Cerasse

• Detoxifies the blood, kidneys, and liver
• Inhibits the growth of cancer
• Fights acne causing bacteria
• Contains gallic acid, a potent polyphenol which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial attributes
• Gallic acid can decrease the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides and increase good cholesterol
• Cerasee tea’s antiviral properties may help treat HIV infection
• Helps to lower blood sugar levels
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

In the Caribbean, the most common preparation is a tea brewed from the leaves and stems. You’ll find bundles of dried cerasee vine in Caribbean grocery stores, and many families grow the plant in their yards, where it spreads readily along fences and walls.

The standard approach is to boil a handful of the vine in water for several minutes, strain it, and drink the resulting deeply bitter liquid. Some people add honey, lime, or other sweeteners to make it more palatable, though purists insist the bitterness is the whole point.

Bitter melon capsules, powders, and liquid extracts are sold in health food stores and online. The concentration of active compounds in supplements varies enormously between products, and there is no standardized dose. Most of the clinical trials used specific extracts standardized to particular active compounds, which makes them hard to compare to what you’d get from a cup of homemade cerasee tea or a random supplement off the shelf.