin. There is not enough evidence to show which one is most responsible for the Ampalaya’s antidabetic potency. It is likely that the interplay of these three elements as well as the Ampalaya’s other natural elements bring about its usefulness in the treatment of diabetes. Until further studies are made to show otherwise, it is best to use Ampalaya in its natural for and not to use refined extracts.
    • Ampalaya aerial parts taken in its natural form has hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic potency.
  10. Can Charantia be given to Type 1 diabetics?
    Yes, but only after consulting your doctor. A type 1 diabetic is recommended to use Charantia only on advice by his doctor who must closely monitor his blood sugar. An increasing number of doctors are recommending Charantia to their Type 1 diabetic patients and in time, they are able to reduce their patients’ insulin requirements.
  11. Does Charantia have any side effect?
    Worldwide studies have shown that taking Ampalaya have no serious side effects. The clinical trial of Charantia showed that it is “well- tolerated and safe with minor gastrointestinal side effects of increased bowel frequency” but beneficial to those diabetic patients who are constipated.
  12. Is Charantia safe for non-diabetics?
    Charantia is safe to drink even for non-diabetics. In fact, it is recommended for people who may be prone to developing diabetes (like those with a family history, or with any of the risk factors for diabetes). Many people are now taking a preventive mindset against developing diabetes, so keeping your blood sugar healthy is always a good idea.
  13. Where can I get Charantia in USA?
    Charantia is sold in North America under the brand name Charantea (the same brand sold in Europe). You can order Charantea online at www.charanteausa.com or by calling 561-807-7072.
  14. Where can I get Charantia in Middle East?
    Charantia is available in the Middle East via our distributor Al Zohaifi Company based in Riyadh, KSA. You can get in touch with them at +96614788807 or email syed@zohaifi.com