Fruits AND Health

Sapote

2012-01-25T08:19:00.000+07:00

The sapote is credited with sustaining Cortez and his army in their historic march from Mexico City to Honduras. The fruit is of such importance to the Indians of Central America and Mexico that they usually leave this tree standing when clearing land for coffee plantations or other purposes. They generally eat the fruit out-of-hand or spooned from the half-shell. In urban areas, the pulp is made into jam or frozen as sherbet. In Cuba, fibrous types are set aside for processing.

A prominent dairy in Miami has for many years imported sapote pulp from Central America to prepare and distribute commercially as "Spanish sherbet". In Cuba, a thick preserve called "crema de mamey colorado "is very popular. The pulp is sometimes employed as a filler in making guava cheese.

The decorticated seeds, called zapoyotas, sapuyules, or sapuyulos, strung on sticks or cords, are marketed in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, and in Central America. The kernel is boiled, roasted and mixed with cacao in making chocolate–some say to improve the flavor, others say to increase the bulk, in which case it is actually an adulterant. In Costa Rica, it is finely ground and made into a special confection. Around Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, the ground-up kernel is mixed with parched corn, or cornmeal, sugar and cinnamon and prepared as a nutritious beverage called "pozol".

In Santo Domingo, the seed kernel oil is used as a skin ointment and as a hair dressing believed to stop falling hair. In Mexico, 2 or 3 pulverized kernels are combined with 10 oz (300 g) castor oil for application to the hair. In 1970, clinical tests at the University of California at Los Angeles failed to reveal any hair-growth promoting activity but confirmed that the oil of sapote seed is effective in stopping hair-fall caused by seborrheic dermatitis. The oil is employed as a sedative in eye and ear ailments. The seed residue after oil extraction is applied as a poultice on painful skin afflictions.

A seed infusion is used as an eyewash in Cuba. In Mexico, the pulverized seed coat is reported to be a remedy for coronary trouble and, taken with wine, is said to be helpful against kidney stones and rheumatism. The Aztecs employed it against epilepsy. The seed kernel is regarded as a digestive; the oil is said to be diuretic. The bark is bitter and astringent and contains lucumin, a cyanogenic glycoside. A decoction of the bark is taken as a pectoral. In Costa Rica a "tea" of the bark and leaves is administered in arteriosclerosis and hypertension. The milky sap is emetic and anthelmintic and has been used to remove warts and fungal growths on the skin.

Chokeberry

2011-11-29T18:28:00.001+07:00

Chokeberry, botanically, the fruit belongs to the rosaceae family of the genus aronia. Scientific name: Aronia melanocarpa.

At least two species of choke berries are cultivated widely, black and red. The plant bears numerous small, about 1 cm size fruits with relatively thick, pigmented skin. Red berries are sweeter in taste than black berries; the latter are slightly bitter in taste; however, black and blue berries are rather rich in anthocyanin anti-oxidants.

Health benefits of chokeberries:

Chokeberries are low in calories and fats but are rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber.
Black chokeberries compose significantly high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals called anthocyanins. Total anthocyanin content in the choke berries is 1480 mg per 100 g of fresh berries, and proanthocyanidin concentration is 664 mg per 100 g (Wu et al. 2004, 2006). Scientific studies have shown that consumption of berries on regular basis offers potential health benefits against cancer, aging and neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, and bacterial infections. (- By Dr. Paul Gross, 2007-07-09).
Laboratory analyses of anthocyanins in chokeberries have identified the following individual chemicals: cyanidin-3-galactoside, quercetin, peonidin, delphinidin, petunidin, epicatechin, caffeic acid, pelargonidin and malvidin. These flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants have proven health benefits through scavenging dangerous oxygen free radicals from the body.
Cancer research on anthocyanins, where black choke berry preparations were first used to inhibit chemically induced cancer in the rat esophagus by 30-60% and of the colon by up to 80%. Effective at both the initiation and promotion/progression stages of tumor development, choke-berries are a practical research tool and hold a promising therapeutic source, since they contain highest amount of anthocyanins among native North American berries [J. Agric. Food Chem. 50 (12): 3495–500].
They also rich in flavonoid anti-oxidants such as carotenes, luteins and zeaxanthins. Zeaxanthin has photo-filtering effects on UV rays and thus protects eyes from age related macular disease in the elderly (ARMD).
Chokeberries are also good source of many antioxidant vitamins like vitamin-C, vitamin A, vitamin E, beta carotene and folate and minerals like potassium, iron and manganese. 100 g of fresh berries provide about 35% of daily recommended levels of vitamin C.
The oxygen radical absorbency capacity or ORAC (measurement of antioxidant strength of food items) demonstrates choke berry with one of the highest values yet recorded -16,062 micro moles of Trolox Equivalents (TE) per 100 g.

Safety profile

Choke berry contains oxalic acid, a naturally occurring substance found in some fruits and vegetables, which may crystallize as oxalate stones in the urinary tract in some people. It is therefore, in individuals with known history of oxalate urinary tract stones may not have to eat too much of these fruits and, vegetables especially belonging to the brassica family. Adequate water intake is advised in these individuals to maintain normal urine output. Oxalic acid also interferes with the absorption of minerals like calcium and magnesium.

Upcoming Hybrid Cars

2011-11-26T06:15:00.000+07:00

Ever since hybrid cars first appeared in the automotive world, many people wonder exactly how well the hybrid car. Even today, when hybrid cars become more known to the public, the more frequently encountered on the roads than cars with gasoline fuel. Even the upcoming hybrid cars makers are determined to show off and offer the advantages of this modern technology. Famous car companies such as Kia, Porche, Infiniti, Toyota and Ford are also competing to produce the best hybrid cars that will come on the market.

KIA products are now refined and subtly futuristic. An interesting product is the Kia Ray concept car, this hybrid car designed to advance the power gasoline engine, battery, or a combination of gasoline engine and a battery according to the stand.

Porsche 918 spyder hybrid will look beautiful and elegant, with two seats are comfortable and luxurious. Powered by lithium-ion batteries, hybrid sports car is very economical to maintain and cheap hybrid cars. In addition, the vehicle is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds with a 500 horsepower V8 engine.

2012 Infiniti M hybrid, hybrid cars ahead, luxury sedans, the next generation, efficient and high performance. Generation of a machine capable of 360 horsepower while maintaining an impressive 32 mpg. Designed with specific details and future innovations, a new driving experience will offer.

Hybrid cars that will come promised better than it already is. Hybrid cars are designed to be environmentally friendly, and the car companies know that people want a car with their affordable and easy to get around them. Car manufacturers are investing in large quantities in the creation of new hybrid cars coming. With the advent of electric cars are really still on the distant horizon. Car companies now compete to ensure their artificial hybrid cars produce the lowest amount of emissions.

CO2 emissions are extremely damaging to the environment around us. Reducing the level of emissions is an enormous task, and the car manufacturers are very enthusiastic with it.

Imagine if in this world all have hybrid cars, and none of the emissions that damage the atmosphere. Until now, the main goal of all upcoming hybrid cars is to produce significantly less emissions, and become more accessible to more people around the world. Make no mistake, these cars are slowly integrating themselves into popular consciousness, and over time they will become more affordable and more easily considered as a potential new car for the average. Maybe it's almost time to wave goodbye to the internal combustion engine altogether.

Buckwheat

2011-10-19T02:26:00.002+07:00

Talk about buckwheat, Sprinkle Pistachio Salad At The Pennsylvania State University researchers recently gave unpleasant tasks to volunteers:

Eating 1.5 ounces of pistachios (about 1 handful) every day.
At the end of this 4-week study volunteers who chewed nuts in total cholesterol levels dropped an average of 6.7% and LDL cholesterol fell 11.6%.
This decline has great health benefits. Decrease in total cholesterol by about 7% lower risk of heart disease up to 14%.

Pistachios are one of the best sources of plant sterols. These compounds are known to reduce cholesterol absorption.

Keep in mind one ounce contains about 160 calories. So, less seasoning if sprinkled some pistachio salad.

Or reduce the butter and oil. Use buckwheat honey, honey has been used for treatment since ancient times.

If applied on wounds, honey is a natural antibacterial ointment. Researchers now say, the efficacy of honey deeper.

Laboratory trials showed that honey slows the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Oxidation of LDL cholesterol lead to plaque in blood vessels. The best type of honey in slowing oxidation is Buckwheat.

Blueberry

2011-10-19T01:59:00.002+07:00

The fruit that grows in the summer in North America, grows wild like a bush, a lot of properties contained therein. For the efficacy of Blueberry (Vaccinum corymbosum) are:

Its function is able to have a potassium content of blood pressure control for patients with hypertension, prevent the development of vascular damage to the kidney, the glomerulus, and tubules, Lower risk of stroke, Lower urinary calcium excretion and decreasing kidney stone formation Lowering bone demineralization (osteoporosis) Lower risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ischemia heart, heart failure, and right ventricular hypertrophy.
Containing iron can increase blood-forming substance, here is very good for women.
In the anthocyanin compounds contained in phytonutrients Where anthocyanins act as anti-oxidants (Oxidants are free radicals that will stick with the cell membrane and damage as well as the genetic material of cells). Preventing aging malicious function.
Manganese-containing chemical elements that are anti-inflammatory substances. Smoking also causes inflammation of the blood flow smooth. Increasing memory capacity. This is expressed by doctors Jeremy Spencer, from the Department of English Department of Food Bioscience. He said, scientists have proved the potential and health benefits of fresh fruit. "Riset we proved that blueberries are very good for you and can increase the memory capacity," he said as quoted by the BBC.
Keeping the substance that makes nitric oxide remains flexible artery walls which is a condition that can prevent heart disease.
Containing ciprofibrate to help lower cholesterol, which in turn may protect the liver are still many abortion of vitamins A, C, calcium, phosphorus and other essential minerals. Another benefit of the roots of blueberry fruit is processed into tea can relieve pain during childbirth and relax the mother, and leaves are also drunk as a tonic for the blood booster purify the body and relieve cough.

Almond

2011-10-18T23:53:00.001+07:00

Almond oil is produced from sweet almond (Prunus amygdalus) and bitter almond (amygdalus amara Aprunus).

Sweet almond oil is used as a carrier oil unt uk blended with essential oils are beneficial for skin, hair, and others.

Almond oil of sweet almond oil can also be used as massage and aromatherapy. Whereas bitter almonds can be used for various culinary.

History of Almond Oil

Almonds are rich in history. Starting from Greek mythology to Shakespeare to modern times, people already benefiting from almond and its by-products.

In earlier times, in Turkey, people use almond oil for cooking, lighting, medicine, and perfume.

One of the main benefits of almond oil which is widely used as a lubricating emollients to the skin. Almond was very valuable in Asia, Persia, and the Mediterranean.

Almond Oil Types

Sweet almond and bitter almond oil produced is used for various purposes, ranging from cooking to skin care.

Is the producer of sweet almond carrier oil for aromatherapy and as a basic ingredient for skin lotions. Meanwhile, bitter almonds and Amaretto produce cooking oil.

Benefits of Almond Oil

Sweet almond oil is used as an effective massage oil, moisturizer for skin and face, and skin care. Sweet almond oil is great for all skin types, can relieve itching, pain, and dryness of the skin.

Almond oil does not penetrate as deep as other oils in the skin making it ideal as an aromatherapy massage oil with a pleasant fragrance and softness. Almond oil can also soothe inflammation, rashes, chapped lips, and sore muscles.

Almond oil is widely recommended for various uses. For hair, moisten fingertips with a few drops of almond oil.

Then gently massage the scalp. Sweet almond oil benefits for hair include care for the scalp and follicles, preventing hair loss, as well as providing strength and luster to the hair.

For internal health, almond oil helps digestion. In addition, according to Indian culture, almond oil is a pain reliever and drugs to lower cholesterol levels.

Many people in various parts of the world that take advantage of almond oil. However, if you are allergic to nuts should avoid almond oil.

Cherry

2011-10-18T23:18:00.000+07:00

In addition to making jam and bread, cherry fruit was believed to help muscle recovery after strenuous physical activity. This discovery brings new hope for marathon athletes and patients with inflammatory diseases.

Dr Glyn Howatson, an expert in physiology and sports science from the University of Northumbria prove it by examining 20 runners who will compete in the arena of the London Marathon.

Athletes are divided into 2 groups, which were first intake of Montmorency cherry juice 2 times daily for 5 days before the race, as well as 2 days after. The second group was given placebo juice (empty without cherry), with the same time and frequency.

Within 48 hours after the race, the group given Montmorency cherry juice showed a faster physical recovery than the other groups. Runners in the group also experienced less inflammation, which is generally experienced by the muscles after a strenuous physical activity.

"Running long distances such as the London Marathon can cause muscle damage and inflammation caused by oxidative stress in athletes. It took several days for recovery, and at that time a atet physical activity will be hampered," said Dr Howatson.

Anthocyanins are found in several types of Montmorency cherries have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Research shows, phytochemical compounds is effective to accelerate recovery after strenuous physical activity.

Although still require further study, Dr Howatson believes this discovery not only useful for marathon athletes. The study, done with Jess Hill, PhD student from St. Mary's University College, the thought can be developed for handling a wide range of inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Montmorency cherry is the garden varieties of cherry (Prunus cerasus) derived from the French, which was widely cultivated in the U.S. and Canada. This fruit is the most popular cherry varieties in the U.S., is widely used as materials for making tarts and jam. Michigan and Wisconsin including Montmorency cherry producing regions in the world.

Cherry is a sweet or sour fruit is very healthy. Rich in vitamin C as well as potassium which regulate blood pressure (325 mg per cup), fiber prevention of cancer (3 mg) of sour cherry contains beta carotene which helps prevent cancer, six times more than the sweet cherry. Can help boost immunity and reduce the risk of respiratory infections such as colds and flu.

While the highest fiber fruits cherry found on his skin, "says Felicia Busch, a nutritionist St. Paul, Minn., as well as the author of The New Nutrition from Antioxidants to Zucchini. It can be heart healthy and can help diabetes.

Cherimoya

2011-10-18T22:44:00.001+07:00

Cherimoya including small fruit trees growing on rocky ground, dried, and exposed to direct sunlight. This tropical fruit has many names, depending on its origin. People call it serikaya Malaysia (which means full of grace). In Guatemala, the name cherimoya. In addition, Sharifa (India), noi na (Thailand), mang cau te (Cambodia), fan li chi (China), aajaa thee (Myanmar), Sakya (Taiwan), sweetsop (Caribbean), or sugar apple (United States) . Annona squamosa own Latin name, but often confused with Annona reticulata (custard apple, soursop alias). Srikaya was still allied with soursop. Plants that came from the West Indies this will bear fruit after 3-5 years old. Cherimoya often planted in the yard, cultivated, or growing wild, and can be found up to a height of 800 m dpi.

Shrub or small tree has a height 2-5 m, the thin bark grayish, toxic sap skin. Stemmed leaves, stiff, alternate location. Leaf blade oblong to elliptic form of narrow, pointed tip and pangkai, flat edge, 6-17 cm long, 2.5 to 7.5 cm wide, green leaf surface, the bottom of bluish green, slightly hairy or bald. Flower petals 2-4 (dealing), exit and end of the shaft or the armpit leaves, yellow green color. The fruit is fruit apparent, form a ball or cone, bumpy surface, the color green and white berserbuk, 5-10 cm cross section, if the cook, the men will separate themselves from one another. Bluish green color. White flesh, sweet taste. Seeds shiny black cook.

Nature and Benefits
The roots are bitter, cold nature. Efficacious anti-inflammatory, anti-depressants. The leaves are bitter, chocolate, its a little cold. Efficacious astringent, anti-inflammatory, laxative intestinal worms, as well as accelerate the ripening boils and abscesses.

Nutritious seeds stimulate digestive enzymes, abortivum, anthelmintic, and insect killers. Nutritious bark astringent and tonic. Young fruit and seeds are also efficacious antiparasitic.

