Hazardous properties of carambola

Fruit harm is a speculative concept, incomparable in scale with useful properties.
  The only thing that should alert people with stomach or intestinal problems is a high content of oxalic acid. It can aggravate the following pathologies:

• gastritis;
• stomach ulcer;
• duodenal ulcer;
• colitis;
• kidney disease.

Excessive intake can upset the salt balance of the body, provoking the formation of kidney stones or kidney failure.
  Hiccups, vomiting, insomnia, muscle weakness, numbness are not excluded. These are markers of carambol intoxication. They can appear in half an hour or within half a day after tasting.
  As with any exotics, individual intolerance is possible. Therefore, for the first tasting, one fruit is enough.

Conclusion

Thai housewives polish copper and brass home accessories with the pulp of unripe fruits, remove stains from clothes. For us, this is a monstrous extravagance (given the price of fruit in supermarkets).

If you are lucky to visit his "homeland", do not forget to grab a few copies.

And unripe fruits bought will turn an ordinary fish or meat dish into an exotic dish.

Carambola is an evergreen, slowly-growing tree 5 m high with drooping branches and a dense, highly branched, rounded crown or shrub.

Leaflets are soft, dark green, smooth on top and covered with whitish pubescence from below. Leaflets are sensitive to light and come together at night.

The flowers are small pink or purplish red.

The carambola fruits are fleshy, crispy and juicy, slightly spicy, with massive ribbed growths, ranging in size from a chicken egg to a large orange. Ripe fruits are amber yellow or golden yellow. They are unusual in shape - similar to a ribbed airship. On the cross-section is a python-pointed star, hence one of the names in English is star fruit, i.e. fruit star, star fruit, another name is tropical stars. The peel of carambola is edible. The pulp is juicy, slightly spicy. There are two types of fruits: sweet and sour. The taste of some fruits resembles the taste of plums, apples and grapes at the same time, others - gooseberries with the smell of plums. In the tropics carambola with sour fruits is more appreciated.

To taste, juicy strong flesh of carambola resembles a harmonious combination of green gooseberries, apples and cucumbers. The taste of some varieties resembles the taste of plum fruits, apples and grapes at the same time, others - gooseberries with the smell of plums. In the tropics carambola with sour fruits is more appreciated. The aroma is strongest when the cannon is slightly boiled in syrup until soft.

Carambola seeds are ovoid, oblate, light brown, up to 1.2 cm in length.

Calorie Carambola

Low-calorie, dietary product, 100 g of which contains only 31 kcal. Carambola is indicated for use by overweight people.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of carambola

Karambola fruits contain organic acids (mainly oxalic), calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium. The vitamin complex of carambola is represented by vitamin C, beta-karate, vitamins B1, B2, B5, provitamin A. Little is known about the healing properties of carambola. In folk medicine of Asia, its leaves and flowers are used for medicinal purposes.

In India, fruits are used as a hemostatic agent, including for hemorrhoids, juice or dried fruits are used against fever. Canned candied fruits are used to reduce bile levels, against diarrhea, and also to relieve a hangover syndrome.

In Brazil, as a diuretic and in the treatment of eczema. A decoction of fruits and leaves is used as an antiemetic. Leaves attached to the temples relieve headaches, and crushed leaves and shoots help with chickenpox and ringworm. Flowers are used as an anthelmintic. Carambola roots with sugar are an antidote for poisoning. Glutomic acid was found in the leaves, stems and roots of the plant. A decoction of crushed seeds of carambola fruit acts as a milk product and is easily intoxicating. Powdered seeds of carambola fruit are used as a sedative for colic and asthma.

Carambola perfectly quenches thirst and reduces blood pressure, acts as an excellent laxative, increases the body's defenses (due to vitamin C), and thanks to magnesium it removes excess fluid from tissues. Very useful for vitamin deficiency. Carambola juice is much more effective than a regular pickle, relieves a hangover. In addition, with its help you can whiten dentures. To do this, hold them in a glass of juice for several hours. If the juice is too strong, you need to dilute it with a quarter of distilled water. Carambola helps with headaches, fever and colic.

