Carambola has a sweet, slightly pungent aroma. Some compare it to a mixture of papaya, orange and grapefruit flavors, while others consider it to be similar to a pineapple and lemon combination. The fruit can be sliced ​​and enjoyed on its own, but it can also be added to other foods and drinks. Below are some tips on how to eat star fruit and what to make from it.

If you prefer it in kind

Eat only yellow star fruit. The ripe fruit is firm and has a bright yellow skin.

The brighter the skin, the sweeter the fruit will be. A yellow fruit with a bit of brown around the edges, this is a perfectly ripe carambola.

One fruit contains about 30 calories. It is also a source of fiber, vitamin C, carbohydrates and water.

If you are interested in how to eat carambola by itself, we answer: you can beautifully cut it into identical star slices and enjoy.

Wash the carom fruit before slicing it. Rinse it under running water and scrub it with your fingers until any dirt lurking in the crevices is washed away. The entire fruit is edible, so you don't need to peel or remove seeds before eating.

Some are interested in how to eat carambola, and whether it can be done at all if there are health problems. It should be avoided by those with kidney disease. The fetus contains a neurotoxin that healthy kidneys can filter out, but weakened kidneys are unable to do so.

Be sure to see your doctor if you experience symptoms of "cannon drunkenness" after consuming the fruit. Symptoms include insomnia, hiccups, vomiting, numbness, muscle cramps or reduced strength and confusion. These symptoms appear after a different time - from 30 minutes to 14 hours after a person consumes carom fruit. In rare cases, intoxication can even lead to death.

So if you have no health problem, you can eat this fruit. Let's consider how to use it in combination with other foods and foods.

How to eat carambola with other ingredients?

Add it to your fruit salad. Mix the slices with others for a bold combination and juicy sweet taste. Fruits that go well with carambola are banana, strawberry, kiwi, mango, pineapple, papaya, grapes, and citrus fruits.

You can season this with diluted lemon juice, honey, syrup, or fruit nectar to add another aspect of the flavor. To enhance the exotic flavor of the dish, you can sprinkle all the ingredients with grated coconut.

Alternatively, you can make carambola with green lettuce. Combine sweet pepper, avocado and add slices of this in there. Stay away from traditional vegetable salad ingredients such as carrots, cucumbers and grated hard cheese. You can season this dish with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, raspberry syrup, or even a hot French sauce.

You can also use carambola as an exotic side dish. Decorate any dishes carefully. They will go well with both sweet cakes and ice cream, as well as with meat or chicken. Bon Appetit!

Carambola (carambole) is the fruit of an evergreen tree that is native to East and South Asia. In these regions, the fruit is a daily product. The originality of this fruit lies in its amazing taste, which combines notes of apple and cucumber, as well as in an exotic form that resembles the shape of a star, which is why carom is also called a star apple.

Today carambola is popular throughout the European continent and is of great interest to those who have not yet had a chance to taste it. This article will tell you about what this amazing fruit looks like, what are his useful and harmful properties, as well as it will be possible to learn about the ways of eating carom in food.

Description of the fruit carom

The tree on which the fruit grows reaches a height of eight meters. The fragrant flowers of the plant are gathered in a panicle and have a beautiful purple color. The leaves are dark green in color and have a smooth surface and reach a length of up to thirty centimeters, and in the lower part, the leaves are covered with pubescence.

The fruits, golden yellow in color, have a ribbed shape resembling an airship, and when cross-sectioned, the carom resembles the shape of a star. Carom is distinguished by its incredible juiciness and meatiness. To size the star fruit is small - about six to eight centimeters. Starfish is prized for its incredible taste, which combines the flavor of cucumber, apple, grape and plum, and the sweetness of the fruit depends on its ripeness. In addition to its taste, this fruit is also appreciated for the fact that it has a very long shelf life.

Beneficial features

As a rule, carom sold in stores in Russian cities are fruits that were plucked while still green and ripened during transportation time therefore their usefulness is greatly diminished. You can only benefit from star fruit if you have been able to consume a ripe fruit that has been picked recently.

Ripe carom fruits have the following benefits:

1. Thanks to ascorbic acid, the immune system is strengthened and the defenses of the whole organism are mobilized.
2. Thiamin (B1) improves the functioning of the digestive and nervous systems.
3. Riboflavin (B2) helps to normalize the functioning of the thyroid gland, as well as to improve the overall composition of the blood and the appearance of the skin.
4. Pantothenic acid (B5) stimulates and improves the production of hormones by the adrenal glands, normalizes the content of hemoglobin and cholesterol in the blood, and also prevents heart disease, allergies and colitis.

Official medicine has not conducted research on the benefits of this fruit, but traditional healers from Asia claim that carom helps in the treatment of the following diseases:

• hemorrhoids;
• diarrhea;
• dizziness and headache;
• chickenpox;
• gallbladder diseases;
• hangover syndrome;
• hypertension;
• various skin diseases.

Harm of carambola

Carom contains oxalic acid, which makes it necessary to limit the use of this fruit to those people who have been diagnosed with the following diseases:

• ulcers of the stomach and duodenum;
• enterocolitis;
• gastritis;
• renal pathology.

It is worth noting that only excessive consumption of this fruit can be harmful for the above diseases.

How to eat carambola

It is surprising that this star fruit is consumed in each country in its own way. Carambol can be eaten raw, baked, or used exclusively with fruit juice. For example, people in China like to eat carambola with seafood, and in some countries, the star-shaped fruit is used for making jam and drying.

The beauty of carambola is that it can be used to make sweet dishes such as sorbets, puddings, juices, jellies, and purees, as well as first and second courses. Unripe fruits go especially well with meat, stews and salads; in addition, carom can be pickled.

How to grow a star fruit at home

Growing a plant on your own at home is an absolutely simple task and anyone can handle it. Carambol is easily propagated by seeds, and after five years the first fruits will appear.

In order to plant this plant at home, the seeds should be removed from the ripe star fruit and placed in moist, loose soil. Good for planting finished soil mixture for palm trees.

It often happens that the carom grown at home can differ from the mother's fetus in shape, color and taste, therefore, in order to achieve the desired result, it is necessary to grow several specimens at the same time. After the first fruiting, it will be possible to determine the tree that will have the most delicious fruits.

Plant care at home

In order for the tree to feel comfortable, the following simple rules must be observed:

1. The best time to plant seeds is in February.
2. The planting depth should be no more than one and a half centimeters.
3. After immersing the seeds in the soil, cover the pot with glass or foil. Before sprouts appear, the plant should be watered while drying the top layer of the earth.
4. Every year, in May, the crown of the tree should be thinned and the vertical shoots should be shortened.
5. Until the age of five, it is necessary to transplant the tree every year in a flowerpot seven centimeters wider, and after five years, the transplant can be carried out once every three years.
6. In summer, in hot weather, the plant needs daily watering and spraying of the crown, and in winter, the tree must be watered twice a week and kept in a bright place at a temperature of no higher than fifteen degrees.

A person strives for everything unusual - he travels, gets to know new people, relishes with pleasure unfamiliar cuisines of the whole world. But most of all we enjoy trying exotic fruits. They come in different shapes, tastes and smells. One of the most amazing fruits of Southeast Asia is carambola. Carambola is often called the star apple because of its unusual shape. Cut lengthwise, carambola looks like a five-pointed star, which can be used to decorate any dish.

The benefits of carambola

This fruit is packed with many vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Its use is very beneficial for humans.

1. Carambola is an incredibly low-calorie product. There are only 35 calories per 100 grams of pulp. Therefore, this fruit can be eaten without restriction by those who follow their figure.
2. Vitamin B1, which is contained in the pulp of this exotic fruit, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system. With regular consumption of carambola, a person becomes less irritable, calm, and balanced. In addition, 10 minutes after eating the fruit, mood improves, vigor appears, and efficiency increases.
3. Carambola is saturated with various acids, which allows the fruit to have a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland. Consistently eating the fruit reduces the risk of food allergies, heart disease, and arthritis.
4. This fruit is considered to be the best beauty remedy. Consuming it regularly will guarantee you strong nails, healthy hair and hydrated skin.
5. Carambola contains thiamine, which affects digestion. This fruit improves appetite, which is especially important for children, the elderly, as well as those who are sick at the stage of rehabilitation after serious illnesses.
6. Sri Lankans use carambola juice to whiten teeth, remove various stains from clothes and metal products.
7. Carambola strengthens the immune system, helps to quickly cope with colds, improves the body's resistance.
8. And carambola is also successfully used to relieve hangover. The juice of this fruit quenches thirst, relieves intoxication, fights headaches.

All the beneficial properties of this unusual fruit tell us what starfruit needs to eat! And as much as possible, if you have, of course, if such an opportunity.

How to choose carambola

Like a banana, the fruit can be yellow, sweet and soft, or green and tough. Oddly enough, but the inhabitants of Asia appreciate the latter type of carambola more. They believe that there are more beneficial properties in an unripe fruit. You can choose the fruit you like the most. It depends on your preference, whether you like everything sugary sweet or prefer fruit with a sour taste. The narrow ribs of the carambola should be clearly separated, the edges of the fruit should be fleshy and moderately soft.

The carambola tastes like a mixture of gooseberry, apple and plum. Some people clearly sense orange and even cucumber in carambola. You can be sure of only one thing - to feel the taste of carambola, you need to try it.

The fruit is brought to Russia unripe; on the way, it almost ripens. You can store carambola bought in a store for 2-4 weeks, depending on its initial condition.

However, it is impossible to get carried away with carambola for those who suffer from increased acidity of the stomach. The fruit is also contraindicated in kidney disease.

How to eat carambola

Some inhabitants of the planet, living far from the place where this exotic fruit is grown, do not even know if it can be eaten. And if so, how to do it?

1. The fruit is very easy to eat - it is completely edible. But first, you need to wash it thoroughly. Especially a lot of dust gets stuck between the edges of the fruit, in the depressions.
2. Slice the fruit across so that there are several 1 cm wide stars in front of you.
3. Crumbola can be eaten straight with the pits and skins, however some people prefer to completely peel the fruit. To do this, you need to pierce the center of the sprocket with a knife to peel the soft seeds from the fruit. Then carefully cut the edges of the fruit with a thin knife to remove the black streaks and yellow rind.
4. In addition to gastronomic satisfaction, carambola creates an aesthetic pleasure. She is decorated with glasses of cocktails, desserts, ice cream, pastries. Beautiful yellow stars can decorate any dish.

To get the most out of the product, carambola, like any other fruit, must be eaten fresh. However, some dishes can be prepared from this juicy fruit.

Recipes with carambola

If you have a lot of carambola in stock, you can make a lot of healthy and tasty dishes from it.

1. In China, carambola is used for stuffing fish. The fruit is finely chopped, mixed with lemon and other citrus fruits, stuffed with this fish before baking. This filling gives the fish an incredible aroma and sweet and sour taste.
2. If you mix carambola juice with orange and gelatin, you get a very tasty jelly. This dish has found its popularity in Hawaii.
3. Carambola is a great sauce for meat dishes. It is mixed with chopped celery, horseradish, vinegar and spices.
4. The sweet and sour taste of carambola juice is often used as a salad dressing. The fruit gives an unusual taste to even the most common foods.
5. If the carambola is unripe and has not gained sweetness, it is successfully used as a vegetable. Vegetable stew is made from carambola, fruit is added to salads, stewed and pickled.
6. Carambola is not considered an allergen, therefore mashed potatoes from this fruit are often the first in Asian babies.

If you have the opportunity to eat carambola, do not refuse it. Taste the juicy sweet and sour fruit and indulge in the benefits of this exotic fruit.

Video: how to eat carambola fruit

This unusual exotic fruit looks like a star and is eaten in Europe and East Asia. It is a sweet and sour fruit that can quench your thirst and is rich in vitamins.

Carambola is an exotic fruit that is eaten in Europe and East Asia. It is a sweet and sour fruit that can quench your thirst and is rich in vitamins.

Carambola is an evergreen tree that can grow to a height of 5 meters. Growing at home is possible.

The taste of yellow fruits is sour in taste, and evil ones are sweet. It has a pleasant refreshing and slightly pungent taste, a bit like pineapple or lemon.

Where does Carambola grow?

Carambola trees can be found in the Indonesian forests, in the USA, in Southeast Asia. The most favorable climate for it is tropical and subtropical; it dies during low temperatures.
Ripening season.
The carambola season is from October to October in Thailand, but you can find it on the market in any season.

Composition and use of cannon.

Carambola fruits are rich in vitamins and organic acids. It is a source of vitamin C, B1, B2, B5. The flowers of the fruit are used as medicine. In India, it is used as a remedy for bleeding, for hemorrhoids. Dry leaves are useful as a remedy for diarrhea.
Leaves and fruits are boiled in Brazil - it serves as an antiemetic. The washed leaf can be applied to the temples to relieve severe headaches. Shredded leaves with shoots are used for ringworm. And the root of the fruit is used for poisoning.
Crushed seeds are used for colic and as a sedative. Ion is known for its blood pressure-lowering properties and serves as a good defender of the immune system. A very good helper for vitamin deficiency.

How to choose the right carambola?

To choose the right carambola, you need to pay attention to the condition and color of the fruit. The fruit itself should not leave any dents when pressed, should not be soft. The smell is similar to jasmine flowers. There should be no cracks or damage on the fruit. The size of the fruit doesn't matter. The ripe fruit does not have to be large.

How is carambola eaten?

The fruits are eaten after peeling the peel. You can pickle, dry, that is, in any form. Carambola can simply serve as a decoration on the table. It tastes like gooseberries when pickled.
The fruit can be used as a vegetable and eaten raw.

What can be made from Carambola?

Carambola is good with any combination. It can be baked, fried, eaten raw. The easiest recipe for carambola is salad. It is necessary to take the same amount of fruit (apple, banana, orange, kiwi, grapes, pomegranate grains), cut, sprinkle with grated chocolate and pour over with liqueur.

Carambola - star fruit - is a typical representative of the tropical fruit kingdom.

It does not grow in our latitudes. Its unusual appearance and rich exotic taste attract fans to try something new.