Chemical Ingredients
The root and bark contain flavonoids, borneol, kamphor, terpenes, and alkaloids anonain. In addition, the root also contains saponins, tannins, and polyphenols. Seeds contain oil, resin, and toxic materials that are irritants. The fruit contains amino acids, fruit sugar, and mucilago. Young fruit contains tannins.

These herbs generally contain alkaloids asporfin type (anonain) and bisbenziltetrahidroisokinolin (reticuline). In the organs of plants found cyanogen compounds. Leaves, bark and roots contain WN. Ripe fruit pulp that has been found sitrulin, aminobutyric acid, ornithine, arginine. (At Annona muricata: proline, aminobutyric acid). On the other Annona species is on Annona glabra, Annona muricata discovered class of polyphenolic compounds (quercetin, kafeat acid, leukoantosianidin, kumarat acid).

Seeds containing compound and a compound derived polyketide bistetrahidrofuran; asetogenin (skuamostatin C, D, anonain, anonasin A, anonin 1, IV, VI, VIII, IX, XVI, skuarnostatin A, bulatasin, bulatasinon, skuamon, ncoanonin B, neo desasetilurarisin, A neo retikulasin, skuamosten A, asmisin, skuamosin, sanonasin, anonastatin, neoanonin) Penernuan results of other studies that skuamosisnin A, skuamosin B, C, D, E, F, G, H, 1, J, K, L, M, N; skuamostatin B, fatty acids, amino acids and proteins.

Constituent fatty acid composition of seed oil fatty cherimoya composed of methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl linoleic.

The leaves contain alkaloids isokinolin tetrahydrofuran, p-hidroksibenzil-6 ,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahidroisokinolin (demetilkoklaurin = higenamin).

Flowers contain asarn kaur-1 6-ene-1 9-oat informed as active kornponen srikaya interest.

Chempedak Fruit Benefits

2011-10-18T20:51:00.001+07:00

Chempedak is a plant that produces fruit can be eaten. Chempedak fruit sold in many markets including farmers' markets and vegetable markets. Saintifiknya name is Artocarpus champeden. This point comes from the region of Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Fruit is a staple saka Chempedak which may reach a height of 20 meters so. He has a compact leaf-shaped kebanyakkannya elliptik. Courant under leaf veins (midrib) is usually filled with fine hairs. Shaped leaf base acute to obtus when hujung leaf-shaped kebanyakkannya kupsidat. Portion of dark green leaves when the Courant under the light green leaves. There varieti Chempedak where the top surface of the leaf is said when there is little malap varieti where he looks shiny. Chempedak almost resembles a basic staple jackfruit. Perbezaannya clear on where the leaf stalk hujung Chempedak there are fine hairs dihujung brown leaf stalks when the jackfruit encountered no fluff.

Chempedak fruit is monoecious where the male flowers and female flowers are on the same subject. But once male and female flowers are in a different bunch. Tuft male and female flowers initially formed within the sheath of lime green. If the growing bunch, sheath will first break down and pulled out rates will rise. Sheath will exchange colors into the war and later will fall.

The fruit is rarely planted extensively Chempedak kerana he easily attacked by bacteria, namely Erwinia caratovora where the principal branches are attacked will issue a blackish colored sap and branches eventually will die.

Fruits are also not suitable Chempedak easy ditengelami planted area of flooding or high soil moisture levels. Just so easy to die in the region. For areas such as sandy soil Brisbane, just less fruitful if irrigation and pembajaan are often not carried out.

Tuft male flowers and female flowers composed of many clusters of flowers are joined. Selalunya tuft male flowers and short tapered with size so lebihkurang 1.5 x 5.5 sm and sm contained on hujung twigs and branches are also on the subject. When pulled the female flowers are usually more plump and big and is only found in the main branch of our other features. Male flowers, after 4-5 days will uncoil reput become blackish and later died when the female flowers will form fruit growing.

Fruit Chempedak

Fruit Chempedak be in season produce fruit in a year where there is only one main season. This berbedza with jackfruit where the fruit not be in season. Chempedak fruit is known as multiple fruit 'perceived that he composed many of the female flower clusters rather than in one bunch. Fruit Chempedak take a period of 100 to 120 days to mature after the flowers unfold.

Fruit Chempedak also almost the same as the fruit of jackfruit where the skin is filled with soft spikes are short. Walaubagaiman Chempedak any fruit is smaller than jackfruit.

Ingredients Benefits:

Substances in per 100 gram
Energy or power = 117.0 (very high, the danger for people with diabetes),
Moisture = 66.7 g,
Protein = 2.5 g, fat = 0.4 g,
Carbohydrates = 25.8 g,
Fiber = 3.4 g,
Ash = 1.2 g,
Calcium = 40.0 mg,
Phosphorous = 5.0 mg,
Iron = 1.1 mg, 25.0 mg
Potassium = 246.0 mg,
Carotene = 80 ug,
Vitamin B1 = 0.16 mg,
Vitamin B2 = 0:15 mg
Niacin = 0.5 mg
Or Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) = 7.17 mg

Carambola

2011-10-15T17:28:00.001+07:00

Carambola fruit of a tree is a plant that originated from the tropical parts of America and then spread to many other tropical countries in the world including Indonesia. Form small starfruit tree, reaching 10 m high with a trunk that is not so big and has a diameter of only about 30 cm. In general, star fruit cultivars planted in the yard (home gardening yards), which is cultivated as a shade plant in the pages of the home. In the Americas, star fruit known as "star fruit" and a popular type of star fruit is favored by the people starfruit "Florida".

In plant taxonomy, leatherback are classified as follows:
Kingdom: Plantae (plants)
Division: Spermatphyta (seed plants)
Sub-division: Angiospermae (seeds enclosed)
Class: Dicotyledonae (two seed pieces)
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Averrhoa
Species: Averrhoa carambola L. (Sweet starfruit)

Star fruit is the fruit of non-klimaterik so that harvesting of the fruit must be done when the fruit matures on the tree. Harvesting is usually done by looking at his skin color changes from green or yellowish-green to yellow or yellow-orange.

The maximum sugar content contained on the perfect yellow fruit, but fruit is very fragile, easily broken and can easily be injured. Therefore, the star fruit is usually harvested when its color changes to a halt. Yellow fruit with a 50-70% harder than the perfect fruit yellow or yellow-orange, fruit with this color considered a commercial maturity. The color of star fruit will continue to grow after harvest, however only a few changes in its quality.

Star fruit is classified into types of fruits that are not too sensitive to cold damage (chilling injury). However, during the cold storage held at a temperature of 0oC or 5oC for 2 and 6 weeks there are symptoms such as cold damage small spots on the surface of the skin and brown on all sides of ribs edge. The symptoms of this cold damage will increase along with the length of storage time. Fruits are harvested when still green will be more susceptible to cold damage.

Growing Cape Gooseberries

2011-09-24T22:15:00.000+07:00

Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana) comes originally from South America as you might guess from its botanical name but it grows extremely well in Ventnor. It is related to the tomato, potato, and other members of the nightshade family and closely related to the tomatillo but not to the gooseberry or Chinese gooseberry.

Also known as ‘Incan Berries’, the latest ‘superfood’, they contain vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, B12 and are high in phosphorous. They also contain 16% protein which is very high for a fruit.

The fruit is a small round berry, about the size of a marble, full of small seeds. It is bright yellow when ripe, and very sweet, making it ideal for adding to fruit salads, pies and jam making. Each berry is covered in a papery pod, if this is left on they will keep for 30 -45 days at room temperature, possibly longer.

cgooseberry_flowerAll parts of the plant, except the fruit, are poisonous. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to November.

It requires well drained soil of any type and will grow in poor soil too. Grow in partially shade or full sun. If the soil is too rich you will get loads of leaves and not so much fruit, so go easy on the feeding and manure.

It is not very cold hardy in this country but can be grown as a herbaceous perennial in milder areas or at the base of a sunny wall, in other words it will look as though it has died in the winter but will regrow in the spring. In colder areas you will have to plant new seeds every year indoors or a greenhouse in April/May.

Cape Gooseberry plantIt is a bushy plant that will reach 1 – 1½ metres tall. It is a good idea to pinch out the top growing shoot to encourage lots of side stems that will all bear fruit when it gets to about 30cms tall. It has beautiful flowers and does make an attractive addition to the garden.

I am having a go at growing two of these for the first time this year, I am going to put one in the ground and one in a pot so I can see how well they grow in containers. (ventnorpermaculture.wordpress.com)

Camu Camu Foods High in Antioxidants

2011-09-24T21:59:00.000+07:00

In the Amazonian flood plains between Peru and Brazil grows a bushy tree- Myrciaria dubia- better known as Camu-Camu. After the sweet smelling, white waxy petals drop it develops small red/purple colored fruit that looks like a cherry. Among herbalists, camu-camu is known for its astringent, antioxidant, anti inflammatory, antiviral, analgesic and emollient and nutritional properties and is also a source of phosphorus, protein, iron, niacin, thiamin riboflavin, beta-carotene, calcium, and three different amino acids. It is a rich source of flavinoids.

People who use Camu-camu for its vitamin C have found that just 1-2 grams of this natural source is a better immune system booster and large doses of commercially available synthetic Vitamin C. Camu-camu is about 2-3% Vitamin C by fresh weight, which is an exceptional concentration and testifies to Camu-camu’s value as an antioxidant. And, as you are probably aware, antioxidants are important when it comes to my two other favorite “antis” anti- inflammatory and anti-aging (of which I am especially fond).

Camu-camu is currently being studied to access its mood balancing properties. As published in the Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Healing (1998) by Gary Null, Ph.D. Camu-camu is number two in terms of the potency of the chemical compounds it contains with mood balancing properties. While the connection has not been thoroughly researched, it appears that Camu-camu might provide nutritional support for the brain’s own production of mood balancing chemicals. Additionally, research has been published linking vitamin C and an increased level of serotonin.

Dr Mike Adams, (who’s called the Health Ranger) had this to say about Camu-Camu:
“I’ll tell you a secret about camu. Camu-camu is the highest natural source of vitamin C in the world. And it’s not just one isolated chemical (ascorbic acid), it’s the full symphony of protective antioxidants. My research on this herb, based in part of the works of Dr. James Duke, leads me to the conclusion that camu-camu crosses the blood-brain barrier and offers extraordinary protection to the nervous system. There is no question in my mind that this product can drastically reduce eye disorders, including macular degeneration, as well as protect the brain and nervous system from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.” (aiowithac-11.com)

Cantaloupe Benefits

2011-09-21T22:40:00.002+07:00

It is no wonder that the cantaloupe with its refreshingly rich flavor and aroma and minimal number of calories is the most popular variety of melon in the United States. Although they have become increasingly available throughout the year, their season runs from June through August when they are at their best.

The cantaloupe derives its name from the ltalian papal village of Cantalup, where it was first cultivated around 1700 A.D. It belongs to the same family as the cucumber, squash, pumpkin and gourd, and like many of its relatives, grows on the ground on a trailing vine. Cantaloupe are also referred to as a netted melon because it has a ribless rind with a distinctive netted skin. Inside of the melon there is a hollow cavity that contains seeds encased in a web of netting. Cantaloupe is also known as rockmelon in several parts of the world.

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Cantaloupe provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Cantaloupe can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cantaloupe, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

Cantaloupe Gets an A+

Our food ranking system qualified cantaloupe as an excellent source of vitamin A on account of its concentrated beta-carotene content. Once inside the body, beta-carotene can be converted into vitamin A, so when you eat cantaloupe it's like getting both these beneficial nutrients at once. One cup of cantaloupe is just 56 calories, but provides 103.2% of the daily value for vitamin A. Both vitamin A and beta-carotene are important vision nutrients. In a study of over 50,000 women nurses aged 45 to 67, women who consumed the highest dietary amount of vitamin A had a 39% reduced risk of developing cataracts. In another study that looked at the incidence of cataract surgery and diet, researchers found that those people who ate diets that included cantaloupe had half the risk of cataract surgery, while those who ate the highest amounts of butter, salt and total fat had higher risks for cataract surgery. Beta-carotene has also been the subject of extensive research in relationship to cancer prevention and prevention of oxygen-based damage to cells.

Cantaloupe also emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of vitamin C. While beta-carotene and vitamin A are fat-soluble antioxidants, vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in the water-soluble areas of the body. So, between its beta-carotene and vitamin C content, cantaloupe has all areas covered against damage from oxygen free radicals. In addition to its antioxidant activity, vitamin C is critical for good immune function. Vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, directly kills many bacteria and viruses, and regenerates Vitamin E after it has been inactivated by disarming free radicals. Owing to the multitude of vitamin C's health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer. One cup of cantaloupe contains 112.5% of the daily value for this well-known antioxidant.

In our food ranking system, cantaloupe also qualified as a very good source of potassium and a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, folate, and niacin (vitamin B3). The combination of all these B complex vitamins along with the fiber found in cantaloupe make it an exceptionally good fruit for supporting energy production through good carbohydrate metabolism and blood sugar stability. These B complex vitamins are required in our cells for processing carbohydrates (including sugars), and cantaloupe's fiber helps ensure cantaloupe's sugars are delivered into the bloodstream gradually, keeping blood sugar on an even keel.

Cantaloupe's Pro-vitamin A Promotes Lung Health

If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin A-rich foods, such as cantaloupe, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life, suggests research conducted at Kansas State University.

While studying the relationship between vitamin A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency.

Baybutt's earlier research had shown that animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema. His latest animal studies indicate that not only does the benzo(a)pyrene in cigarette smoke cause vitamin A deficiency, but that a diet rich in vitamin A can help counter this effect, thus greatly reducing emphysema.

Baybutt believes vitamin A's protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. "There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers," he said. "Why? Probably because of their diet. The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema. And if they have a poor diet, forget it."

If you or someone you love smokes, or if your work necessitates exposure to second hand smoke, protect yourself by making sure that at least one of the World's Healthiest Foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as cantaloupe, is a daily part of your healthy way of eating.

Protect Your Vision with Cantaloupe

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 100,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. Food intake information was collected periodically for up to 18 years for women and 12 years for men.

While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease.

Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply slicing some cantaloupe over your morning cereal, topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of berries, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you've reached this goal.

In summer, what could be a more cooling or delicious lunch than half a cantaloupe filled with cottage cheese and topped with your favorite nuts and a sprig of mint? It's easy to see how fruit, especially cantaloupe, can become a regular part of your healthy way of eating.(whfoods.com)

Camu Camu

2011-09-21T21:42:00.000+07:00

There's a lot of attention focused on superfoods these days. People are interested in foods that can give them high-density nutrition, protect them from chronic disease, and even help reverse disease. One of the best (but little-known) superfoods is actually a superfruit, and like many superfruits, it comes from the rainforest regions of our planet. This one in particular comes from Peru, it's one of the most nutrient-dense foods and offers considerable disease-prevention benefits. It contains high-density nutrition. This superfruit is called camu camu, or the camu berry.

The camu berry is best known for its unusually high vitamin C content. Vitamin C, as you may know, has many uses for preventing chronic disease. Natural (not synthetic) vitamin C is an antioxidant that prevents free radical damage to the DNA of the cells throughout your body, which helps in the prevention of cancer and heart disease (among other health problems). Vitamin C also prevents colds and even the flu. It is a huge immune system booster and an all-around power-packed vitamin -- but only in its full-spectrum natural form.

There's no food on the planet with a higher concentration of vitamin C than the camu berry. How high a concentration? Consider this: oranges are generally known for their high vitamin C content. However, oranges often only have around 1,000 ppm of vitamin C. Sometimes they can have as high as 3,000 or 4,000, but that's unusual, especially given the way they are commercially grown today. The camu berry can have concentrations as high as 50,000 ppm or about 2 g of vitamin C per 100 g of fruit. That means that the camu berry provides 50 times more vitamin C than an orange (on an ounce-for-ounce basis).