Canned candied fruits of carambala are used against diarrhea, as well as to relieve hangover.

Hazardous properties of carambola

The presence of a large amount of oxalic acid in acidic varieties of carambola requires caution when consumed by suffering enterocolitis,

Today, a real abundance of exotic fruits is presented on store shelves. Not all people know their correct name, and they have no idea whatsoever about taste. In our article, we will take a closer look at the star fruit. First of all, let’s focus on how it is correctly called and in which countries it grows. We also need to consider how to choose a ripe fruit so that it delights with excellent taste and is useful for the body.

What is the name of the fruit "star"?

In Europe, this fruit is loved for its unusual shape. It is enough to cut it across - and the original decoration for the festive table is ready. In different languages, the name of the fruit of an interesting form sounds differently - starfruit, cannon, tropical star, star apple. And all of them perfectly characterize the appearance of the plant.

The correct name of the fruit with an asterisk, according to scientific classification, sounds like - carambola. It belongs to the acid family, a kind of woody plants Averroa. The fruits grow on trees with a dense crown, reaching a height of 3-5 meters, and wide leaves up to 50 centimeters long. Glossy to the touch has a ribbed surface. In the context, the fetus forms a five-pointed star.

Where does carambola grow?

The birthplace of the star fruit is Southeast Asia. In the wild, carambola grows on the island of Sri Lanka, in India and Indonesia. The plant is acclimatized in Brazil, Guiana, some US states (Hawaii, Florida), Israel. From these countries, forms are often imported to Russia.

Tourists can admire how carambola grows when visiting Thailand. The plant blooms several times a year. At this time, his crown is covered with beautiful, pink-lavender flowers. After about 2 months, green ribbed fruits are formed, inside of which are several seeds. As they ripen, the fruits turn yellow. The length of carambol does not exceed 15 cm. The ripening period of the fruit falls on May-August.

If desired, carambola is easily grown at home from an ordinary seed. The plant is unpretentious in the care, shade-tolerant, not afraid of drafts. Medium watering required.

Taste of exotic fruit

We can say for sure that this fruit is very juicy. But his taste can be completely different. Unripe fruits, namely in this form they are removed from trees for subsequent import to Russia, are obtained quite acidic, with an unpleasant aftertaste. This fruit is more like a vegetable, such as a cucumber. Ripe fruits with massive ribbed growths have a fairly sweet taste. Carambola is often compared to gooseberries, apples, cucumbers, grapes and even oranges. In one plant several taste notes are connected at once, therefore it is so difficult to describe this tropical fruit. Due to its high water content and sweet and sour refreshing taste, carambol easily quenches thirst.

Fruit "star" in the context has an almost regular shape of a five-pointed star, so it is often used for desserts. At home, carambola is stored in the refrigerator for about three weeks.

Composition and benefits for the body

One of the pleasant advantages of the star fruit is its low calorie content. 100 grams of juicy and ripe carambola fruits contain only 34 kcal. The pulp contains a large number of minerals important for the body (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and iron), as well as vitamins (C, B1, B2, B5, beta-carotene).

• weakened immunity and vitamin deficiency;
• headaches, dizziness, and fever;
• colic in the stomach and constipation.

Sweet and sour tropical fruits of an unusual shape are a source of antioxidants, have antimicrobial and antifungal effects on the body. The pulp of ripe carambola helps reduce glucose and cholesterol in human blood.

Asian healers use for medicinal purposes not so much the fruits as the leaves and flowers of the plant. But regular consumption of fruits will be enough to improve their condition and improve health.

