Ambarella Fruit : Discover The Wonderful
Ambarella, scientifically termed as Spondias dulcis, is a tropical fruit-bearing tree that goes by several common names including June plum, golden apple, dwarf golden plum. This succulent summer produce confers numerous advantages for human health, such as enhancing immune system functions, preventing heart ailments like atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction or heart attack, enriching skin texture, maintaining optimal vision and remedying gut problems.
The ambarella crop thrives in hot, humid climates in tropical zones. It grows extensively in warmer parts of Asia and Africa, in many countries including India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Jamaica and Barbados. The ambarella tree is usually very tall, reaching a height of up to 20 m with branches that hold deciduous pinnate leaves. In the blooming period, the tree bears small, bright white-coloured flowers, that eventually bud into oval, green, or yellow fruits. The ambarella fruit is popular summer produce in many regions in India, much like the ubiquitous mangoes. The raw, green fruits are a bit sour in taste, hence they are sun-dried and made into jams and pickles, or eaten with salt and spices. The ripe yellow fruits have a delicious, crispy inner flesh, with a fibrous pit i.e a large seed in the center and are enjoyed in fruit salads as well as puddings and pastries.
Ambarella fruits display an impressive nutritional profile, being abundant in water content, proteins, healthy fats, natural sugars as well as vitamins C, A. Moreover, this exotic summer harvest is a treasure trove of essential minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron besides potent antioxidants namely flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins and cardiac glycosides.
It comes as no surprise then that ambarella fruits are sought out and consumed by many, for their marvellous health incentives, in addition to their immense therapeutic potential. Ambarella Fruit Health Benefits:
Augments Heart Function
Ambarella is blessed with the goodness of cardiac glycoside group of antioxidants. These plant compounds help to maintain normal blood pressure levels, thereby averting the risk of hypertension or hypotension. They also enable smooth flow of nutrients via blood vessels, preventing instances of bad LDL cholesterol clogging in the arteries, thus effectively keeping cardiac ailments at bay. Also Check Out: Amazing Foods To Reduce LDL Cholesterol – Infographic
Bolsters Immunity
Being inherently rich in vitamin C content, besides iron, ambarella works wonders to maintain defense mechanisms in the body. Eating the ambarella fruit or even having a side of a pickle with meals assists in the synesis of healthy white blood cells, required for combating foreign invaders and infections in the body. Vitamin C also improves the absorption of iron in the bloodstream, essential for healthy red blood cell synthesis as well as preventing anaemia and fatigue.
Cures Digestive Issues
Ambarella is packed with beneficial antioxidants such as flavonoids, terpenoids and tannins. These work in synergy to foster easy digestion, besides treating a host of common gastrointestinal complaints like bloating, indigestion, flatulence. The best time to eat ambarella is before a heavy meal of breakfast or lunch, to help activate gastric juices in the stomach and facilitate smooth assimilation of food.
Improves Eyesight
Bestowed with profuse amounts of vitamin A, ambarella fruits can be consumed regularly as part of the diet to help promote healthy eyesight in children and adults. Squeezing the pulp into a juice, adding a few slices to a salad, or simply biting into the ripe June plums on a regular basis lowers the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other vision problems in the later years.
Combats Skin Infections
The wealth of antimicrobial agents in ambarella fruit tackle common skin conditions such as dryness, psoriasis, rosacea and other blisters and wounds. Moreover, the antioxidants in June plum stimulate collagen synthesis, thereby slowing down ageing and diminishing wrinkles and fine lines.
Health Benefits of Ambarella
Leaves and the bark of ambarella are widely used as a therapeutic agent as it contains flavonoids, saponin and tannins. Fruit is dense in nutrients and improves overall health. One serving of ambarella fruit provides 48Kcal of energy, 1 gram of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrate, 233 IU of vitamin A, 30mg of vitamin C, 15 mg of calcium, 3 mg of iron and 22 grams of phosphorus. The fruit also contains dietary fibre and Vitamin B complex constituents like thiamine and riboflavin. Listed below are few of the health benefits of Ambarella
Helps Treat Cough
Leaves extract are quite beneficial for treating cough. About 3 or 4 fresh leaves of ambarella tree is boiled in two cups of water and allowed to stand for few minutes. The concoction is strained and usually taken with honey.
Fruit can also be used to treat cough. Two or three pieces of the ambarella fruit are shredded and the water is squeezed. A pinch of salt can be added to the extract and consumed thrice a day to relieve cough.
Controlling cholesterol levels
The fruit consists of good amount of vitamin C which helps to metabolize cholesterol into bile acids, which may have implications for blood cholesterol levels and the incidence of gallstones. So this fruit with vitamin C useful to control your cholesterol levels.