So what exactly does vitamin C do for your body?

One of the best-known uses for vitamin C is in protecting your nervous system. The nervous system includes your brain, eyes and all the nerves running throughout your body that tell your heart when to contract, your lungs when to breathe, and your muscles when to flex -- it's the electronic system of your body. When your nervous system is under assault by unhealthy foods or environmental toxins, your quality of life begins to fade rapidly.

If you don't have a fully functional nervous system, you may experience symptoms like depression. You may lose the ability to focus sharply. You may have what is sometimes called brain fog. You may find you don't learn as quickly or you can't remember things as well. Eventually, you may end up with a diagnosis of dementia or even Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is associated with the buildup of plaque on brain nerves, and recent research in mice shows that this plaque is reversible. Through nutrition and brain exercise you can actually reverse the buildup and remove the plaque, restoring your brain to a more youthful state. It's just like any other muscle in your body: when you use your brain and give it good nutritional support, it will work well for you and avoid degenerative conditions.

The eyes are an important part of your nervous system. Many people have vision problems and there's a lot of disinformation about the cause of these problems. Eye impairments are typically diagnosed as physical deformities of the eyes, but this is usually false. Doctors will tell you that your eye is too long or the lens isn't shaped right. This is something with which I strongly disagree.

I'm 38 years old and I have perfect vision that I maintain through nutrition. I have outstanding night vision and no need to wear glasses or contacts. This is accomplished through the frequent intake of berries and superfoods like camu camu, goji berries and cacao (chocolate).

Source: naturalnews.com

Buah Merah

2011-09-21T20:17:00.000+07:00

While there's a whole gamut of cancer treatment options available; which is the best one to use depends upon the type of cancer as well the stage that the cancer has reached. Though the prevailing trend is to resort to more traditional cancer treatment options, cancer patients are not restricted to them. There are a variety of alternative and natural options (some new, some old) for treating cancer.

Traditional Cancer Treatment Options

Traditional cancer treatment options are often referred to as cut, poison and burn (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation).

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, which involves the use of chemical agents or drugs to destroy cancerous cells, forms the core treatment of malignancies. These drugs work by targeting fast-growing cells and the type and combination of drugs depends upon the type of cancer. Though chemotherapy has been proven to be effective, it can give rise to a host of side-effects including hair loss, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite, anemia or low red blood cell count, neutropenia or low white blood cell count, mouth sores and shortness of breath.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy ionizing radiation from varied sources including x-rays, gamma rays, protons and neutrons to shrink tumors and kill cancerous cells. It is used almost half of all cancer patients; either by itself or in combination with other cancer treatments. External-beam radiation therapy, which involves using radiation that is emitted from a machine outside the body is more common than internal radiation therapy, in which a radioactive material is implanted in the body near the tumor or cancer cells.

Surgery

Surgery often entails a biopsy, which is done for diagnostic purposes. Surgery that is done to remove the cancerous tissues is often followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which reduces the risk of the cancer recurring and also to destroy any cancer cells that may be left behind in the affected part of the body.

The kind of surgery depends on which part of the body has been affected by cancer as well as the extent of the cancer. In breast cancer patients the options could include lumpectomy, in which only the lump is removed; segmentectomy, in which part of the breast is removed or mastectomy, in which the entire breast is removed.

Alternative Cancer Treatment Options

Traditional cancer treatment options form only art of the story. An increasing number of health professionals are now exploring alternative cancer treatment options that encompass the whole individual.

Nutrition Therapy

Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes foods rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene, is the best way to provide your body with the nourishment it needs to fight cancer. Proper nutrition helps minimize nausea and fatigue that are the main side-effects of traditional cancer treatments and are a critical component of the healing process.

Buah Merah or Red fruit, found primarily in the Indonesian island of Papua, has very high levels of anti-oxidants, beta-carotene and tocopherol and offers hope to all cancer patients. Beta-carotene and tocopherol have strong anti-carcinogenic properties and help by boosting the immune system and retarding the growth of cancer-causing cells. Buah Merah also contains Omega 3 and Omega 9 as well as linolenat, oleat, dekanoat and linoleat acids; all of which act as active medicinal compounds and also help in the prevention of diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Naturopathy

Naturopathy is a system of treatment that focuses exclusively on using the healing powers of nature such as sunlight, water and air. It is supplemented with therapies such as massage as well as a wholesome diet. Naturopathy is by and large a holistic kind of treatment and includes homoeopathy, ayurveda, therapeutic nutrition, hydrotherapy or botanical medicine. It is based on the belief that the body is self-healing and will recover and repair by itself spontaneously if it is given a healthy, conducive environment.

Pain Control

Though, to a certain extent medication can be used to manage pain, Acupuncture is gaining popularity as a means to control the pain experienced by cancer sufferers. The pain could be brought on by the cancer itself or as a side-effect to the cancer treatment. Prevalence and severity of pain depend on the extent, location and type of cancer as well as pain threshold of the person afflicted by cancer.

Breadfruit

2011-09-21T20:16:00.000+07:00

Breadfruit trees grow to a height of sixty to eighty (60-80) feet with a clear trunk to 16ft, becoming three to six (3-6) feet in width. It has many spreading branches, some thick with lateral bearing branches and others long and slender with foliage clustered at their tips.

The leaves, evergreen or deciduous depending on climatic conditions are bright green and somewhat glossy on the upper surface, a dull green on the underside with conspicuous yellow veins. Its ovate shape spans with a nine to twenty four (9-24) inches long, eight to sixteen (8-16) inches wide base that more or less deeply cuts into seven to eleven (7-11) pointed lobes.

These leaves when withered or going dry fall to the ground. They are raked into heaps and burned, preventing a breeding ground for mosquitoes when it rains.

This high yielding fruit plant produces two to three hundred fruits in a season. However, most breadfruit varieties also produce a small number of fruits throughout the year; so fresh breadfruits are also available, but occasionally rare when not in season. These fruits are bright green in color when young, with tiny hexagons carved all over it. When ripe, they have a dull green color. They are beautiful to see and hold.

Breadfruit is an all purpose fruit. It is a stable food in many tropical regions. They are rich in starch and before being eaten, they are numerous ways you can prepare a variety of dishes from these fruits.

When parboil, they can be stored in zip lock bags and frozen for future use. In addition it can be cooked, crushed and stirred to make breadfruit Coo-coo, a variation of shepherd's pie, breadfruit casserole and more depending on the ingredients you use. On weekends, throughout many countries in the West Indies breadfruit is the first choice dish when cooked and served with pudding and souse.

There is a variety of ways in making soup. However, breadfruit is an excellent choice in adding to the ingredients in making your soup. Oh! it is delicious,try it sometime.

Whole fruits can be roasted over an open fire. When it is almost finish, core it and fill with onion, seasoning, butter (or edible oil) optional, sugar and or coconut milk. Let the fruit finish cooking for ten to fifteen (10-15) minutes, peel and serve.

Calabash

2011-09-21T18:39:00.001+07:00

Calabash or bottle gourd or long melon is a vine generally cultivated either young or for fruit which is used as a vegetable. The gourd may be allowed to mature, dried and then used as pipe, utensil or bottle. Because of its bottle like size it is given the common name bottle gourd. The fresh fruit is light green in colour with smooth skin and white flesh. The round varieties are known as calabash gourds. It is one of the first varieties of plants generally used as a bottle not as a vegetable in the olden times. The plant derives its name from a Spanish word which means long melon.

Calabash is cultivated mainly in the tropical and subtropical areas all over the world. There is controversy regarding the origin of these plants. Some believe that they are native to Africa while others say that they are native to Asia. They grow very easily in wild. They are under cultivation in Europe much before Columbus discovered America. The rind of the domesticated calabash is waterproof and thick.

Calabash is used as a vegetable in Chinese cuisines may be fried or used in soups. The Chinese name of calabash is hulu. In Japan the larger varieties are generally used as containers while the smaller ones are used as vegetable. It is dried and sold in the form of marinated strips and is often used in making rolled sushi. In Burma it is a very popular fruit and the young leaves are boiled and eaten with hot spicy fish sauce. In Central America they are toasted and mixed with other ingredients to make a drink known as horchata. In India it is known as lauki and in Tamil Nadu the large gourds are used as floats while learning swimming in rural areas.

The shoots, tendrils and leaves are used as vegetable. The guard can be dried to make smoke pipe tobacco. Like other members of the cucurbitaceae family they are also known to contain cucurbitacins which are cytotoxins. A toxic compound known as tetracyclic triterpenoid cucurbitacin is present in the fruits and vegetables of this family and it is responsible for the bitter taste and can even cause ulcers in the stomach. In very extreme cases some individuals have died after consuming the calabash juice.

In Caribbean calabash is generally used as utensils, such as cups, bowls, and basins especially in the rural areas. It can be used as a container for carrying water as well as a equipment while going for fishing. In some Caribbean countries they are even painted and decorated and used as shoulder bags which are sold to tourists. In West Africa hollowed bodies of these plants are used as utensils for household purposes. They are used to clean rice and are also used as food containers. Small ones are used as containers for drinking palm wine. They are also used by some musicians to make musical instruments.

BlackBerries

2011-09-17T17:45:00.004+07:00

Blackberries were perceived by the ancient cultures as being a wild plant, and historical accounts for a backyard culture of blackberry bushes are few. The Greeks used the blackberry as a remedy for Gout, and the Romans made a tea from the leaves of the blackberry plant to treat various illnesses.

John Bartram, the early American explorer, botanist, and writer founded the first United States Botanical Garden, in 1728. In the early American colonies, William Bartram in his book, Travels, noted that General Oglethorpe was sent to the colony of Georgia in 1733 to investigate the possibility of establishing various temperate and subtropical plants which might "prove valuable for Georgia farms and orchards." William Bartram noted further in his book, Travels, that he his father, John Bartram, were sent to explore the Southern colonies that included East Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Alabama to take an inventory of plants growing there after the Spanish were expelled by the English. Bartram reported that just outside of Mobile, Alabama, it "grows here five or six feet high, rambling like Brier vines over the fences and shrubs."

Much of the first modern blackberry variety development was done in America, beginning with Judge Logan of California in 1880, and the release and introduction of the Loganberry.

The Boysenberry was developed from a natural selection saved from the abandoned farm of Mr. Rudolf Boysen by USDA member George Darrow, along with Walter Knott, a California fruit and berry enthusiast, whose wife began making berry preserves, and that farm later became the famous Knotts Berry Farm, located near the Walt Disney amusement park in California.

The Youngberry was developed in 1905 in Morgan City, Louisiana; it is a cross between Luther Burbank's, Phenomenal Berry, and the Austin-Mayes Dewberry, a trailing blackberry. This berry had excellent qualities, such as taste and high yields, and it soon replaced the Loganberry of California after its release.

Blackberry plants, Rubus spp., can not be truthfully separated accurately by taxonomists into species, because the original species that existed centuries ago have intercrossed themselves in the natural state so completely, and the natural selections have reached a critical composition and complexity, that cannot be adequately recreated through backcrosses. Blackberry vines and bushes grow in the native state on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. The adaptatation factor to growing blackberries is broad and the cold hardiness of the blackberry bushes and vines extends into extremely cold territories. The bush form blackberry is more cold hardy than the trailing blackberry vines, and the range of growth extends into the northwestern portions of the United States. The trailing blackberry vines are considered by most taxonomists to be: Rubus macropetalus, Rubus loganobaccus, and Rubus ursinus. Erect blackberry bushes that are recognized as native genera are: Rubus frondosus, Rubus argutus, and Rubus allegheniensis.

Thorns are present in native blackberry plants and the thorns prevent grazing wildlife, animals and birds from eating the vines before the berry bushes flower and later when blackberries are produced. When the blackberries grow and ripen, they are not only consumed by wildlife animals and birds, but they have been enjoyed by humans for centuries. Luther Burbank wrote in his book, Fruit Improvement, in 1921 that many hybrids had been developed by his efforts and others to grow thornless blackberry bushes and vines. These thornless creations were at first inferior in taste and quality to the thorny species; however, modern hybridizers of thornless blackberry plants have created the cultivars:

The most important new hybrid, the Triple Crown, was released by the USDA. These new thornless blackberry bushes are released for growing in the Middle Atlantic and Pacific Northwest. The Triple Crown is thornless and ripens early to midseason. The fruit is firm and black with a balanced sub-acid sweet taste and is aromatically pleasing. This berry release is expected to be the sensational highlight for gardeners everywhere expecting high quality and growing adaptation. Other, older thornless blackberry releases are: Apache, Hull, Thornfree, Black Satin, Arapaho, Navaho, Chester, and Boysenberry. All these blackberries have overcome the sticky problems of the original thornless blackberry hybrids. Commercial thorny blackberry production has been stimulated by an introduction of these blackberry released cultivars: Austin-Mayes dewberry, Chicasaw blackberry, Shawnee blackberry, Kiowa blackberry, Choctaw blackberry, Cherokee blackberry, Cheyenne blackberry, Lawton blackberry, and the Ouchita blackberry that makes you say 'ouch' when you pick them. Most of the above released blackberry cultivars are hybrids of a Brazos blackberry and Darrow cross.

Blackberries please the taste of humans as well as that of animals and are believed by many wildlife conservationists to be the most important naturalized growing plant that provides food for wildlife.

Wildlife animals and birds eat blackberries as food or receive a thorny protective cover from blackberry bushes or vines that wind along fences, animals such as quail, doves, turkey, raccoons, opossums, and believe it or not, bears. Perhaps children enjoy eating a fistful of blackberries from wild plants growing at the edge of the woods in summer, and then return home with the tell-tale purple stains on their teeth, lips, and clothing. Wild blackberries are delicious when they grow in profusion at the wood's edge into bushy plants or as trailing vines called dewberries. The delicate balance of a sweet and sour taste can stimulate the senses from the new hybrid cultivars towards heights unequaled by other berries or fruits.

Much of the early American blackberry hybridization was done by Luther Burbank, who introduced his Phenomenal Berry and even a white blackberry, but it was too soft to successfully ship commercially.

Although most botanists classify blackberry plants into 3 types, Erect, trailing vines, and semi-erect plants, the in-between semi-erect plants, theoretically, could be actually an erect plant loaded with ripe berries. That semi-erect classification offers little clarification of taxonomic principles.

Blackberries fresh from the vines are useful in many foods; they are delicious in frozen packs, canned, as blackberry wine, ice cream, fresh blackberry juice, blackberry pies, blackberry jelly, blackberry jam, and best of all when eaten as a fresh fruit. Many health benefits come from eating blackberries that are rich in anti-oxidants and vitamins along with being a good source of the minerals potassium, phosphorus, iron, and calcium.

Bullock's Heart Facts

2011-09-11T19:32:00.001+07:00

Although somewhat less esteemed than the cherimoya and atemoya, the custard apple or bullock's heart is well-liked in many parts of the world. In poor varieties the flesh is usually a bit less flavorful than its well-known relatives, but thankfully better varieties are spreading, having fairly good-flavored flesh. Fruits often have colorful skin with creamy, white or pale yellow flesh.

Description: Small tree to 20-35ft. Leaves can be quite pretty but trees often take on irregular shapes. The tree is popular as a rootstock for other Annona species. Bullock's heart have an advantage over other Annona's in that they tend to ripen slightly later in the year than their relatives, so during certain times of the year, only bullock's heart are available.

Hardiness: It is tropical, but full -grown trees show hardiness to 26F.

Growing Environment: Grow in full sun. Water regularly.

Propagation: Usually by seeds. There are few named varieties and better strains are propagated by air layering and grafting.

Uses: Almost exclusively eaten fresh.

Native Range: Native to the Caribbean region but has spread across Central and South America, as well as Africa and Asia.