Harm and contraindications

Due to the high content of oxalic acid, carambol may not be as useful as it seems at first glance. People with diseases of the kidneys, stomach and duodenum should refrain from eating sweet and sour fruits with juicy pulp. Oxalic acid can aggravate the course of diseases such as gastritis and enterocolitis. At the same time, the properties of this substance are used by residents of Asian countries in stain removal, as well as in polishing copper and brass.

Excessive consumption of carambola fruits can cause intoxication. Signs of this condition are hiccups, vomiting, numbness, muscle weakness, or insomnia. Intoxication occurs within 1-14 hours after the use of carambola.

How to choose ripe fruits?

Only fruits ripened on the tree have a sweet taste and pleasant jasmine smell. They differ in their characteristic bright yellow color and brown stripes on massive ribs. Unfortunately, they can be purchased only in places of direct cultivation of carambola. To import fruits over hundreds of kilometers, they still have to be picked green. Such fruits ripen directly on the store shelves or in a home refrigerator.

In Russia, choosing ripe carambola fruits will be quite difficult. Fruit "asterisk", presented in our stores, has a light green or pale yellow color. Until carambol is fully ripened and eaten, it should lie down at room temperature for several days or in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

How to eat fruit in the form of an asterisk?

The unusual form of carambola allows the use of sliced \u200b\u200bfruits into thin slices as a decoration for drinks, desserts, fruit salads and other dishes. However, the use of an exotic fruit with an asterisk in cooking is not limited to this.

In Asian countries, carambola is used in the preparation of many interesting drinks and dishes:

1. Sweet and sour fruit juice is added to alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, giving them an exquisite taste.
2. Unripe fruits are used as vegetables and are subject to frying, stewing and pickling.
3. Ripe carambola is boiled in syrup and served as a delicious dessert.
4. Sweet, naturally ripened fruits are used in making jam, marmalade and jelly.
5. In China, cooks add carambola to meat or fish dishes, and also make delicious sauce from it.

When used raw, the fruits are not peeled, but eaten directly with a smooth and thin skin. First, the carambola is washed well with dirt removed from the hollows and ribs, and then cut into 1 cm thick plates.

It is hard to believe, but the exotic beauty of carambola has a completely Russian sister - sour, a modest forest berry growing almost everywhere. It is no coincidence that recently appeared on the Russian shelves of carambol already fell in love with our mistresses: cocktails are decorated with exquisite fruit, added to stews, and on Victory Day, craftswomen prepare patriotic desserts with five-pointed cannon stars. But not only the beauty of carambola is famous: this fruit is the real pride of Asia.

Originally from the country of spices

Cannon, tropical star, starfruit and just carambola - Wikipedia has collected the most popular names for this oriental guest. The lands on which these fruits first appeared are Sri Lanka, India and the Spice Islands in Indonesia, the Moluccas, where traditionally Europeans favorite aromatic additives were grown, ...

Now amazing cannon trees grow in many warm corners of the planet - in Brazil, Florida, Hawaii, Israel and the tourist Mecca - Thailand. If you search on the net for what a carambola looks like, photos will be shown by charming elongated fruits with 5-6 ribs, often with a green or brown strip along the entire length. But experienced tourists assure: the pictures are not able to convey all the charms of this plant. Fruit trees are very tall, from 3 to 10 meters, bloom almost all year round with delicate pink and lavender flowers. The ripened fruits of the cannon are translucent and seem to glow in the sun, turning into small flashlights of 5-12 centimeters ...

Cut across the wedges, oriental lanterns become small pointed stars - for this natural beauty, carambola is appreciated all over the world.

How to grow a star tree at home

Good news for exotic gardeners: it’s easy to grow elegant carambol at home in harsh Russian conditions. And you need nothing for this: a fresh stone of carambola, bought in a metropolitan supermarket or brought from vacation.

Even if you do not know anything about the carambol plant, growing at home will not bring any difficulties. Planting star fruit seeds is better in February, in an apartment mini-greenhouse. After 2-3 weeks, the first sprouts make their way, and soon the cannon must be transplanted - it grows very quickly. Asian beauty loves warmth, fresh air and moderate watering - provide the new tree with good drainage so as not to ruin the plant. The direct bright sun is also capable of harming a tropical star. You need to transplant the cannon once a year - and with careful care, after a couple of years, small lanterns will appear on the tree.

