It’s wrinkly, green, bitter and relatively unknown to many Aussies. It’s Bitter Melon from our stallholders Wei Rong Guo , and this little melon could become an important tool in managing type 2 diabetes symptoms.

Luke and Potisa and their son John grow the melon, along with a large range of other vegetables on their property in Mt Fairy, which they sell each week at the Market. This little green vegie, also known as a bitter gourd or bitter squash, has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat the symptoms associated with having high blood glucose levels.

Find out more about the three year research project, the Bitter Gourd Project (BGP), and how it’s looking at the scientific basis of these traditional beliefs and practices from our friends at the ABC.