Benefits of Mulberry

2011-09-11T16:59:00.002+07:00

For the past 5,000 years, mulberries have been widely cultivated and used for several health benefits associated with them. Mulberries are found in four main varieties including red, black, white, and wild mulberries. Though there exist nearly a hundred varieties and thousands of local sub-varieties of mulberry, but you can easily find a mulberry tree almost at any altitude or climate around the world.

Mulberry as a Medicine

Also referred to as Morus fruit, the mulberry plant, there are hundreds of species of Morus and in China, you can find the white mulberry. The mulberry plant is primarily used for raising silkworms, which consume mulberry leaves as their primary source of food. China is one of the major silk producing countries since past many ages and is considered as world's primary sources of silk.

Silk is a natural fiber that allows air to pass through the fabric. This is because the fabric comprises 18 varieties of amino acid, and thus absorbs humidity naturally. Silk takes out moisture from your skin, therefore, you do not feel sticky during sleep. Silk is a poor conductor of heat or electricity. As a result, your body maintains its natural temperature. Besides getting health benefits by eating mulberries, you can also earn substantial income too by growing mulberry trees.

Benefits of Eating Mulberry

Mulberry contains low amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium while quite high in vitamin C, Vitamin K, Magnesium, Potassium, and Iron. Eating mulberries regularly helps you in maintaining good health and losing weight. Therefore, those looking to gain weight are advised against doing eating mulberries.

Mulberries are also a rich source of resveratrol, which is a compound with anti-cancer properties. Mulberries contain lots of anthocyanins, which guard against cardiovascular diseases. The fruit has also proven ability to fight with harmful virus and bacteria.

A Japanese study indicates that mulberry powder, if included as dietary supplement, helps in preventing diabetes.

The best thing about eating mulberries is they make a healthy snack that also taste good, and provides you several health benefits if consumed regularly.

Black Currant

2011-09-09T01:47:00.000+07:00

Black currants have always offered health benefits but they are more popular today than ever before. This could be primarily due to new information coming out about how the fruit, especially when used to make black currant tea, can be used to treat a range of health issues.

High in vitamin C, they are often used to strengthen the immune system and lessen the chances of heart ailments. Women going through menopause have reported that it helps with a range of problems, from water retention to headaches. It also promotes calmness.

It is hard to find a condition that black currants can't help. It maximizes liver, kidney and even pancreatic function. Those who use currants, often in black currant tea, often feel better, neither overly stimulated or tired. Their moods are more even and they have steady energy levels through the day.

Unfamiliar with black currants? It is a plant which has both berries and leaves that can be harvested and used to restore and maintain health.

It makes a nice tea. A good, strong black currant tea should be a deep purple color, a sign that it is fresh and full of vitamins. Weaker variations will be lighter in color but the darker teas are the best.

They are used in a range of products, not only in tea but currant juice and even syrups. Each product has its uses but many people find that black currant tea is easiest to incorporate into their daily diet. It is also a refreshing change from other types of tea and coffee usually served during meals.

Their benefits are intensified when the leaves are dried and used for teas. Most consumers prefer to buy the tea already in tea bags. If a homemade tea is desired, simply take cut fresh leaves, dry them and use at least 2 teaspoons per cup of boiling water (the leaves will need to be in a tea ball or else strained from the water before drinking).

It's tea has a number of health benefits and is an excellent alternative for those trying to stop using caffeinated beverages. Over time, caffeine can cause heartburn, nervousness and sleep problems. It's tea has none of these issues and has been used for centuries as an herbal treatment by natives of Asia and Europe.

Now the hot beverage's popularity has spread to America and throughout the world. Because it helps prevent inflammation in the body, it is a natural choice for those trying to avoid arthritis, heart disease and even tooth and gum problems. Because of the vitamin C in the tea, it has powerful antioxidant properties, so useful when combating the effects of pollution and other environmental changes.

People who suffer from heartburn are often excited - and delighted - to discover that black currant tea can reduce or even cure this condition. It also promotes vitality and energy so that they feel well enough to start and stick with an exercise program. Both the tea and increased exercise can halt heartburn in its tracks. In contrast, excess caffeine can weaken the immune system and cause restlessness and anxiety.

Black currant tea is also the clear winner when choosing between caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages. Not only does it promote a sense of calm and well-being but it helps the digestive system and adds vitamins and antioxidants to the body. Caffeine may offer a short-term boost in energy but may do more harm than good, while this tea offers clear health benefits.

Bilimbi

2011-09-09T01:35:00.000+07:00

Origin: Malaysia and Indonesia
Tree: height: up to 6m
Fruit: length: 5 cm
Diameter: 1-2 cm
Seasons: almost all year round

Bilimbi tree is quite attractive, with its short trunk dividing into many upright branches which have clusters of leaves, mainly at the tips. The flowers are small, deep red and have a long strong, sweet scent. The bilimbi fruit is narrow, oblong and has five shallow ridges running along its length. The fruit is crisp when unripe, turns from bright-green to yellowish-green, when ripe and falls to the ground. The outer skin is glossy, very thin and tender, and the flesh greenish-white, juicy and extremely sour. It has a few (about 6) flattened seeds about ¼ inch wide, smooth and brown.

Other Name:

India : Bilimbi
Indonesia: belimbing, besu
Thailand: taling pling
Philippines: kamias
Haiti: blimblin
Cuba: grosella china
El Salvador and Nicaragua: mimbro
Venezuela: vinagrillo
Argentina: pepino de Indias
France: cornichon des Indes

Nutritive Value per 100 g:

Vitamin A: 0.035 mg
Vitamin C: 15.5 mg
Protein: 0.61 g
Calcium: 3.4 mg
Phosphorus: 11.1 mg
Iron: 1.01 mg
Thiamine: 0.010 mg
Riboflavin: 0.026 mg
Niacin: 0.302 mg

Medicinal Benefits:

The juice is effective as eye drops (regarded as a magic curative).
Decoction of leaves or the juice of the leaves, are often consumed as a cure for venereal disease.
A leaf decoction is taken to relieve rectal inflammation.
The fruit is given to children as a protection against coughs.
A flower infusion is believed be effective against coughs and thrush.
A leaf infusion is a remedy for coughs and is taken after childbirth as a tonic.
The leaves are applied as poultice on itches, swellings of mumps and rheumatism, and on skin problems.
The fruit and leaves are applied on bites of poisonous insect.
Syrup made from Bilimbi fruit is taken as a cure for fever and inflammation and to stop rectal bleeding and alleviate internal hemorrhoids.

Culinary uses:

The juice of the fruit is popular for making cooling and refreshing drinks similar to lemonade.
The most common use for the fruits is a flavoring for fish and meat dishes. It also use for pickling and is substituted for mango in chutney. To reduce acidity, it may be first pricked and soaked in water overnight, or soaked in salted water for a shorter time; then it is boiled with much sugar to make a jam or an acid jelly. A quicker pickle is made by putting the fruits and salt into boiling water. This can be kept only 4 to 5 days.

Other uses:

The high acid content of the juice makes it a good agent for removing stains from the skin.
The juice is useful for bleaching stains from white clothe, and also tarnish from brass.
In olden days it was used for cleaning the blade of a keris, the short, wavy dagger of the Malays.
The juice serves as mordants (serves to fix color) in the preparation of an orange dye for silk fabrics.

Benefits of Bilberry

2011-09-06T21:33:00.001+07:00

Bilberry is made from a little blue berry that is related to blueberries and cranberries. Bilberry is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The herb is also a powerful antioxidant and has glucoquinine (lowers blood sugar levels). Bilberry contains flavonoids called anthocyanosides that protect the collagen structures in the blood vessels of the eye. Bilberry is used to treat eye problems such as Macular Degeneration, diabetic neuropathy, and/or cataracts.

Benefits of Bilberry

Bilberry is found mostly in dark skinned fruits. It is used to treat diarrhea, vericose veins, and mucous membrane inflammation. The herb is beneficial in the treatment of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and in eye health.

This herb may also help night vision. During World War II, British Pilots ate bilberry jam before going out on night flights. They claimed it improved their vision. It is believed that the bilberry herb helps the eyes to adjust to changes in light quickly. This is one of the greatest benefits of bilberry and can be very beneficial for ones eyes according to many studies.

In Europe it is used to treat venous insufficiency- a condition that causes swelling and varicose veins. It further relieves pain and itching, and it also. Helps combat skin ulcers on the legs. Reynaud's disease may benefit from bilberry. Reynauds causes pain and numbness in the outer extremities (fingers, toes and nose) when cold.

Bilberry improves circulation and makes artery walls. The herb may reduce inflammation, ease gastro-intestinal problems, and gum problems that have been linked to heart disease. Diarrhea and mouth sores can benefit from Bilberry as well. Bilberry has strong antiseptic properties, relieves peptic ulcers, diabetes, fibrocystic diseases, and painful menstruation.

Our conclusion For The Benefits Of Bilberry

Because of Bilberry's strong antioxidant composition, the herb makes an excellent free radical scavenger, which helps combat the cell damage that leads to premature aging and disease. The most noted benefit that we briefly discussed above, is its ability to treat a range of problems relating to ones eye health. For example, the herb protects collagen structures in the blood vessels of the eyes, thus promoting healthy capillaries that carry many vital nutrients, such as oxygen-rich blood to your eye muscles.

Various Studies have confirmed that the benefits of bilberry go even further than one might be aware of. The herb can be useful for protecting against macular degeneration, cataracts, night blindness, and poor or fading vision. We believe bilberry to be one of the best herbs available for the protection of ones eyes health. Clinical studies have even shown that if given orally to healthy people, it improves visual accuracy. Our conclusion is that everyone should consider consuming bilberry as it helps as part of an overall maintenance of ones health.

Other benefits of bilberry include treating menstrual cramps and helping aid stomach ulcers. Varicose veins, thrombosis, angina, and poor circulation may also be improved with the use of bilberry, as the herb helps with healthy blood flow.

Our last point to note is that bilberry contains a substance called glucoquinine, which has the ability to lower ones blood sugar levels significantly and its antioxidant, anthocyanin, within the herb itself, can reduce high blood pressure.

Possible Precautions for those considering using Bilberry

Some side effects related to the use of Bilberry, include the possibility of: stomach upset, dizziness, or headache. It could cause diarrhea, and thin out blood. Caution should be used as bilberry could interfere with medications. However, there are no known adverse interactions with prescription drugs, or have there been any harmful effects noted in the literature for this herb to the best of our knowledge. As always, though, use your common sense when taking nutritional supplements: if you notice any unwanted side effects, discontinue usage, or reduce your dosage level straight away. Remember to always consult with a qualified physician before beginning supplementation of any kind.

Pregnant or nursing women should always refrain from supplementation with nutritional products until they speak with their personal doctor.

Our opinion on the Bilberry Herb

The evidence for bilberry's benefits as a herb are long, varied, and shown in many clinical trails when it comes to treating eye disorders and maintaining clear vision in healthy individuals. However, many of the recent beneficial discoveries need further study in our opinions to validate the benefits further. Among these new findings are bilberry's benefits for menstrual cramps and helping treat stomach ulcers.

Because of the many benefits of bilberry, along with more or less unknown adverse side effects, we would say it is a supplement well worth checking out especially since there is a lack of side effects of bilberry -- unlike many other herbs on the market.

Tips On Getting The Best Benefits Of Bilberry

1. Make sure you purchase a bilberry supplement produced with a standardized extract. Standardized extracts contain the highest level of therapeutic benefits within the herbs. Most other herbal supplements on the market, however, do not even contain the amount of ingredients stated on the label. This is worrying within the nutritional industry and consumers need to take this issue seriously.

2. Dosages range from 20 to 160 mg. However, people who are in good overall health should take lower dosage levels, but maintain long term use. However, those people with specific conditions, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, etc mentioned above in our article, may wish to supplement with dosage levels in the higher ranges, but do not go over what we have stated above.

Bearberry For The Skin

2011-09-06T21:18:00.002+07:00

Historically, bearberry has been one of the most successful treatments of urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and a host of other illnesses. Bearberry is a powerful tonic for the body, and its antiseptic properties are excellent for the skin as well. Bearberry is one of the many ingredients that are becoming more prominent in skin care products today. Cosmetic companies are seeing the need to create skin care products with natural ingredients to fight skin conditions and offer safer alternatives, especially for those with sensitive skin and allergies.

Common antiseptics like witch hazel are still widely used today to treat wounds, acne, and other skin conditions. Natural resources like herbs and berries were the only form of medicinal or cosmetic treatment available. Now, these natural enhancements are making way to today's mainstream cosmetics. These cosmetics happen to be the most successful product lines available to combat a variety of skin conditions.

One of the little known secrets to bearberry is the hypopigmenting component. This component has a whitening effect on the skin, making bearberry perfect for those want to treat freckles, age spots, or vitiligo. Used alone, bearberry can dramatically change the tone and color of the skin. Because of the powerful whitening effects, bearberry is combined with other ingredients in cosmetics to have a subtle effect on the skin. This way, the bearberry will be mild enough to lighten problem areas without overbleaching. Used regularly, bearberry can remove the most stubborn pigmented areas of the skin.

Another benefit to the potent properties of Bearberry is the bacteriostatic action that works against Staphylococci, the staph responsible for the MRSA superbug. Any skin care product with Bearberry may also help the fight against the superbug, in addition to the other benefits for the skin.

Bearberry also increases the cell turnover rate and it is an excellent antioxidant. It works to fight free radicals, preventing additional skin conditions, and works as a natural sunscreen.

Too much sun exposure can cause skin cancer, and the first sign of skin cancer is the presence of melanoma, usually in the form of freckles, age spots, and moles. Bearberry can reverse the damage from the sun, and may very well play a role in the prevention of skin cancer.

Various studies have concluded the benefits and the risks of using sunscreen. Dermatologists only look at the skin, so they are going to recommend using a sunscreen. While sunscreen may block out the sun's rays, it will also block out the needed Vitamin D component, the same component responsible for the prevention of breast and other cancers. It may seem like a catch 22, but keep in mind that natural ingredients like bearberry will let you have your cake and eat it too. With Bearberry, you can enjoy the sun, reverse the signs of sun damage, and protect against further damage of the sun.

Bearberry, like any other herb or medicinal remedy, is not allergy-free for everyone.

Barberry

2011-09-03T22:02:00.013+07:00

Barberry is one of the oldest medicinees. Not too long ago thousands of lives were being saved with the help of mixtures prepared from barberry root. Those mixtures would diminish fever, control common cold and lung infections.

Description of Barberry plant

Barberry, named scientifically as "Berberis Vulgaris", is a thorny shrub with yellow flowers, small red fruits and leaves which are narrow at the base and narrow and serrated on the edges; it grows along with other shrubs at the edge of fields or the outskirts of forests. It's a decorative herb through its nicely colored flowers and fruits which last throughout the year including winter time and through its leaves that change color during the autumn season. Barberry is often cultivated as a hedge in parks and gardens.

barberry It is also planted around houses where because of its thorny aspect that keeps away any unwanted guests. However, barberry is a propitious host for "Puccinia graminis" (stem rust of wheat), and for that reason it's forbidden for the barberry to be cultivated in certain areas like the agricultural ones.

The herb has been used throughout the time for its medicineal characteristics. In the traditional Chinese medicine, barberry was mentioned more than 3000 years ago.

Proprieties of Barberry

In the chemical composition of the herb there are a considerable number of active substances. The bark contains a large number of alkaloids (berberine, berbamine, oxyacantha) and tanines. Barberry fruits contain glucose, fructose, malic acid, pectine, vitamin C. The active substances from the herb bring about the following effects: haemostatic, diuretic, vasodilator, hypertensive, antibacterial (kills bacteria and parasites), and anti-inflammatory. Berberine, the potent agent has numerous usages in controlling different illnesses (stimulates digestion and reduces the gastrointestinal pains) and at the same time it toughens the immune system.