In nature, star fruit comes in two flavors - sour and sweet. The color is also different for the carambola plant - the photo of the fruit can show the fruits are bright and soft green, yellow and brown-orange.

When you plant a cannon at home, you can never know in advance what kind of taste and shade you get — this tree loves surprises. Experienced gardeners plant several seeds at once, and then they pick the sweetest fruits and leave the necessary carambola to bear fruit further.

What is useful carambola?

Like many fruits from the tropics, carambola usually flies immature to our counters and keeps ripe on the way. But the most juicy, sweet and healthy tropical star is the one that has ripened on a branch, recently plucked and sold somewhere in a Thai bazaar. If you are on vacation in Asia, be sure to buy freshly picked carambola - that is when starfruit will give you all its healing power and sweetness.

The healing properties of carambola have been little studied even in its homeland, not to mention the Western countries, and in vain. The strong “star” pulp contains vitamin C, which strengthens the body, thiamine (B1) - the main doctor for our nerves, riboflavin (B2), which is responsible for the beauty of nails, skin and hair.

Minerals in the composition of star fruit - magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, etc. - allow the use of carambola as an additional tool for a variety of ailments. Decoctions of dried or fresh stars are used for fever, headaches.

Flowers and leaves of cannon are known in medicine even more than the fruits themselves - they have long been used as a diuretic and hemostatic, for infectious diseases.

Danger of a tropical star

Karambola pulp is full of oxalic acid - thanks to this in Sri Lanka carambola juice is valued as an excellent stain remover for clothes.

But this same acid can be dangerous for people with high acidity of the stomach, ulcers and gastritis, especially with exacerbation. No need to refuse carambola if you have just such a diagnosis - but let the Asian star decorate not your salad, but just a glass with a cocktail.

How to choose the most delicious carambola?

Carambola is a fruit with a riddle: it is so called only in ripe form, immature carom is an ordinary vegetable. But if you have enough gifts for the vegetable stew from the Russian garden, you must choose the right carom in the store and in a noisy market.

In appearance, the ripeness of the cannon is difficult to determine, but to find a quality fruit is quite. The fruit should be even juicy color, without damage and specks. Color - from greenish to yellow and light orange, ideally - with brown stripes on the tops of the ribs. If the cannon is not ripe, then you can put it to ripen in the kitchen, juicy and sweet fruit will stand in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

The taste of a ripened tropical star simply does not lend itself to description: someone compares it with "", someone with a dry apple. Many people think that carambola is like apple and plum at the same time, and most tourists are sure that the fresh taste of carambola is a mixture of cucumber and apple.

Cooking carambola

Those who are just getting acquainted with the Indonesian fruit often ask the question: carambola - how is this unusual asterisk? Ripe cannon is most often used for decoration: cocktails, ice cream, all kinds of salads, and they are eaten in pure form, simply cut into slices. Unripe vegetable cannons are especially appreciated in Asia - they are pickled, prepared with sweet and sour sauces, added to main dishes and baked with fish, meat and poultry.

If you are tired of traditional salads with, and other fruits of the tropics, you can cook baked pangasius with cannon.

You will need: fillet of any oily white fish (in our case, pangasius) 600 gr, carambola - 2-3 fruits, 2, lemon juice, greens.

We prepare the marinade: oil, lemon juice and soy sauce, fill in the fish, leave for 30 minutes. Three large carrots, pour on the foil, oiled, on a carrot pillow - pieces of pangasius, on top - slices of carom. We keep in the oven for about 30 minutes, then open the foil so that the fish are dried and the ends of the stars are browned (you can grill). Before serving, you can decorate with greens. That's all, simple, tasty and original ...