Hog plum, in Bengali we call it 'Aamra'. Sometimes it's known as Caribbean Golden Apple in English. Some where it's called as Spanish plums, scientific name Spondias mombin. Many sources have found that its old home were in Latin America. But it's largely taking at south-east Asia. This sweet-sour nutritious fruit is very popular in Bangladesh. From urban top skyscrapers to rural area, everywhere its demands are visible during season.
Usually in our place it's come during these rainy days. From last part of July this popular fruit is seen in the market places, departmental stores and most of the time on street hawkers' hand. In the Capital during season, this tropical tasty fruit is mostly sale in a different presentation.
Hawkers peel the fruit first, make four partially slices on the fruit and then pull off all the four slices partially from the body; the whole thing then seen just like a bloomed flower, which has four petals. And such tasty edible flower makes all aged people mouth-watering. Unripe fruits are sour or sweet-sour in taste. And the ripe fruit usually tastes sweet. Unripe and ripe both raw fruits are edible and demanded enough among us. And interesting is, it's also popular in cooked by making pickle. It has very low calories but full of antioxidant and edible fibers. Let's talk about the health benefits of Spondias -
* Per 100 gm fruit contains 46.04 mg Vitamin C. By taking regular a single golden apple can fulfill 39% to 49% of our daily Vitamin C demand, which increases the immune system and helps to produce collagen in our body. Vitamin C helps to bring back tastes in mouth, whenever we are not finding tastes because of fever, diarrhea, dysentery and other disorders. Rich amount of collagen helps to keep healthy skin, ligaments, tendons and cartilage.
* By taking a caribbean golden apple can fulfill our daily demand of iron's 15.5% to 35%, as per 100 gm fruit contains 2.80mg iron. For a proper overall works of the body, Iron is needed very much. Hemoglobin and Myoglobin carry the oxygen to everywhere of our body. And iron helps to produce these two important ingredients. Red blood cells are produced from Hemoglobin. So the term is here that foods which are rich in iron, are the great source of red blood cells. In a sense by taking golden apple, the intense of anemia can be reduced.
* It helps us to prevent various gum's and teeth's diseases.
* Its calcium works as the safety guard for our good teeth. It plays a very effective role to solve any problems in our gums. Taking this fruit regularly in season, may reduce the germs attacks and keep healthier teeth.
* Its plenty of edible fiber helps against indigestion and constipation.
There was an analysis on Antioxidant and its activities in 2010 organized by 'Cardiovascular toxicology', declared that plenty of antioxidant are in golden apple. And they compare this fruit with heart medicine Remypril. Their study found that golden apple can dramatically reduce the Cholesterol level of our blood and that's why they compare it with heart medicine Remypril. And I can easily say that to consume golden apple is good for our overall health.
The writer is a Sub-Editor (Feature) of The Asian Age
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