Eating Star Fruit (Carambola)
Benefits of Star Fruit include chock-full of vitamin C, a good source of fibre. Good for reducing inflammation, may give a good night’s sleep, and keeps the digestive system regular.
The unripe fruit is translucent, green and firm whereas the ripened one is amber, yellow, and juicy. Their flavour ranges from sour to sweet.
Star fruit, also known as Carambola, is a sweet, tart-tasting fruit native to Southeast Asian countries. Carambola trees grow well in the climates of such countries but also thrive in US territories, particularly in Florida and Hawaii. These areas have the ideal climates for growing carambola trees. Without having to import star fruit from too far away, you can taste the exotic fruit for yourself when it’s most fresh. So, when is star fruit season?
Star fruit is most fresh during the two main carambola blooming seasons, which are generally from June through September and November through February. You may still find star fruit throughout the year, although it might not be as fresh as in-season star fruit. In this article, we’ll discuss the carambola season according to different states and countries.
Health Benefits
Starfruit is an excellent source of immune-boosting vitamin C (about 57 per cent of the daily value per serving), which is why you should reach for it during cold and flu season. Vitamin C also assists with collagen synthesis, a protein that keeps skin, hair, and nails healthy and strong. Also, it scavenges disease-causing free radicals and fights infections.
women should consume about 25 grams of fibre a day, and star fruit can help you meet that goal. Gives 2.8 grams of fibre while citrus fruit hd 2.3. what’s more, star fruit also contains insoluble dietary fibre, which adds bulk to the digestive system and helps keep us regular.
Dietary fibre prevents the absorption of LDL Cholesterol in the intestinal lining, reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and obesity.
Start fruit is a good go-to for low-carb, low-sugar eaters. A medium-sized star fruit provides a little more than six grams of carbohydrates and around 3.62 grams of sugar.
For those first embarking on a low-calorie ketogenic style diet, star-fruits are it. An average-sized portion has only 28 calories. So, don’t be shy about adding these sweet-n-sour delights the next time you have a salad or smoothie.
According to the World Health Organization, anaemia is prevalent among young children and pregnant women. Iron-deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia, occurring when the body is low in iron. Iron is essential to synthesize red blood cells and to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
Medium-sized star fruit has only 0.08 mg iron but its vitamin C plays a key role in boosting iron absorption. This leads to increased production of blood cells and helps ward off fatigue and lightheadedness, the classical symptoms of anaemia.
Due to the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and steroids, carambola has anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Compared to ripe or mature fruits, green or unripe ones have higher inhibitory action against microbes.
Star fruit leaves work against gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus mutans) and gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Carambola leaf extract had higher anti-microbial activity as compared to passion fruit and papaya leaf extract, says a comparative study.
The flavonoids in star fruit such as quercetin, epicatechin, and gallic acid can help prevent inflammation. With their antioxidant properties, these compounds neutralize harmful free radicals causing inflammatory diseases. The vitamin C in star fruit is also anti-inflammatory and can reduce swelling in joints
May give a good night’s sleep the next time you wake up with irritability, puffiness, or bags — all signs that you’re not getting enough shut-eye – turn to star fruit for help. The fruit is loaded with magnesium (10 g per 100 g serving), a sleep-promoting mineral. Magnesium does this by maintaining levels of GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid), an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
Star fruit keeps the digestive system regular
The inner fleshy fruit and the waxy peel of star fruit provide both soluble and insoluble fibre. Dietary fibre helps maintain bowel health and improves nutrient uptake and bioavailability of minerals and vitamins. Not only feed the gut bacteria but nourishes the GI tract well.
Traditionally, carambola leaves decoction is used to flush out inflammation-causing bacteria and toxins.
With high levels of pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), folate, and riboflavin, star fruit can influence the metabolic processes and make them a little more efficient. These vitamins play a part in everything from nervous coordination and energy metabolism to circulation and cognitive control.
weight loss
With very few calories per fruit, this tropical treat won’t compromise your calorie goals, if you are trying to cut body fat. In fact, it’s a great evening snack to munch on when hunger pangs strike. Furthermore, it is full of fibre, vitamins, and minerals that can speed the metabolism, which would be a great help for the weight loss journey.
Meeting eight glasses of water per day seems like a daunting task on some days. But it’s still important to drink plenty – especially on hot, humid days, or post-workout. So, here’s the catch – eat star fruit; Carambola is one of the most hydrating fruits with 91.4% water by its weight.
A word of caution: People with kidney problems should avoid star fruit because it has high levels of oxalic acid.
Heart-friendly fruit
With a moderate amount of calcium (3mg per 100 g), star fruit can reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes by relieving tension in blood vessels and arteries. A study by Jenita Doli Tine Donsu et al concluded that starfruit juice can be used as a complementary therapy to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients suffering from hypertension.
Research shows that carambola has a hypolipidemic effect and can prevent the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by lowering total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Suggested that the methanolic extract of Averrhoa carambola (A. carambola) leaf (MEACL) could be developed as a lipid-lowering agent. Researchers orally administered a High-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats with MEACL for five weeks. The analytical results showed that MEACL decreased the body mass index (BMI), atherogenic index, and hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides in the rats.
Medicine
Carambola leaves have been used to treat headaches, upset tummy, and gastroenteritis. Powdered star fruit seeds are found to have positive effects on relieving asthma and colic infections.
Star Fruit Is Not For Everyone
Allergies: While star fruit allergies are uncommon, first-timers are recommended to try a small amount to see how the body reacts.
Toxicity: People with kidney failure or chronic kidney disease should avoid star fruit because the kidney cannot filter out certain compounds in it. Hiccups, nausea, weakness, low back pain, and fever have been documented in a few cases.
Kidney Stones: As mentioned earlier, people with kidney stones should completely avoid them. Starfruit contains 50000-95800 ppm of oxalic acid per 100 g serving. Being an anti-nutrient oxalic acid may interfere with nutrient absorption and mineral metabolism. Overdoing may even lead to oxaluria, a condition that leads to stone formation.
Drug Interactions: Star fruit inhibits the enzyme CYP3A4, which is responsible for the metabolism of 50% of all drugs and medicines. Hence, you should avoid eating starfruit if you are on prescription medication.
Eat Star Fruit
Star fruits taste great just as it is, sliced for a quick morning snack or a colourful starry addition to mixed fruit salads. It can also be used to make smoothies mixed with Greek yoghurt. Fermented/unfermented star fruit juice, dehydrated slices, jam, and jelly are also popular among health freaks.