Star Fruit and Its Health Benefits

“Star Fruit” is the name of an interesting fruit that has star shape in the middle when we cut it. It is a native species of India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. And it is now gaining popularity in the United States. It has skin which is green and turn to yellow when it ripe. This lovely fruit is usually consumed as juice or fresh. Star Fruit is excellent source of Vitamin C and A, also has iron, high fiber content, copper, panthothenic acid and potassium. Moreover it is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. The table below is a list of the star fruit nutritional value.

Nutritional Value per 137g:

• Vitamin C 29mg
• Carbohydrate: 10.7g
• Fiber: 3.7g
• Calories: 45
• Protein: 0.74g
• Fat: 0.48g

General Information of Star Fruit

- Origin: Malaysia

- Varieties: Several, ranging from sweet to sour

- Tree: Height: 5-12m

- Fruit: length: 10-20 cm; diameter: 6-10cm; weight: 150-500gm
- Season: almost all year round
- Culinary uses: eaten as fresh fruit and in salads; a syrup; a pickle
- Other uses: medicinal; stain remover
- Scientific name: Averrhoa

Health Benefits of Star Fruit

1. Good for mothers as it is believed to stimulate the flow of milk
2. Helps to treat sore eyes
3. Lower the levels of cholesterol and also add bulk and moisture to feces
4. Can help treat headaches, ringworm and chickenpox by decocted the leaves and roots of star fruit.
5. Cures hangovers and prickly heat
6. Use a piece of the sweet variety for sunstroke
7. Eating a half piece of the fruit for nausea and indigestion problems (repeat after 3 hours)
8. Rich in Vitamin C, can helps to ward off winter clods also flu
9. Star fruit contains high fiber and low calorie content so it good as diet fruit
10. High of antioxidant and flavonoids’