The nutritive value balsam pea

yvonne01_03：

I truly believe that subject of the question you actually mean is Balsam pear
other than Balsam pea by reason of incorrect information from your friend or
printing error. Anyway, let's suppose my guess is correct, hereunder is the information I know and have just searched out for my answer to your question ：

There are different names for Balsam pears like bitter melon, bitter gourd,
bitter cucumber and commonly called ' foo qua ' or ' fu kwa ' by Chinese.
It's widely grown and eaten all over the world form China, India, Thailand, South America, New Zealand, Ausralia and even US.,so we can get it all
year round in Hong Kong.

According to the information provided by the New Zealand Institute for Crop
and Food Research, Balsam pear or it's shoot is claimed to contain rich vitamnin A , C and some substance for controlling diabetes.

According to the information from ' Hong Kong Food Plants ' published by
Hong Kong Urban Council, In every 100 gm.of Balsam fruit(pear), there are
94 gm. of water, 0.9gm. protein, 0.2gm. fat, 3gm carbohydrates, 18mg.
calcium, 29mg. phosphorus, 0.6 mg. iron, 0.08mg. carotene, 0.07mg. vitamin B1, 0.04mg. vitamin B2, 0.3mg. niacin( I have learnt from other source of information that niacin is also called vitamin B3 to cure pellagra and control of diabetes) and 84mg. vitamin C.

Balsam pear can only be eaten when it is green as it becomes toxic to
human and animals when it's colour turns yellow !!! In any Chinese shop, dry Balsam Pear slices is available anytime for sale for curing fever, cough and control of blood sugar level for diabetics.

As fresh Balsam pears are avaiable all year round in free markets
and even super markets all year round for making salad or cooking, why bother to think about how to store them ?

FinallyI hope my information is to some extend helpful to you.