Treatments

Among the most recommended usages of barberry are those against diarrhea (and in its more serious forms - cholera), against fever, anemia and also against hangovers. It's also efficient against a considerable number of infections - malaria or the lung infections, while controlling the secretions of the mucous membrane. It has a strong sedative effect, decreases the blood pressure and is also a uterine stimulant. Barberry can be administrated to help correct the growth of the spleen.

Preparations

Barberry can be ingested as an aliment due to its generous supply of vitamin C. Its fruits are used for making juice, syrup and jam.

Only the dry crust from the roots and stem is being used in medicinal purposes. Barbarry can be found on the market under the forms of tea, tincture, pills and ointment. Usually the percentage of berberine from those products is between 8 and 12%.

Following is the shortened version on how to prepare the barberry decoct: 1/2 of powdered barberry crust is boiled in a cup of water for 5 minutes, after which it is let to cool down and then is strained. The final mixture gets poured in a cup (2 a day at the most), almost half an hour before dinner. For gargling (against sore throats) the decoct is prepared from one spoon of powdered barberry crust mixed with 0.5 liters of water.

As for the tincture, it should be consumed three times a day in doses of 1.2ml.

As a remedy against kidney problems it's recommended that the next recipe based on barberry crust to be put into use: Finely cut bits of barberry get added in a bottle half filled with plum brandy at 35-40 degrees Celsius until the bottle is filled to the brim. It gets covered with a cork and is let to sit for about 20-30 minutes in a heated place, after which it gets strained. This mixture lasts for five years and is considered a true miracle in fighting the kidney illnesses. It is administrated 2-3 times a day by using a spoon.

Against conjunctivitis the use of cataplasms with powdered barberry crust is recommended.

Warning

Exceding the recommended doses leads to the occurance of side efects (nausea, vomit, dizziness, convulsions) and can also lead to nosebleeds, kidney failure, swells of skin and eyes, blood sugar decrease. The mixturees made from crust of barberry are forbidden to children, pregnant women or women in lactation period. In cases of interaction between this herb with other medicinee to avoid side effects, the advice of the physician should be asked for.

Barbados Cherry

2011-08-30T21:51:00.000+07:00

Malpighia emarginata is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae. Common names include Barbados cherry, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry and wild crapemyrtle. Barbados cherry is native from Southern Mexico, Central and South America, but now being also grown as far North as Texas and in subtropical areas – Asia and India. It is known for being extremely rich in vitamin C although it also contains vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3 as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids which provide very important nutritive value and a possible use as an antioxidant. This vitamin C produced by the fruit is better absorbed by human organisms than synthetic ascorbic acid.

Uses

As food
Close-up on the blossom and unripe fruits

The fruit is edible and widely consumed in the species' native area, and is cultivated elsewhere for its high vitamin C content. There are 1677.6 mg of vitamin C in 100 g of fruit.

* Fruit can be used to make juices and pulps, both very rich in vitamin C and antioxidants;
* Barbados cherry fruit can be used to produce vitamin C concentrate;
* Baby food and juice

A comparative analysis of antioxidant potency among a variety of frozen juice pulps was carried out, including the Barbados cherry fruit. Among the eleven fruits' pulps tested, Barbados cherry was the highest-scoring domestic fruit, meaning it had the most antioxidant potency, with a TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity) score of 53.2 mmol g.

Absolut Vodka released Absolut Los Angeles, a limited-edition spirit flavored with Barbados cherry, açai, pomegranate, and blueberry, in July 2008.

Chiquita's Strawberry-Banana C-Optima drink, sold in 4-packs of 125ml apiece in Belgium and Germany, advertises on its lid that it contains 3 Barbados cherrys and 200mg of Vitamin C.

Other uses

Barbados cherry is a popular bonsai subject because of its small leaf, fruit and fine ramification. It is also grown as an ornamental and for hedges.

Bael

2011-08-27T21:40:00.013+07:00

Common Names

English: Wood apple, Bengal Quince
Hindi: Bael, Sirphal
Scientific Names

Species: Aegle marmelos Correa
Family: Rutaceae
Uses

Various parts of the tree are used for its curative, pesticidal and nutritive properties. Fresh half ripe Bael fruit is mildly astringent and used to cure dysentery, diarrhoea, hepatitis, tuberculosis, dyspepsia and good for heart and brain. Roots have antidiarrhoetic, antidote to snake venom, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties. The Bael fruit is one of the most nutritious fruits, rich in riboflavin and used for the preparation of a number of products like candy, squash, toffee, slab, pulp powder and nectar. The leaves and seed oil have pesticidal properties.
Origin

Woody tree, native to India. Now naturalized in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and most of southeastern Asian countries.

Crop Status

A perennial woody tree grown in kitchen gardens, boundary plantation around mango orchards and in forest plantations in most of the states of India.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

It is used as a medicine to cure a number of diseases in India. It's medicinal properties have been listed within "Charaka Samhita," an early medical treatise.

Nutrition

The deficiency of nitrogen and zinc is common in Bael orchards and can be corrected by soil application or foliar spray.

Babaco

2011-08-23T21:26:00.016+07:00

Common name - Babaco, Mountain Papaya are the few names in which Babaco is known by.

Origin - The babaco is known to have originated in the central south highlands of Ecuador .

Appearance - Babaco is an attractive torpedo shaped fruit with an effervescent flesh hence it is also called the champagne fruit . When sliced crosswise, the facets of this fruit gives a pentagonal outline which gives it the scientific name of Carica pentagona. The texture of this golden fruit is very light and refreshing. The babaco fruit is just like a papaw with a single, knobbly stem dividing into two or more branches at the top. It bears a few large, sparse flowers and lobed leaves which forms on the trunk and branches.

Nutrients in Babaco

Babáco is best eaten raw. It contains three times the amount of papain as in papaya and is considered as an excellent source of vitamin A and C. Our body needs vitamin C which mainly helps to heal wounds and also to maintain healthy gums.

Babaco Facts

1) The capacity of a matured babaco tree is nearly between 38 to 100 fruits per year.
2) Fruits are harvested only when they lose their green colour and turn yellow all over.
3) Babacos require a very warm, humid climate and perfect drainage. They are not tolerant to strong winds and hot dry conditions.
4) All babacos are female and do not require pollination, which means all the fruits are seedless.
5) The babaco plant has an average life span of about eight years.
6) The babaco plant is damaged by air frost, and sometimes will be killed in severe air frosts.
7) Babaco fruits may get damaged easily, hence it should be handled very carefully.

Babaco - disease controller

Babacos are remarkably tough and disease-resistant. They are very susceptible to root rot diseases when they become saturated with water or full of water. Severe root rot diseases in babacos can only be treated by chopping down the plant and either treating the soil with a fungicide or,chopping out the whole root system and leaving the ground empty by without planting any other fruit tree there for at least a year.

Prolonged humidity can also bring on powdery mildew, which coats the leaves in a pale, powdery substance. This can be easily treated with either milk sprays (one part milk to 10 parts water) every 10 days or a commercial brand remedy. Prevention is always better than cure – good drainage, plenty of light, and good air circulation around the plants will prevent the trees from the occurence of such problems. Babacos need humidity to set fruit. Crowding them to together may cause the fungal problems to develop.
Diseases in Babaco

The major pests affecting the babaco fruit and the tree are the

* Two spotted mite - Tetranychus uraticae
* Strawberry mite - Tetranychus atlanticus

Controlling these diseases is very difficult since most miticides are phytotoxic to babaco leaves. Predatory mites may give reasonable control. Slugs and the California brown snail may damage the fruit and must be controlled.

Avocado

2011-08-20T21:10:00.027+07:00

What's New and Beneficial about Avocados

* Consider adding avocado to salads, and not only on account of taste! Recent research has shown that absorption of two key carotenoid antioxidants—lycopene and beta-carotene—increases significantly when fresh avocado (or avocado oil) is added to an otherwise avocado-free salad. One cup of fresh avocado (150 grams) added to a salad of romaine lettuce, spinach, and carrots increased absorption of carotenoids from this salad between 200-400%. This research result makes perfect sense to us because carotenoids are fat-soluble and would be provided with the fat they need for absorption from the addition of avocado. Avocado oil added to a salad accomplished this same result. Interestingly, both avocado oil and fresh avocado added to salsa increased carotenoid absorption from the salsa as well. That's even more reason for you to try our 15-Minute Halibut with Avocado Salsaa great-tasting recipe that can help optimize your carotenoid health benefits.

* The method you use to peel an avocado can make a difference to your health. Research has shown that the greatest concentration of carotenoids in avocado occurs in the dark green flesh that lies just beneath the skin. You don't want to slice into that dark green portion any more than necessary when you are peeling an avocado. For this reason, the best method is what the California Avocado Commission has called the "nick and peel" method. In this method, you actually end up peeling the avocado with your hands in the same way that you would peel a banana. The first step in the nick-and-peel method is to cut into the avocado lengthwise, producing two long avocado halves that are still connected in the middle by the seed. Next you take hold of both halves and twist them in opposite directions until they naturally separate. At this point, remove the seed and cut each of the halves lengthwise to produce long quartered sections of the avocado. You can use your thumb and index finger to grip the edge of the skin on each quarter and peel it off, just as you would do with a banana skin. The final result is a peeled avocado that contains most of that dark green outermost flesh so rich in carotenoid antioxidants!

* We tend to think about carotenoids as most concentrated in bright orange or red vegetables like carrots or tomatoes. While these vegetables are fantastic sources of carotenoids, avocado—despite its dark green skin and largely greenish inner pulp—is now known to contain a spectacular array of carotenoids. Researchers believe that avocado's amazing carotenoid diversity is a key factor in the anti-inflammatory properties of this vegetable. The list of carotenoids found in avocado include well-known carotenoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lutein, but also many lesser known carotenoids including neochrome, neoxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin.

* Avocado has sometimes received a "bad rap" as a vegetable too high in fat. While it is true that avocado is a high-fat food (about 85% of its calories come from fat), the fat contained in avocado is unusual and provides research-based health benefits. The unusual nature of avocado fat is threefold. First are the phytosterols that account for a major portion of avocado fats. These phytosterols include beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol and they are key supporters of our inflammatory system that help keep inflammation under control. The anti-inflammatory benefits of these avocado fats are particularly well-documented with problems involving arthritis. Second are avocado's polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs). PFAs are widely present in ocean plants but fairly unique among land plants—making the avocado tree (and its fruit) unusual in this regard. Like the avocado's phytosterols, its PFAs also provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits. Third is the unusually high amount of a fatty acid called oleic acid in avocado. Over half of the total fat in avocado is provided in the form of oleic acid—a situation very similar to the fat composition of olives and olive oil. Oleic acid helps our digestive tract form transport molecules for fat that can increase our absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids. As a monounsaturated fatty acid, it has also been shown to help lower our risk of heart disease. So don't be fooled by avocado's bad rap as a high-fat food. Like other high-fat plant foods (for example, walnuts and flaxseeds), avocado can provide us with unique health benefits precisely because of its unusual fat composition.

Health Benefits

Promote Heart Health

Before reviewing special health areas in which avocados truly shine in terms of their health benefits, it's worth remembering the big picture. That's exactly what Victor Fulgoni and his fellow researchers at Nutrition Impact, LLC did when they reviewed data from the federal government's National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES 2001-2006) and the dietary intake of 14,484 U.S. adults. Amazingly, only 273 adults participating in this study reported consumption of avocado within the last 24 hours. Amongst the 273 participants who reported recent consumption of avocado, however, nutrient intake was found to be significant higher than other participants for several vitamins (vitamin E and vitamin K), several minerals (potassium and magnesium), and at least one desirable macronutrient (total dietary fiber). Avocado consumers were also determined to be lower in weight and lower in body mass index than non-consumers. Total fat intake, total monounsaturated fat intake, and total polyunsaturated fat intake was higher in consumers of avocado, even though their overall calorie intake was not significantly different from non-consumers of avocado. This nationwide comparison of avocado consumers and non-consumers doesn't prove that avocado consumers get health advantages from avocado. Nor does it prove that avocado consumption makes us lower in weight. But it does point us in the general direction of viewing avocado as a health supportive food that may give us a "leg up" in terms of health and nourishment.

Wide-Ranging Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

The ability of avocado to help prevent unwanted inflammation is absolutely unquestionable in the world of health research. The term "anti-inflammatory" is a term that truly applies to this delicious food. Avocado's anti-inflammatory nutrients fall into five basic categories:

* phytosterols, including beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol
* carotenoid antioxidants, including lutein, neoxanthin, neochrome, chrysanthemaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin , beta-carotene and alpha-carotene
* other (non-carotenoid) antioxidants, including the flavonoids epicatechin and epigallocatechin 3-0-gallate, vitamins C and E, and the minerals manganese, selenium, and zinc
* omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (approximately 160 milligrams per cup of sliced avocado)
* polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PSA)s

Arthritis—including both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis—are health problems that have received special research attention with respect to dietary intake of avocado. All categories of anti-inflammatory nutrients listed above are likely to be involved in avocado's ability to help prevent osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. One especially interesting prevention mechanism, however, appear to involve avocado's phytosterols (stigmasterol, campesterol, and beta-sitosterol) and the prevention of too much pro-inflammatory PGE2 (prostaglandin E2) synthesis by the connective tissue.

Optimized Absorption of Carotenoids

No single category of nutrients in avocado is more impressive than carotenoids. Here's a list that summarizes key carotenoid antioxidants provided by avocado:

* alpha-carotene
* beta-carotene
* beta-cryptoxanthin
* chrysanthemaxanthin
* lutein
* neochrome
* neoxanthin
* violaxanthin
* zeaxanthin

Optimal absorption of these fat-soluble phytonutrients requires just the right amount and combination of dietary fats—and that is exactly the combination that is provided by avocado! Included within avocado are generous amounts of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that makes it easier for the digestive tract to form transport molecules (chylomicrons) that can carry carotenoids up into the body. This great match between avocado's fat content and its carotenoids also extends to the relationship between avocado and other foods. Consider, for example, a simple salad composed of romaine lettuce, spinach, and carrots. This simple salad is rich in carotenoids, and when we eat it, we definitely get important carotenoid benefits. But recent research has shown that if one cup of avocado (150 grams) is added to this salad, absorption of carotenoids will be increased by 200-400%! This improvement in carotenoid absorption has also been shown in the case of salsa made with and without avocado. (That's even more reason, we think, to try our recipe for 15-Minute Halibut with Avocado Salsa!)

Supports Cardiovascular Health

Avocado's support for heart and blood vessels might be surprising to some people who think about avocado as too high in fat for heart health. From a research standpoint, however, many metabolic aspects of heart health - including levels of inflammatory risk factors, levels of oxidative risk factors, and blood fat levels (including level of total cholesterol) - are improved by avocado. In addition, we know that heart health is improved by intake of oleic acid (the primary fatty acid in avocado) and by intake of omega-3 fatty acids (provided by avocado in the form of alpha-linolenic acid and in the amount of 160 milligrams per cup). Since elevated levels of homocysteine form a key risk factor for heart disease, and since B vitamins are very important for healthy regulation of homocysteine levels, avocado's significant amounts of vitamin B-6 and folic acid provide another channel of heart support.

Research on avocado and heart disease remains in the preliminary stage, with studies mostly limited to lab studies on cells or animals fed avocado extracts. But we fully expect to see large-scale human studies confirming the heart health benefits of this unique food.

Promotes Blood Sugar Regulation

One of the most fascinating areas of avocado research—and one that may turn out to be the most unique for health support—involves carbohydrates and blood sugar regulation. Avocado is relatively low-carb food, with about 19% of its calories coming from carbs. It's also a low-sugar food, containing less than 2 grams of total sugar per cup, and falls very low on the glycemic index. At the same time, one cup of avocado provides about 7-8 grams of dietary fiber, making it an important dietary source of this blood sugar-regulating nutrient. Given this overall carb profile, we would not expect avocado to be a problematic food for blood sugar unless it was eaten in excessive amounts (many cups per serving).

