>So is this what makes some cucumbers taste a little bitter?  Cucumbers are
>known to sometimes cause digestive upset.  Is this the chemical that's
>responsible?

Theola,

Though I'm not aware of any "real" studies conclusively linking the two,
I've seen many references in gardening catalogs that equate bitterness in
cucumbers with the "burp". So, I'd say it's a safe bet that at least a few
of the cucurbitacins are responsible, since they are the major bitter
principle in cucurbits (cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins, etc.).
On the other hand, other bitter cucurbits are used medicinally and/or eaten
purposefully (winter melon/bitter melon/balsam pear, etc.), and I couldn't
imagine doing so if all cucurbitacins caused immediate digestive problems. I
can't imagine eaten a balsam pear again, either, though... blech.

Ellie

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