Star Apple (Udara/Agbalumo) Wonderful Health Benefits

Star apple is popularly known as Udara in Igbo language and Agbalumo in Yoruba language and botanically called Chrysophyllum Albidum is a seasonal fruit. In Nigeria, it comes out during the dry season between December and April. I travelled over the weekend to eastern Nigeria and seeing star apple reminds me again that we are in December. Star apple also called white star apple is one of the fruits my siblings and I look forward to enjoying whenever we travelled for the Christmas holiday. Its inner fleshy pulp is star/apple shaped and maybe that was where it got the name star apple from.

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Udara otherwise known as Agbalumo has a sweet, tender inner flesh and a chewable edible skin. It brings out delicious milky juice when squeezed. 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. Star apple tree is a giant one just like the iroko tree. Read on to see how you can benefit health-wise from this small but mighty fruit.

5 HEALTH BENEFITS OF STAR APPLE

1. Yhis fruit helps with weight loss. The fruit is very ideal for those watching their weight because it contains fiber which reduces appetite for food thereby preventing too much eating. It also eases digestion hence preventing constipation and bloating.
2. Udara/Agbalumo like most fruits is surely a healthy food because it contains a small amount of fat and is low in calories.
3. It contains vitamin c that helps in the treatment of a sore throat, toothache, and mouth gum disease. The bark of the tree is used in the treatment of malaria and yellow fever, while the leaves, seeds, and fruits are also useful for treating wounds, stomach-aches, diarrhea, diabetes and vaginal infections.

   

4. Most pregnant women like this fruit because of the acidic taste that helps prevent the urge of vomiting during pregnancy. Also, the sweet sour taste of Udara can solve issues like a sore throat, constipation, and indigestion.
5. This exotic fruit is seasonal and a great source of calcium. This fruit provides you with up to 10% of your necessary daily calcium eating. Calcium helps in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. It is therefore good to devour this nutritious fruit whenever it is in season.