Within its relatively small carb content, however, avocado boasts some of the most unusual carb components in any food. When it is still on the tree, avocado contains about 60% of its carbs in the form of 7-carbon sugars. In sizable amounts, 7-carbon sugars (like mannoheptulose, the primary carb in unripened avocado) are rarely seen in foods. Because of their rare status, food scientists have been especially interested in the 7-carbon sugars (mannoheptulose, sedoheptulose, and related sugar alcohols like perseitol) found in avocado. The 7-carbon sugars like mannoheptulase may help regulate the way that blood sugar (glucose) is metabolized by blocking activity of an enzyme called hexokinase and changing the level of activity through a metabolic pathway called glycolysis. Research in this area is still a long way from determining potential health benefits for humans from dietary intake of these 7-carbon sugars. But it's an exciting area of potential health benefit for avocado, especially since this food is already recognized as low glycemic index.

One final interesting observation comes from this research on avocado and its carbs: after five days of ripening (post-harvest, beginning with removal of the avocado from the tree), the carb profile of avocado changes significantly. The 7-carbon sugars change from being the predominant form of carbs in avocado (60%) to being an important but minority component (between 40-50% of total carbs). With ripening, the 5-carbon sugars—especially sucrose—become the predominant carbs. While it's too early in the research process to draw health-oriented conclusions from this information, these findings may be encouraging us to consider degree of avocado ripeness as an important factor in its health benefits. We already know to stay away from an extremely overripe avocado that has become overly soft and has developed dark sunken spots on its skin. Perhaps off in the future, we'll be able to zero in on exact amounts of avocado ripeness that offers different types of unique health benefits, including carb-related benefits.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

The ability of avocado to help prevent the occurrence of cancers in the mouth, skin, and prostate gland has been studied in a preliminary way by health researchers, mostly through the use of lab studies on cancer cells or lab studies involving animals and their consumption of avocado extracts. But even though this anti-cancer research has been limited with respect to humans and diet, we believe that the preliminary results are impressive. The anti-cancer properties of avocado are definitely related to its unusual mix of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients. That relationship is to be expected since cancer risk factors almost always include excessive inflammation (related to lack of anti-inflammatory nutrients) and oxidative stress (related to lack of antioxidants). But here is where the avocado story gets especially interesting. In healthy cells, avocado works to improve inflammatory and oxidative stress levels. But in cancer cells, avocado works to increase oxidative stress and shift the cancer cells over into a programmed cell death cycle (apoptosis), lessening the cancer cell numbers. In other words, avocado appears to selectively push cancer cells "over the brink" in terms of oxidative stress and increase their likelihood of dying, while at the same time actively supporting the health of non-cancerous cells by increasing their supply antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. We look forward to large-scale studies in this area involving humans and dietary consumption of avocado.

Aprium Fruit

2011-08-16T20:52:00.002+07:00

An aprium is a hybrid fruit of plums and apricots. Apriums are available in United States during the period of June. The fruit is dry and less juicy and extremely sweet with orange flavor. The taste of ripe apriums is an apricot taste.

Aprium fruit

The fruit was a light yellow colored fruit and has a fuzzy, apricotlike skin. It contains 75% apricot and 25% plum. Aprium is a climacteric fruit; it will continue to ripen after harvest. It makes an excellent addition to pies, salads, and preserves.

Aprium trees

aprium trees Aprium trees do finest if planted on well drained soil out of strong winds. They self-pollinating or self fertile and more fruit will be achieved only by pollinating with any other apricot tree.

Nutritional facts

Recipes Aprium Muffins

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup apple juice
* 18 chopped apriums
* 3/4 cup raisins
* 14oz of oat bran muffin mix

How to prepare?

Preheat oven to 425 ºF and lightly cover about 9 muffin cups with nonstick spray. In a bowl, mix muffin and juice until it gets moistened. Stir in apriums and raisins. Bake it until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and cool it.

Apricot Prunus armeniaca

2011-08-13T20:19:00.002+07:00

Taxonomy

Apricot, Prunus armeniaca L., is a member of the Rosaceae family, along with apple, pear, peach, and other stone fruits. The apricot is found in the Prunophora subgenus within Prunus along with plums. Hybrids between plums and apricots have been produced recently which are said to be finer fruits than either parent. A "Plumcot" is 50% plum, 50% apricot; an "Aprium" is 75% apricot, 25% plum; and the most popular hybrid, the "Pluot" is 75% plum, 25% apricot.

Cultivars
'Blenheim' (syn. 'Royal') is by far the major US cultivar, accounting for over 80% of production. Others include: 'Tilton' , 'Wenatchee Moorpark' , 'Perfection', 'Earlicot' , and 'Autumn Royal'.

Origin, History Of Cultivation

The center of diversity of the apricot is northeastern China near the Russian border (in the Great Wall area). From there it spread west throughout central Asia. Cultivation in China dates back 3000 years. The Romans introduced apricots to Europe in 70-60 BC through Greece and Italy. Apricots probably moved to the US through English settlers on the East Coast, and Spanish Missionaries in California. For much of their history of cultivation, apricots were grown from seedlings, and few improved cultivars existed until the nineteenth century. Cultivars vary among countries, and in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria, a great deal of the production is from seedling orchards. Cultivation in the USA was confined to frost-free sites along the Pacific slope of California, due to early bloom but relatively high chilling requirement, and fungal disease problems in humid climates. Now, most of the production in California is in the San Joaquin valley.

Production

World (2004 FAO) - 2,685,486 MT or 6 billion pounds. Apricots are produced commercially in 63 countries on about 988,000 acres. Production has been stable over the last decade. Yields average 5980 lbs/acre, ranging from just a few thousand pounds to over 15,000 lbs/acre in the some European countries.

United States (2004 USDA) - 91,545 MT or 2201 million lbs. Apricots have been valued at $26-48 million/year over the last decade. Prices are relatively low, 19¢/lb, typical of prices over the last decade. Apricots are produced commercially in 3 states (CA, WA, UT), with California accounting for 94% of the crop. In 2004, California had 17,000 bearing acres of apricots, producing about 11,000 lbs/acre, for a value of $29 million. The USA exported 31% of production in 2002, mostly as dried fruit, with fresh fruit about 1/3 of exports. Exports have doubled since 1988. No import data are available, but small quantities of fresh fruit are imported from the southern hemisphere countries like Chile in winter months.

Contribution To Diet

Most of the US crop is not sold fresh; drying and canning are popular options for apricots since they are so perishable. Cultivars which retain their color and flavor during drying like ‘Royal' and ‘Tilton' are best for this market. Dried apricots can be easily re-hydrated, and are particularly popular with backpackers. As with plums, drying concentrates all nutrients several-fold. Per capita consumption is only 0.9 lb per year. In 2004, the utilization was as follows:

Canned and juices - 23%
Fresh - 13%
Dried - 57%
Frozen - 5%

* Percent of recommended daily allowance set by FDA, assuming a 154 lb male adult, 2700 calories per day.

Flowering Plant Families of Annonaceae

2011-08-09T19:58:00.019+07:00

The Annonaceae are woody trees, shrubs and vines comprising about 130 genera and 2,300 species. The leaves are simple, alternate, lack stipules, and generally are distichously arranged in flat sprays. The flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic, possessing 3 whorls of perianth with 3 segments in each whorl. The elongated floral axis also bears many helically disposed stamens and several to many simple pistils. All of the floral parts are distinct. The stamens are very short, consisting of the fertile central anther portion, a distal pad of fleshy connective tissue, and a short fleshy basal portion. The stamens are generally so tightly packed on the receptacle that often only the fleshy connective tissue of each is exposed. The pistils each have a superior ovary with one locule and 1-many parietal ovules. Sectioned seeds reveal channels or partitions in the ruminate endosperm. The pistils generally remain distinct and develop into berry-like fruits but sometimes they coalesce into multiple fruits like the custard apple.

Amazon Tree Grape

2011-08-06T19:39:00.009+07:00

Moraceae

The Amazon tree-grape, Pourouma cecropiaefolia Mart., of the family Moraceae, is the best-known of about 50 species of Pourouma in Central America and tropical South America. It is known in Brazil generally as puruma, cucura, imbauba mansa, imbauba-de-vinho, imbauba de cheiro; in Bahia as tararanga preta and in Manaus as mapati. In Colombia it is called puruma, caime, caimaron, caimaron silvestre, uva caimarona, camuirro, cucura, uva, sirpe, hiye or joyahiye. In Peru, it is simply uvilla.

The tree resembles Cecropia spp., which are called imbauba in Brazil. It reaches 23 to 50 ft (7-15 m) in height. The bark is gray and marked with leaf scars. The alternate leaves, on long petioles, are nearly circular but deeply cleft into obovate oblong-lanceolate lobes to 1 ft (30 cm) long. They are green on the upper surface, whitish or bluish-gray and velvety beneath; agreeably aromatic, like wintergreen, when crushed. The unopened inflorescence is reddish-purple, densely coated with fine white hairs. The white male and female flowers are borne on separate trees. Borne in bunches of 20 or more, the fruit is grapelike except for its wintergreen odor. It is round or round-ovate, usually 3/8 to 3/4 in (0.5-1 cm) wide, occasionally to 1 1/2 in (4 cm). The skin is very rough to the touch, inedible but easily peeled; purple when ripe. The pulp is white, mucilaginous, juicy; of subacid, very mild flavor; and encloses 1 conical seed with fibrous, grooved coat.

The tree grows wild in the western part of Amazonas, Brazil, and adjacent areas of Ecuador and Peru. It is especially abundant in the vicinity of Iquitos. It has been cultivated since pre-Hispanic times by the Indians of southwestern Colombia and is grown by Indians and non Indians in Brazil. Patino says that around 1940 propagation was begun at the Estacion Agricola at Palmira, Colombia, and seeds and plants were given to the Estacion at Calima in 1945. Some trees are being grown, too, at the Estacion Agricola de Armero. There is today renewed interest in encouraging cultivation.

The tree grows on high dry land at altitudes below 1,640 ft (500 m). It may be subject to flooding every 4 or 5 years. It cannot stand prolonged drought. The seeds have short-term viability. If planted in time, they may show 86% germination. Cuttings are difficult to grow. Seedlings bear in 1 to 3 years after setting out. There may be 2 crops per year. Some trees that have been at least 3 years in the plantation have yielded 110 lbs (50 kg). The fruit is eaten raw or made into wine.

The wood is light, coarse and non-durable. It is used only for making charcoal.

Hardiness: Will not tolerate frost.

Growing Environment: Water frequently throughout the year. Trees will stand short periods of flood, but they are highly susceptible to drought.

Propagation: By seed, which loose viability quickly. Seedlings may bear in 1-3 years.

Uses: Fruits are eaten raw or made into wine.

Native Range: Native to rain forests of Western Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. The amazon tree grape has been locally cultivated for centuries in this area.

Acorn Squash, Made For Stuffing

2011-08-02T19:34:00.000+07:00

What it is: A type of Cucurbita pepo, acorn squash is an edible gourd related to pumpkins and zucchini. A hard-shelled winter-storage squash, most traditionally it has a dark green exterior shaped something like an acorn, and a finely grained, sweet orange flesh, but you can also find acorns with golden, white and even striped skins. They make colorful decorations as well as delicious vegetables.

Where it comes from: Indigenous to North and Central America, winter squash seeds have been excavated from Mexican burial mounds dating to between 9,000 and 4,000 B.C. Squash was introduced to early European settlers by Native Americans. The name acorn squash, however, first appeared in print in 1937.

What to do with it: Acorn squash is most often roasted, steamed or microwaved. It can also be cut into pieces and sauteed, but because of the hard, inedible rind, it’s easiest to simply cut it in half and scoop out seeds before cooking — soften it by par-cooking and then cutting it into smaller pieces. Once cooked, the squash can be simply served in its rind, or the flesh can be scooped out, mashed and seasoned in a variety of ways.

The small size and naturally concave shape make acorn squash halves an ideal medium for individual servings with various fillings. At Las Palmas, a Mexican restaurant in Wicker Park, Chef Armando Gonzalez roasts acorn squash halves and stuffs them with a mixture of saffron rice and vegetables.

Choose squash with a hard, well-colored rind and without cuts or moldy spots. Store in a cool, dark, well ventilated area. If well-stored, the squash will keep for several months.

Las Palmas’ la calabeza rellena
Oven-roasted acorn squash stuffed with artichokes, green peas, chile de arbol, mushrooms and saffron rice
Chef Armando Gonzalez

    Squash:
    3 acorn squash, washed, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
    Salt and pepper, to taste
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    3 tablespoons butter

    Risotto:
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    3 cups risotto rice
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 cups white wine
    1 tablespoon powdered saffron
    5 cups vegetable stock, heated

    Vegetables:
    4 artichoke hearts, trimmed
    Juice of 1/2 lime
    1 tablespoons olive oil
    1/2 pound white mushrooms, chopped
    1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
    1 chile de arbol, seeded and chopped
    1 cup green peas

    Finishing:
    1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron
    1 to 3 tablespoons butter
    6 springs fresh thyme or rosemary

Cook the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash halves, skin side down, in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and brown sugar, and put 1/2 tablespoon butter in each. Add 1/2 inch of water to pan carefully, and cover with foil. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.

Prepare the risotto: In large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the rice, garlic, and onion until the onions are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and saffron. Gradually stir in the stock and cook till absorbed, stirring frequently, so as not to stick.

Cook the vegetables: Boil the artichokes in water to cover with the lime juice for 5 minutes and submerge in ice water. Chop.

In a medium saute pan, heat the oil, and cook the mushrooms, peppers and peas until a little soft (3 to 5 minutes), then add the artichokes.

To assemble: Stir the vegetable mixture into the rice, add saffron, and thin the mixture with butter. Spoon the rice mixture into the acorn squash halves, and top each with a fresh sprig of thyme. 6 servings.

What Is Acerola?

2011-07-23T17:12:00.001+07:00

Acerola cherries are rich in high antioxidant and rich in vitamins and minerals. Within the fruit there are over 150 types of nutrient elements. besides, it also contains powerful anti-fungal and has the ability to lower blood cholesterol levels. Cherries also have the ability to fight the aging process cells, hydrates the skin and help stimulate the function of capillaries.

Acerola Nutrition:

Treat fever
Overcoming tuberculosis
Keeping the heart and stimulates the kidneys
Coping with diabetes
Restore cuts
Coping with inflammation (inflamation)
A healthy heart function
Overcoming Rheumatism disease (Rheumatism)
Help to overcome nutritional anemia

Acai Berry Benefits

2011-07-21T19:50:00.003+07:00

Acai Berry is considered as a super fruit because so many health benefits contained. This fruit contains a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in maintaining the body to stay healthy.

Antioxidants are needed by the body to help cleanse toxins and waste, as well as help repair cell damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants are also important for maintaining heart health.

Acai berry is one of the best sources of anthocyanins. In addition to acai berries, red wine (red wine) will also contain this compound. But not like red wine, acai berry does not contain alcohol that can actually have a negative impact on health, especially if consumed in excess.

Acai berries also contain lots of Omega-6 fatty acids and Omega-9. These two fatty acids are important for maintaining heart health. Not only the heart, fatty acids can also help protect the entire cardiovascular system.
Some studies also show that both these fatty acids can help lower cholesterol. Low cholesterol means the heart will also be healthier. Acai berry is also a source of fiber and protein. Both of these substances will be good for digestion and heart.

Not only that, the acai berry is believed to slow the aging process. Although no strong evidence of this, the antioxidant content of Acai berry is considered capable of making the skin look younger. Antioxidants help slow the aging process by preventing damage to skin cells caused by free radicals. In addition to antioxidants, anthocyanins can also be good for skin appearance. But once again, further research is still needed to strengthen this claim.

First wine and blueberry fruit is considered as best seen from the antioxidants. Now the acai berry can be added to the list.

Finally, the acai berry is also been reported to increase energy and stamina. Both are needed to keep the body fit despite having to perform daily activities that are so dense.

Once harvested, the Acai berry must be processed to preserve nutritional value. Drying is the most common type of processing. But today, many pharmaceutical companies that make the acai berry supplement in capsule form.

Serviceberries

2011-05-10T20:08:00.002+07:00

The Serviceberry also widely know as (among many other names) Juneberry, saskatoon, sarvisberry, mespilus, sarvis, shad-blossom, or shadbush--is reported to have a fine taste and will certainly be hardy here. But, as with other fruit plants, while the plant may be hardy, it does not follow as the night the day that the fruit will survive freezes; we thus prefer types that flower later then the average. Fortunately, as serviceberries have become better known and more popular, named cultivars, and information about them, are now much more available than was the case only a few years ago. Of the many cultivars, the two that emerge as the latest-flowering types to also have excellent fruit quality and wide availability are:

Northline, and

Honeywood.

Though the plants are self-fertile, we'd put in one of each, just to cover all the bases.

Note that by proper pruning and training, a serviceberry "bush" can be made to look very much like a fair-sized tree, and that is why we list the berry here, with fruit trees, rather than with berry bushes.

By the way: why the heck isn't this guy even better known? Not only does he produce delicious edible fruit, he is hardy from Zones 3 to 9, he reportedly makes superb fall foliage (many people put them in just for their decorative value--see image at left), is very drought-tolerant, is compact (circa 10 to 15 feet high) but so sturdy that he makes, and is commonly used for, an excellent windbreak, and is even self-fertile! America, what are you missing here? (Canada knows and loves it.) One problem may be that people who know the plant from landscape use may not realize that not all cultivars taste the same, by any means: though all the berries are edible, only those from species reckoned as food types will have the superior taste associated with this fruit.

Planting and Growing

Plan on putting your serviceberry seedling plants into the ground in late spring or early summer, say June. Set them in a full-sun location, keep them well watered, and consider some high-phosphate fertilizer.

Have patience: serviceberries show very little visible growth in their first year. But they should begin to flower and bear fruit in 3 to 4 years. They should reach peak production in 8 to 10 years, after which they will probably outlive you.

You will get zero fruit if you don't protect well against birds, which adore serviceberries. Don't just cast a net over the bush (or tree): make sure the net comes right down to the ground, and is secured there, else the little darlin's will hop right under it.

The fruit of the serviceberries are ripe so it must be time for breakfast at Kokopelli Nursery. Recently I was in the Serviceberry, Amelanchier, block of trees and shrubs helping a customer select one for a landscape. He caught me trying to pick some of the fruit.

Serviceberry fruit looks and tastes like blueberries. As the fruit matures, it changes color from red to bluish black. They are good in pies, jams and jellies. But, that's too much work for me. I just wander out to the block of trees and fill up a cup.

Sea Grape

2011-05-10T19:30:00.001+07:00

The sea grape (Coccoloba uvifera), is an inhabitant of the Caribbean Sea, and is not similar to the other grapes in the world grown on the climber trees or shrubs.

Sea grape got its name from the clusters shaped like grapes which the plant has. Bermuda, names these sea plants as bay-grape. Spanish areas such as Puerto Rico name it as uva de mar. Greek and the proper Latin name for it is berry and pod. Sea grape plants are openly surrounded by the sea coast from where they easily are approached to salt water from the ocean or sea.

Sea grapes look like evergreens with a good-looking, golden-brown woof that tends to unwrap. These trees are about 15 to 21 feet in tallness, even capable of reaching up to 30 foot. sea grapes have got a pretty good growth rate.

They have crude, mainly big leaves of going about up to 10 inches; rounded in a circular manner around the stems. Color of the vein which is viewing is usually reddish; where a grownup leaf could also be red in color. They also have got some flowers on the plant having a pleasurable smell and are yellowish and a little white in color small.

Real grapes look similar to the sea grape fruits, where the immature ones are green and the ripen ones are quite black. sea grapes flavor is mostly bitter and thus can’t be eaten freshly picked; but later on they are quite much used in jellies, jams, and custards. Such products could be easily seen in grocery stores.

Besides eating such fruits they also provide benefits to the medicine areas, especially in areas of Mexico. Its juice helps people to treat digestive problems and as well as many other diseases. This plant is also named as manzana and kiiche.

A there are a lot of hasty winds blowing in the areas of sea grape plants; they tend to grow very slowly and this which makes the size of the sea grape plant grow to a limit.

Sea Buckthorn

2011-04-08T18:23:00.001+07:00

Latin Name

Hippophae rhamnoides L.

Family

Elaeagnaceae

Common Names

Sea buckthorn, Siberian pineapple, Sea Berry, Sandthorn or Swallowthorn

Habitat

It is native from northwestern Europe, through central Asia to the Altai Mountains to western and northern China and the northern Himalayas.

Historic Uses

Used in ancient Greece as a fodder for horses to promote weight gain and a shiny coat. In fact, the generic Latin name "Hippophae" literally translates to "shiny horse".
Sea buckthorn has been used for centuries in both Europe and Asia as food; and for its pharmaceutical properties.
Anecdotal reports indicate sea buckthorn was used in ancient times to:

Lower fever, reduce inflammation, counteract toxicity and abscesses, and clean the lungs.
Treat colds and coughs.
Treat tumours and growths, especially of the stomach and the oesophagus.

Current Uses

Functional Food

Juice from sea buckthorn berries is a common drink in many parts of Asia and Europe. The juice is very high in protein, vitamins C and E, and organic acids.
The leaves, either fresh or dried, can be steeped to yield a nutritional tea.
The leaves, young branches and fruit pulp can be used as animal fodder.

Medicinal

Topical application of sea buckthorn oil has been reported for skin therapy including sun, heat, chemical and radiation burns, eczema and poorly healing wounds. Russian cosmonauts used sea buckthorn cream for protection from cosmic radiation.
Oil from the sea buckthorn fruit is rich in vitamin E, carotenoids, phytosterols and essential fatty acids, all of which have beneficial medicinal properties for the treatment of internal and topical maladies.

Agronomic and Environmental

Sea buckthorn is a remarkably hardy bush that rapidly develops an extensive root system capable of fixing nitrogen. Thus, it is suitable for growth on marginal soils, eventually improving them to where they can support the growth of other plants. It is quite tolerant of salt-spray adjacent to highways. Sea buckthorn has been used for:

Soil erosion control and land reclamation projects
Wildlife habitat enhancement (figure 1) and farm stand protection
Ornamental bushes

Saw Palmetto

2011-04-06T04:10:00.001+07:00

Saw Palmetto is a pretty popular fruit extract that is commonly used for BPH cure. Contrary to popular belief, the Saw Palmetto is not a fruit in itself. It is an extract of the fruit Serenoa Repens. The extract is very rich in fatty acids and phytosterols and has been used for ages in traditional, eclectic and alternative medicine for a variety of ailments.

In this article we'll take a look at the benefits offered by this natural fruit extract and also its side effect profile.

History Of The Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto has been an active ingredient of several traditional medicines. The aboriginal Americans used this entire fruit and its extract as food and also for treatment of a variety of urinary and reproductive ailments. The extract was also very popular with the Mayans. They drank the fruit extract as an energy tonic. The Seminoles used the Saw Palmetto as an expectorant and antiseptic.

Benefits Of Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto ingredients have excellent broncho-dilation and mucous properties. They prevent irritation of mucous tissues and also keep the bronchial tubes dilated. Irritative cough, chronic bacterial cough, whooping cough, laryngitis, acute catarrh, asthma, tubercular laryngitis and cough of phthisis pulmonalis are some of the pulmonary disease that this herbal extract can provide relief from.

It has a positive impact on the digestive organs and boosts up appetite, digestion and nutrient absorption in the body. The most prominent effect that the extract shows is on the prostate gland and sexual organs.

Effect On The Prostate

Before we take a look at the beneficial effects of the Saw Palmetto on the prostate, we must understand the complications of the prostate. Te prostate gland is a walnut sized glad that secrets a seminal fluid to nourish the semen in males. The urethra runs through the prostate and when the prostate enlarges in size, it constricts the urethra and disrupts urine flow. The urine that gets held back in the bladder leads to serious UTIs.

It would be worthwhile to mention that the testosterone hormone gets converted into dihydrotestosterone [DHT] by the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme and this DHT binds with androgen receptors to cause hyperplasia [inflammation] of the prostate. Ingredients in the Saw Palmetto extract act in two ways. They mimic the structure of DHT and block the androgen receptors, thereby preventing further inflation of the prostate. On the other hand they also inhibit the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme formation and eventually stop the conversion of testosterone into DHT [which is responsible for most prostate disorders].

Side Effects

There are no established side effects of this fruit extract. However in rare cases it has been seen that subjects on Saw Palmetto extract have inflated testicular organs. The exact reason for this is unknown, but some scientists believe that this extract might be responsible for enlarging the size of the organs that are below average size and reducing the size of those that are above average. This is just a belief and there are no hard facts to back up the claim.

Sawo

2011-03-02T14:48:00.001+07:00

In addition to sugar-rich, Sawo (Sapodilla) also contain other nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber food. The fruit is also good for heart health and blood vessels.

Sawo fruit (Achras sapota L) is known to the people of Indonesia. It smells fragrant and sweet taste delicious. In English, known as Sawo Sawo, chikoo, or sapota. In India, Sawo called chikoo, in the Philippines known as tsiko, and in Malaysia ciku. Chinese people refer to as hong xiêm Sawo fruit.

Brown fruit is usually consumed in fresh condition. Taste the sap is still often attached to the mouth. Under conditions ripe, this fruit can be made into a fresh drink or as a mixture of ice cream. However, it has not been cultivated commercially.

Sawo originated from Central America and Mexico. In India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Central America, Sawo fruit has been cultivated commercially. In Indonesia, the Sawo is generally cultivated as garden plants to enjoy the fruit, especially in areas of West Sumatra, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java and West Nusa Tenggara.

Seeds shiny brown, black or blackish brown. The shape is flat and large. Sawo seeds contain saponins, quercetin, and oil as much as 23 percent. Sawo seeds should not be consumed because of hydrocyanic acid content is high enough to be toxic. Meanwhile, interest Sawo is a key ingredient in parem, namely traditional medicine powder is rubbed on the body in new mothers.

Sawo fruit (Sapodilla) sweet taste that makes this fruit a lot of fans. Sweet taste is due to sugar content in fruit flesh content of 16-20 percent.

Not only sugar, the fruit pulp Sawo is also contained fat, protein, vitamins A, B, and C, minerals iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Sawo fruit nutrient composition can be seen in the table.

Sawo fruit has good mineral content. This fruit is a good source of potassium, ie 193 mg/100 g. On the other hand, Sawo also have low levels of sodium, 12 mg/100 g. Comparison of potassium and sodium content that reaches 16:1 makes the Sawo is very good for the heart and blood vessels.

In addition to potassium-rich, amber also contains a number of other important minerals. Other mineral content per 100 grams of Sawo fruit are: calcium (21 mg), magnesium (12 mg), phosphorus (12 mg), selenium (0.6 mg), zinc (0.1 mg) and copper (0.09 mg).

Sawo is also rich in vitamin C, which is 14.7 mg/100 g. Consumption of 100 grams of 24.5 percent Sawo to meet the body's need for vitamin C every day. Vitamin C can react with various minerals in the body. Vitamin C plays an important role in the metabolism of copper.

In addition, consumption of vitamin C in sufficient quantities can help improve the absorption of iron. Vitamin C can also interact with a variety of other vitamins, like vitamin E that act as antioxidants.

Sawo fruits also contain folic acid, 14 g. mkg/100 Folic acid is needed for the body to the formation of red blood cells. Folic acid also helps prevent the formation of homocysteine which is very harmful for health.

Other vitamins are also contained in the fruit of Sawo is: riboflavin, niacin, B6, and vitamin A. Although can be used as a source of vitamins and minerals, Sawo should not be given to infants because the sap is feared will disrupt the digestive tract.

Sawo fruit also contains a lot of sugar so good to be used as an energy source. However, this fruit is not recommended for people with diabetes mellitus because it can increase blood sugar levels quickly.

Soft and Smooth Sawo are ready to eat is brown. Raw fruit is not good to eat as hard. It was bitter and brown due to the high content of tannin and caustic. Sawo Sawo good quality is soft and dark brown.

Problems of form and size does not matter, the most important skin should be smooth. Do not choose a brown that is a cut, scratch, or even the slightest hole. Also, do not choose who has used the sap of Sawo in the skin. Sawo the skin defects had flesh bottom of the damaged or hard.

The fruit is ripe can be stored at low temperatures to prolong shelf life. Ripe fruit is stored at a temperature of 0 degrees celsius can last 12-13 days. Fruit is still raw, when stored at 15 degrees Celsius to survive in good condition for 17 days. Crude Sawo fruit stored at lower temperatures more than 10 days will not mature normally.

To stimulate mature so quickly, Sawo need brooded, after being washed to remove the dead skin. There are several ways of curing. The fruit is placed in a sealed container (eg in a box or bag) for a few days. However, how this will make the fruit ripening is not ripe at the same time. In order to get a ripe Sawo simultaneously, fruit put in place a sealed, then given a carbide or smoked.

Sawo fruit is very prone to microbial contamination because the water content and high nutrients. Geotrichum candidum, Cladosporum oxysporium, and Penicillium italicum are examples of microbes that are often found on Sawo fruit.

To keep a mature Sawo microbial pathogens are not attacked, you should use a fungicide Benlate. Treatment naturally, without using chemicals, it was hard to get the best results. Therefore, to maintain security, Sawo fruit should be washed before eaten. @ Prof Made Astawan Food Technology and Nutrition Experts IPB

Snake Fruit

2011-03-02T14:38:00.001+07:00

Salak (Salacca zalacca) is a species of palm tree (family Arecaceae) native to Indonesia. It is a very short-stemmed palm, with leaves up to 6 metres (20 ft) long; each leaf has a 2-metre long petiole with spines up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, and numerous leaflets.

The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip. The pulp is edible. The fruit can be peeled by pinching the tip, which should cause the skin to slough off so it can be pulled away. The fruit inside consists of three lobes, each containing a large inedible seed. The lobes resemble, and have the consistency of, large peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy (salak Bali).

Salak fruit has is indigenous to and has been cultivated throughout Indonesia, and there are at least 30 cultivars, most of which have an astringent taste and are sweet. Two popular cultivars are salak pondoh from Yogyakarta province (found in 1980s) and salak Bali from Bali island.

Salak pondoh is an important fruit in Yogyakarta province. In the five years to 1999, the annual production in Yogyakarta doubled to 28,666 tons. Its popularity (compared with other cultivars) among local Indonesian consumers is mainly due to the intensity of its aroma, which can be overripe and sweaty even before full maturation.

Salak pondoh has three more superior variations, namely pondoh super, pondoh hitam (black pondoh), and pondoh gading (ivory-English term for gading / yellowish-skinned pondoh).

Salak Bali is commonly sold all over the island of Bali, and is a popular fruit with both locals and tourists. The fruit is roughly the size of a large fig, and has a crunchy and moist consistency. The fruit has a starchy 'mouth feel', and a flavour reminiscent of dilute pineapple and lemon juice.

The most expensive cultivar of the Bali salak is the gula pasir (literally "sand sugar", referring to its fine-grainedness), which is smaller than the normal salak and is the sweetest of all salak. The price in Bali is Rp 15,000-30,000 (US$1.50-3.00) per kilogram depending on time of year, against about Rp 12,000 for regular salak.

