Bitter melons may look similar to cucumbers and are sometimes referred to as melons, but they are not actually related. These elongated green fruits are indeed quite bitter. However, one taste often leads to another; I find myself munching on a piece of salted bitter melon, thinking, “Wow, this is really bitter!” yet I continue to reach for more. If you come from a South, Southeast, or East Asian background, this experience might not be surprising. Known as bitter gourd in English and by various names around the globe, bitter melon is likely native to present-day Malaysia and is highly regarded as a functional food in traditional practices such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda.