African Star Apple (Udara/Agbalumo) Amazing Health Benefits
African star apple is commonly known as udala or udara in the Igbo language and Agbalumo in the Yoruba language.
The English name for this fruit is white African star apple |White Star Apple| African Cherry, and it is botanically called Chrysophyllum albidum.
The fruit is mostly found in African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon, and the Niger Republic.
Udara is also known as Agbalumo has a sweet, tender inner flesh and chewable edible skin. It brings out delicious milky juice when pressed.
Related >>> Star Apple (Udara/Agbalumo) Wonderful Health Benefits
African Star Apple is one of the fruits I and my siblings look forward to enjoying whenever we traveled for the Christmas holiday.
We love going to the stream because we will pass the udara tree on our way, we do not plug the fruits, we always wait for it to fall and it has never disappointed us.
The star apple tree is a giant one just like the iroko tree. The fruit’s fleshy pulp is star/apple-shaped and perhaps that was where it got the name star apple from.
Findings have it that when it is plucked from the tree, it is very acidic and very sour but when allowed to fall to the ground or for the rain to beat it, this fruit comes out very sweet and less acidic.
When is African Star Apple/Agbalumo in Season?
Its fleshy pulp is often eaten as a snack and it is equally common in both the urban and rural areas, particularly around Southern Nigeria.
In Nigeria, the African star apple is a seasonal fruit it comes out during the dry season between December and April.
Now, permit me to introduce you to some good news about the nutritious load of African Star Apple/Agbalumo/Udara goodness!
From the prevention of mouth gum disease to the tacking confronting of toothache along with sore throat, the benefit of taking Agbalumo goes on and on.
African Star Apple/Agbalumo/Udara Basic Nutrition
1 cup serving of fresh star apple contains 67 calories. Eating star apple as a snack is a good choice as the calories are low and it offers no fat
The milky juice that comes out of the fruit when squeezed or sucked is not only satisfying similar to the chewable skin, it also has some wonderful health benefits, highlighted below.
Amazing Health Facts of Udara/Agbalumo (African Star Apple)
- As with most fruits, it has low calories because of its little fat content so it is healthy food.
- Like most fruits, it has a low-calorie content due to its low-fat content and is, therefore a healthy diet.
- It is an excellent snack because its high fiber content provides a lot of nutrients that increase both satiety and aid digestion so it is very good for weight watchers.
- It has an astonishing amount of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). The sources of Vitamin C are not limited to citrus families – Guava has so much more!
- A recent study conducted in Nigeria on Udara / Agbalumo leaves performed on mice showed two potential medicinal uses:
- It could serve as a natural source of Anti-Oxidant booster, and
- The leaf extract contains Hypoglycemic (to treat Diabetes), although it also had toxic effects on some organs.
- Good for pregnancy
- Used in traditional medicine: Herbal practitioners are also known to use the tree bark to treat yellow fever and malaria, while the leaves are used to treat wounds, stomach aches, constipation, and diarrhea.
