Ambarella is a fruit bearing tropical tree and is native to Southeast Asia. Ambarella tree is widely cultivated in India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and in some parts of Africa for its fruits and leaves. Ambarella fruit is scientifically termed as Spondias dulcis and is commonly known as June plum in Bermuda & Jamaica, kedondong in Indonesia, pomme cythere in Trinidad & Tobago, buah long long in Singapore, golden apple in Barbados & Guyana, juplon in Costa Rica, cajarana in Brazil and jobo indio in Venezuela.
The Ambarella tree bear fruits abundantly from the month of September to the middle of January, it grows in dangling clusters for up to 12 fruits. The Ambarella fruits are medium to small in size, avg. 18 to 20 centimeter in diameter and 6 to 9 centimeters in length. The fruit is oval and ellipsoidal in shape, its skin is thin but tough that may bear some russeting and matures from green to yellow color. The green state of the fruit is the most popular version, to be gathered and consumed.
In the local markets of Asia, the green Ambarella fruits are the most commonly sold versions, while the yellow version is the more mature versions that are sold on a much smaller scale.
The underneath surface of the flesh is juicy, hard, dense and ranges in color from pale to white. In the center of the flesh, there is a fibrous pit, which contains a few flat seeds, and as the fruit matures, the tough nature of the pit extends into the flesh creating a tougher consistency. The Ambarella fruits are semi-juicy and crisp with a mild acidic, green flavor emitting notes of mango & pineapple. The fruit is versatile and can be consumed in both raw & cooked applications.
The Ambarella fruit have numerous health benefits such as enhancing the immune system, myocardial infarction or heart attack, preventing heart ailments like atherosclerosis, maintaining optimal vision, enriching skin texture and remedying the gut problems. The fruit is blessed with the goodness of glycoside group of antioxidants. Its plants help in maintaining the blood pressure level and turn away the risk of hypotension or hypertension. The leaves of the ambarella fruits are widely used as therapeutic agent as it contains saponin, tannins and flavonoids.
One serving of ambarella fruit provides;
-
233 IU of vitamin A
-
48kcal of energy
-
30mg of vitamin C
-
22grams of phosphorus
-
15mg of calcium
-
12grams of carbohydrate
-
3mg of iron
-
1gram of protein
Health Benefits of Ambarella Fruit
Here are some benefits of Ambarella fruit;
Helps in Weight Loss
The Ambarella fruit is an ideal fruit for the weight loss as it is low in carbohydrate, fat and high in dietary fiber. The fruit is low in calories and provides the required nutrients to the body. The water content of the fruit helps in preventing from overeating and provides a feeling of fullness.
Boosts Immune System
The Ambarella fruit is rich in vitamin C, it boosts the immune system and helps in improving the formation of collagen and accelerates the wound healing process. As the fruit contains antioxidants, it helps in preventing the free radical damage.
Improves Skin Health
The Ambarella fruit contain vitamin C that helps in repairing tissues and nourishes the skin. It helps in treating the skin disease, it increases the production of collagen & improves the beauty of the skin. The extract of boiled ambarella leaves can be used as a substitute to moisturizer or body lotion.
Improves Eye Sight
The Ambarella fruit has the profuse amount of vitamin A, and can be added in our daily diet to promote healthy eyesight in children & adult. The pulp of a fruit can be squeeze into a juice, and the slices of ambarella fruit can also be added in the salad on a regular basis to lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration & other vision problems.
Helps Treat Cough
The extract of the leaves of ambarella fruit helps in treating cough. Take 2 or 4 leaves of ambarella and boil this in 2 cups of water for few minutes. Strain it, and have it with honey.