Some are disappointed after the first acquaintance with carambola: apart from the shape, there is no zest, while others are truly delighted with the complex combination of flavors and explosive freshness of the fruit.

What is carambola, what and how is it eaten? A little about everything.

Appearance of carambola

Today carambola is no longer a curiosity. It can be found practically all year round on the shelves of large supermarkets and large markets.

Of course, carambol is still a long way from the popularity of lemons and oranges, which can be found even in the shops of remote villages, but you cannot call it a novelty either.

A bright yellow, oval and coarsely ribbed fruit, the cross section of which imitates an asterisk, is known to most housewives walking in step with the times.

The main advantage and distinctive feature of carambola is its high aesthetics.

Smooth, translucent pulp, with the finest skin, unusual shape, subtle aroma and interesting taste is an ideal product for decorating the table.

It is for the decoration of dishes that carambola is most often bought..

If you cut it across into thin slices, then from one fruit you get a whole slide of cute, bright stars, which, moreover, go well with salads, desserts, cheese and meat snacks.

Carambola can be eaten without anything, like an apple or a pear, but all its charm is manifested precisely in combination with other products.

Starfish often complement glasses with cocktails, both alcoholic and refreshing, thrown into champagne glasses - this serving option is suitable for a New Year's or Christmas dinner.

The fruit is placed in ice-cream bowls, cakes and cakes are decorated with it. In a word, universal applicability.

The taste of carambola cannot be described in words, but let's try. Typical fruity notes, juicy, firm, crunchy flesh, depending on the degree of ripeness, the taste may be more sweet or sour.

Those who have tried carambola describe its relish in different ways: a mixture of grapes, apples and plums, or an orange, apple, cucumber. In general, it is better to try it once in order to form your own opinion about the characteristics of this unique fruit.

Starfish grows in humid, hot tropics: Brazil, parts of Asia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and others.

How to choose and eat carambola

Choosing carambola is easy. Take the fruit you like outwardly - without creases, cracks. Fruits of optimum ripeness are yellow with thin brown stripes along the sharp edge of the ribs.

Green carambola will be slightly sour, good for serving in soft drinks.

Keep in mind that all the fruits that are in stores are plucked unripe - this is necessary for successful transportation, so you will not be able to buy overripe carambola.

Starfruit (another name) is stored in the refrigerator - two to three weeks.

In order to eat carambola, it does not need to be peeled or boiled. It is enough to rinse under running water and cut into thin slices. It is in this form that the carambola most often ends up on the table.

The fruit is tasty on its own, it also goes well with cheese, olives, other fruits, sweets. Excellent juices, jellies, jams are prepared from carambola. It will make any salad more interesting and fresh.

The Chinese prefer carambola with fish, often pickled. In Europe, carambola is used to make exquisite sauces for meat, added to vegetable stews.

The fruit is suitable for any purpose, just like any other fruit more familiar to us, so we will not reveal any secrets about the intricacies of its use. Imagine and experiment - the kitchen loves that.

What's under the skin?

It is impossible not to mention the chemical composition of carambola and its benefits for the body. This unusual fruit is a great source of available minerals and vitamins.

It contains a lot of vitamin B1, C, E, PP, A, E, selenium, phosphorus, sodium and zinc, copper, iron, the percentage of calcium, potassium, sodium, etc. is especially high.

Oxalic acid predominates among acids.

Carambola is rich in fiber, contains a small amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates - an excellent dietary product, with a calorie content of only 30 kilocalories per 100 grams.

Carambola - benefits

It is unlikely that any of our compatriots will actively use carambola for medicinal purposes - it is expensive and there are always more affordable, familiar analogues.

But where carambola grows, it is used to get rid of a variety of ailments and improve the general condition of the body.

1. Starfruit helps to normalize the functioning of the reproductive system.

2. Eliminates nausea and vomiting, toxicosis of pregnant women.

3. Helps relieve asthma attack.

4. Stabilizes blood pressure.

5. Perfectly strengthens the nervous system.

6. Stimulates kidney function.

7. The fruit is useful for restoring the work of the stomach after suffering diarrhea, poisoning.

8. In case of colds, carambola helps to reduce the intensity of headache and joint pain.

9. Participates in the processes of hematopoiesis, increases the level of hemoglobin.

10. Treats hemorrhoids, relieves pain, stops bleeding.

11. Saves from vitamin deficiency.

12. Carambola has a positive effect on the condition of the skin. Its soothing and antipruritic effect is especially valuable for chickenpox, eczema, lichen.

13. Increases milk flow in lactating women.

14. Has a preventive effect - prevents heart disease, blood vessels, arthritis.

15. One of the best dietary fruits to help normalize weight.

The use of starfruit has a positive effect on mood, gives strength, activates the body's hidden resources in difficult situations.

Carambola harm

Also, carambola is contraindicated in patients with renal dysfunction.