Star fruit is also known as carambola, is a star shaped tropical fruit with sweet and sour flavor. Carambola is native to Malayan peninsula and cultivated in many parts of Southeast Asia, Pacific islands and China for its fruits. Although abundant and plentiful, carambola is yet to gain popularity, especially in the western world. The fruit is recognized as belimbing manis in many South East Asian regions and kamrakh in India.
One cup of fresh starfruit contains 1.37 grams of protein, 41 calories and 3.7 grams dietary fiber.
Minerals:
Potassium - 176 mg
Phosphorus - 16 mg
Magnesium - 13 mg
Calcium - 4 mg
Sodium - 3 mg
Iron - 0.11 mg
Selenium 0.8 mcg
Manganese - 0.049 mg
Copper - 0.181 mg
Zinc - 0.16 mg
Also contains small amounts of other minerals.
Vitamins:
Vitamin A - 81 IU
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.018 mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.021 mg
Niacin - 0.484 mg
Folate - 16 mcg
Pantothenic Acid - 0.516 mg
Vitamin B6 - 0.022 mg
Vitamin C - 45.4 mg
Vitamin E - 0.2 mg
Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.
Benefits:
1 Star fruit juice is widely used in traditional and folk medicine in the Indian subcontinent. In parts of India and Bangladesh the juice of the fruit is used to treat fever and certain other infections. According to some practitioners of Ayurveda, the fruit can also be used in its ripe form as a digestive aid and tonic. The fruit is also used in traditional medicines to treat a variety of ailments from coughs and throat infections to diarrhea, food poisoning and toothaches. While the efficacy of star fruit as a panacea for all ailments is unlikely, there is no denying that it does offer several health benefits and researchers are currently investigating potential medicinal uses of the fruit and its extracts.
2 The use of carambola or star fruit for diabetes or pre-diabetes may be helpful as a study published in 2004 suggests that the high fiber content of the fruit demonstrates certain hypoglycemic properties that may help regulate blood glucose levels.
3 Star fruit is very rich in polyphenolic antioxidants like quercetin, epicatechin, vitamin C and even beta carotene. Antioxidants are natural substances that are found in foods, primarily in fruits and vegetables, but they can also be manufactured synthetically. Antioxidants are extremely important because of the protective action they offer against some types of degenerative cell damage because of free radicals. This off course doesn’t make the fruit some sort of miracle cure, but it would still be a good idea to include it in your diet, especially if you are at risk of degenerative conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s and so on.
4 Preliminary studies into the gastric anti-ulcerogenic effects of star fruit have been promising and indicate that extracts from the fruit may in fact help treat gastric ulcers because of a protective effect they have of beneficial gastric mucosa.
5 They may also be some merit to the use of star fruit for skin conditions, as the findings of a study that appeared in Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicate that the fruit contains certain anti-inflammatory properties that could offer relief in some cases.
6 The high fiber and low calorie content of the star fruit makes it the ideal ingredient for any weight loss diet.
7 The use of star fruit for hypertension and heart patients may also help as some natural health enthusiasts suggest that the fruit has a cholesterol lowering effect. No matter what the mechanism of its action, some studies do suggest that the fruit could actually offer hypotensive benefits to heart patients.
0 comments:
Post a Comment