Naseberry

2011-03-02T14:22:00.001+07:00

Jamaican naseberry (Manilkara zapotilla, Sapotaceae) is native to Central and South America. The tropical Jamaican naseberry fruit Jamaican naseberry tree may grow as all as 30 m in Jamaica and the Jamaican naseberry is tolerant of dry conditions. One of the most interesting and desirable of all tropical Jamaican naseberry fruit Jamaican naseberry trees, the Jamaican naseberry, a member of the family Sapotaceae, is now known botanically as Manilkara zapota.

The first report of the total soluble sugars for some varieties of Jamaican naseberry found between 20-25% [1] while the reducing and sucrose sugar content was 6.1-9.6% and 1.8-3.4% respectively. A more recent study [2] on the glycemic index (GI) of Jamaican naseberry fruits found that Jamaican naseberry had a rating of 57 which was attributed to the high dietary fiber content 7.9%, fructose level of 5.3g and the presence of starch 0.8g per 100g portion. The fractionation [3] of a methanol extract from Jamaican naseberry fruit resulted in the isolation of two new antioxidants.

The Jamaican naseberry is a fairly slow-growing, long-lived Jamaican naseberry tree, upright and elegant, distinctly pyramidal when young; to 60 ft (18 m) high in the open but reaching 100 ft (30 m) when crowded in a forest. The Jamaican naseberry is strong and wind-resistant, rich in white, gummy latex. Its Jamaican naseberry leaves are highly ornamental, evergreen, glossy, alternate, spirally clustered at the tips of the forked twigs; elliptic, pointed at both ends, firm, 3 to 4 1/2 in (7.5-11.25 cm) long and 1 to 1 1/2 in (2.5-4 cm) wide. Jamaican naseberry flowers are small and bell-like, with 3 brown-hairy outer sepals and 3 inner sepals enclosing the pale-green corolla and 6 stamens. They are borne on slender stalks at the Jamaican naseberry leaf bases. The Jamaican naseberry fruit may be nearly round, oblate, oval, ellipsoidal, or conical; varies from 2 to 4 in (5-10 cm) in width. When immature the Jamaican naseberry is hard, gummy and very astringent. Though smooth-skinned the Jamaican naseberry is coated with sandy brown scurf until fully ripe. The flesh ranges in color from yellowish to light- or dark-brown or sometimes reddish-brown; may be coarse and somewhat grainy or smooth; becomes soft and very juicy, with a sweet flavor resembling that of a pear. Some Jamaican naseberry fruits are Jamaican naseberry seedless, but normally there may be from 3 to 12 Jamaican naseberry seeds which are easily removed as they are loosely held in a whorl of slots in the center of the Jamaican naseberry fruit. They are brown or black, with one white margin; hard, glossy; long-oval, flat, with usually a distinct curved hook on one margin; and about 1/4 in (2 cm) long.

The Jamaican naseberry is believed native to Yucatan and possibly other nearby parts of southern Mexico, as well as northern Belize and Northeastern Guatemala. In this region there were once 100,000,000 Jamaican naseberry trees. The species is found in forests throughout Central America where the Jamaican naseberry has apparently been cultivated since ancient times. The Jamaican naseberry was introduced long ago throughout tropical America and the West Indies, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Florida Keys and the southern part of the Florida mainland. Early in colonial times, the Jamaican naseberry was carried to the Philippines and later was adopted everywhere in the Old World tropics. The Jamaican naseberry reached Ceylon in 1802.

Cultivation is most extensive in coastal India (Maharastra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madras and Bengal States), where Jamaican naseberry plantations are estimated to cover 4,942 acres (2,000 ha), while Mexico has 3,733.5 acres (1,511 ha) devoted to the production of Jamaican naseberry fruit (mainly in the states of Campeche and Veracruz) and 8,192 acres (4,000 ha) primarily for extraction of chicle (see under "Other Uses") as well as many dooryard and wild Jamaican naseberry trees. Commercial Jamaican naseberry plantings prosper in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the interior valleys of Palestine, as well as in various countries of South and Central America, including Venezuela and Guatemala.

In most areas, types are distinguished merely by shape, as 'Round' and 'Oval' in Saharanpur, India. Several named cultivars are grown for commercial or home use in western and southern India: 'Kalipatti', small, early, high quality; 'Calcutta Special', large, late; 'Pilipatti', small, midseason to late; 'Bhuripatti', small, midseason; Jumakhia', small, in clusters, late; 'Mohan Gooti', small, midseason, not very sweet; 'Kittubarti', very small, ridged, very sweet; 'Kittubarti Big', large, but of inferior quality; 'Cricket Ball', very large, with crisp, granular, very sweet flesh but not distinctive in flavor; 'Dwarapudi', similar, but not quite as big, sweet and very popular; 'Bangalore', large, ridged, and 'Vavivalasa' are oval and popular in the Circars but are only medium-sweet and bear poorly.

Other prominent cultivars in India are 'Jonnavalosa-I', of medium size, pale-fleshed, sweet; 'Jonnavalosa-Il', of medium size, ridged, with yellowish-pink flesh, sweet but not agreeable in flavor; 'Jonnavalosa Round', large, ridged, with cream-colored flesh, very sweet; 'Gauranga', small, lop-sided, ridged, very sweet, bears heavily; 'Ayyangar', large, very thick-skinned, sweet, rose-scented; 'Thagarampudi', of medium size, thin-skinned, very sweet; 'Oaka', small, rounded to oval, of good flavor and popular. Among the lesser-known are 'Badam', 'Bhuri', 'Calcutta Round', 'CO. 1' ('Cricket Ball' X 'Long Oval'), 'Dhola diwani', 'Fingar', 'Gavarayya', 'Guthi', 'Kali', and 'Vanjet'. A dwarf type called 'Pot' bears early and can be maintained as a pot specimen for 10 years.

The Jamaican naseberry trees in Panama do not exceed 26 ft (8 m) in height and bear small, oblate Jamaican naseberry fruits in dense clusters. In Indonesia, naseberries are classed in two main groups: 1) Sawo maneela, normal-size Jamaican naseberry trees having narrow, pointed Jamaican naseberry leaves; and 2) Sawo apel, low, shrub like Jamaican naseberry trees, with oblong Jamaican naseberry leaves broadest above the middle. Belonging to group #1 are the common cultivars 'Sawo betawi' (Jamaican naseberry fruit large, in clusters of 2-4, popular, perishable, ripening in 3 days from picking); 'Sawo koolon' (Jamaican naseberry fruit large, solitary, thick skinned, with firm flesh, shipping well); 'Sawo madja' (large, with persistent scurf, pulp of fine texture, sweet with an acid tang). Belonging to group #2 are 'Sawo apel bener' (Jamaican naseberry fruits small in clusters of 3-6, thick-skinned); 'Sawo apel klapa' (Jamaican naseberry fruits medium-size, with persistent scurf). Some others are little grown because the Jamaican naseberry fruits are very small, too sandy, too gummy, or too dry.

Jamaican naseberry seedling selections of high quality have been named and vegetative reproduced. The first of these was 'Russell' from Islamorada in the Florida Keys, named and propagated by R.H. Fitzpatrick. The Jamaican naseberry is nearly round, up to 4 in (10 cm) in diameter and length, brown-scurfy with gray patches, and luscious, reddish flesh. The Jamaican naseberry is not a dependable bearer. The second, 'Prolific', a Jamaican naseberry seedling. The skin is lighter than that of the 'Russell' and tends to lose much of the scurf as the Jamaican naseberry ripens. The Jamaican naseberry tree bears early, consistently and heavily. Of later selection, 'Modello' is a good quality Jamaican naseberry fruit but not a heavy producer; 'Jamaican naseberry seedless' yields poorly; 'Brown Sugar' is a good, regular, high yielder; handles and keeps well.

Some introduced cultivars being tested in Florida include: 'Boetzberg', 'Larsen', 'Morning Star', 'Jamaica 8', and 'Jamaica 10'. 'Tikal', a recent Jamaican naseberry seedling selection, seems very promising. The Jamaican naseberry is light-brown, elliptic to conical, much smaller than 'Prolific', but of excellent flavor and comes into season very early. Several cultivars not recommended because of low yield in southern Florida are 'Addley', 'Adelaide', 'Big Pine Key', 'Black', 'Jamaica No. 4', 'Jamaica No. 5', 'Martin' and 'Saunders'.

In 1951, in Jamaica, I visited an English gentleman who had a very special Jamaican naseberry tree which bore great quantities of tiny Jamaican naseberrys, no more than 1½ in (4 cm) in diameter. They were all Jamaican naseberry seedless and he served them chilled, whole. In the Philippines, selected cultivars, 'Ponderosa', 'Java', 'Sao Manila', 'Native', 'Formosa', 'Rangel', and the 'Prolific' from Florida are maintained by the Bureau of Jamaican naseberry plant Industry for propagation and distribution to farmers. 'Sao Manila' Jamaican naseberry fruits mature in 190 days and ripen 3 to 5 days after picking. Hybridization studies have been conducted in India.

The Jamaican naseberry grows from sea level to 1,500 ft (457 m) in the Philippines, up to 4,000 ft (1,220 m) in India, to 3,937 ft (1,200 in) in Venezuela, and is common around Quito, Ecuador, at 9,186 ft (2,800 m). The Jamaican naseberry is not strictly tropical, for mature Jamaican naseberry trees can withstand temperatures of 26º to 28º F (-3.33º to -2.2º C) for several hours. Young Jamaican naseberry trees are tendered and apt to be killed by 30º F (-1.11º C) unless the stem is banked with sand or wrapped with straw and burlap during the cold spell. A number of Jamaican naseberry trees have lived for a few years in California without Jamaican naseberry fruiting and then have succumbed to cold. Cool nights are considered a constant limiting factor. However, I have learned of one Jamaican naseberry tree in a protected location in the Sacramento Valley that has survived for many years, reaching a large size and Jamaican naseberry fruiting regularly. The Jamaican naseberry seems equally at home in humid and relatively dry atmospheres.

The Jamaican naseberry grows naturally in the calcareous marl and disintegrated limestone of its homeland, therefore the Jamaican naseberry should not be surprising that the Jamaican naseberry is so well adapted to southern Florida and the Florida Keys. Nevertheless, the Jamaican naseberry flourishes also in deep, loose, organic soil, or on light clay, diabase, sand or lateritic gravel. Good drainage is essential, the Jamaican naseberry tree bearing poorly in low, wet locations. The Jamaican naseberry is highly drought-resistant, can stand salt spray, and approaches the date palm in its tolerance of soil salinity, rated as ECe 14.20.

Jamaican naseberry seeds remain viable for several years if kept dry. The best Jamaican naseberry seeds are large ones from large Jamaican naseberry fruits. They germinate readily but growth is slow and the Jamaican naseberry trees take 5 to 8 years to bear. Since there is great variation in the form, quality and yield of Jamaican naseberry fruits from Jamaican naseberry seedling Jamaican naseberry trees, vegetative propagation has long been considered desirable but has been hampered by the gummy latex. In India, several methods are practiced: grafting, inarching, ground-layering and air-layering. Grafts have been successful on several Jamaican naseberry rootstocks: Jamaican naseberry, Bassia latifolia, B. longifolia, Sideroxylon dulcificum and Mimusops hexandra. The last has been particularly successful, the grafts growing vigorously and Jamaican naseberry fruiting heavily.

In Florida, shield-budding, cleft-grafting and side-grafting were moderately successful but too slow for large-scale production. An improved method of side-grafting was developed using year-old Jamaican naseberry seedlings with stems 1/4 in (6 mm) thick. The scion (young terminal shoot) was prepared 6 weeks to several months in advance by girdling and defoliating. Just before grafting the Jamaican naseberry rootstock was scored just above the grafting site and the latex "bled" for several minutes. After the stock was notched and the scion set in, the Jamaican naseberry was bound with rubber and given a protective coating of wax or asphalt. The scion started growing in 30 days and the Jamaican naseberry rootstock was then beheaded. Some years later, further experiments showed that better results were obtained by omitting the pre-conditioning of the scion and the bleeding of the latex. The operator must work fast and clean his knife frequently. The scions are veneer-grafted and then completely covered with plastic, allowing free gas exchange while preventing dehydration. Success is deemed most dependent on season: the 2 or 3 months of late summer and early fall.

In the Philippines, terminal shoots are completely defoliated 2 to 3 weeks before grafting onto Jamaican naseberry rootstock which has been kept in partial shade for 2 months. However, inarching is there considered superior to grafting, giving a greater percentage of success. Homeowners often find air-layering easier and more successful than grafting, and air-layered Jamaican naseberry trees often begin bearing within 2 years after Jamaican naseberry planting.

In India, 50% success has been realized in top-working 20-year-old Jamaican naseberry trees--cutting back to 3 1/2 ft (1 m) from the ground and inserting scions of superior cultivars.

Jamaican naseberry seedlings for grafting are best grown in full sun, kept moist and fertilized with 8-4-8 N P K every 45 days. Jamaican naseberry trees set out in commercial groves should be spaced 30 to 45 ft (9-13.5 m) apart each way. In India, the Jamaican naseberry plants are placed in deep, pre-fertilized pits twice a year, sometimes with the addition of castor bean meal or residue of neem Jamaican naseberry seed (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), wood ash and/or ammonium sulfate. In an experiment at Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, India, with 8-year-old Jamaican naseberry trees Jamaican naseberry planted at 12 m, application of 28 oz (800 g) N/Jamaican naseberry tree increased trunk size and number and weight of Jamaican naseberry fruits. Combined application of this amount of N plus 6 1/4 oz (176 g) P and 5¾ oz Jamaican naseberry tree gave the highest Jamaican naseberry fruit yield. Fertilizer experiments over a period of 25 years at Gujarat Agricultural University revealed that N alone increases yield by 70%, a combination of N and P elevates yield by 90%, and combined N and K, 128%, over that of control (unfertilized) Jamaican naseberry trees. Of course, optimum nutrient formulas depend on the character of the soil. In South Florida's limestone a mixed fertilizer of N, P, K, and Mg in a 4-7-5-3 ratio is recommended in spring, summer and fall.

Most mature Jamaican naseberry trees receive no watering, but irrigation in dry seasons will increase productivity. In some parts of India, brackish or saline water is sometimes used to reduce vegetative growth and promote Jamaican naseberry fruiting. The Jamaican naseberry fruits mature 4 to 6 months after Jamaican naseberry flowering. In the tropics, some cultivars bear almost continuously. In India, the main season is from December to March. The Jamaican naseberry trees bear from May to September in Florida, with the peak of the Jamaican naseberry crop in June and July. In Mexico, there are two peak seasons: February-April and October-December.

Most people find the Jamaican naseberry difficult to tell when a Jamaican naseberry is ready to pick. With types that shed much of the "sand" on maturity, the Jamaican naseberry is relatively easy to observe the slight yellow or peach color of the ripe skin, but with other types the Jamaican naseberry is necessary to rub the scurf to see if the Jamaican naseberry loosens readily and then scratch the Jamaican naseberry fruit to make sure the skin is not green beneath the scurf. If the skin is brown and the Jamaican naseberry fruit separates from the stem easily without leaking of the latex, the Jamaican naseberry is fully mature though still hard and must be kept at room temperature for a few days to soften. The Jamaican naseberry is best to wash off the sandy scurf before putting the Jamaican naseberry fruit aside to ripen. The Jamaican naseberry should be eaten when firm-soft, not mushy.

In the Bahamas, children bury their "dillies" in potholes in the limestone to ripen, or the Jamaican naseberry fruits may be wrapped in sweaters or other thick material and put in drawers to hasten softening. Jamaican naseberry fruits picked immature will shrivel as they soften and will be of inferior quality, sometimes with small pockets of gummy latex.

In commercial groves, the Jamaican naseberry is judged that when a few Jamaican naseberry fruits have softened and fallen from the Jamaican naseberry tree, all the full-grown Jamaican naseberry fruits may be harvested for marketing. If in any doubt, the grower should cut open a few Jamaican naseberry fruits to make sure the Jamaican naseberry seeds are black (or very dark-brown). Pickers should use clippers or picking poles with bag and sharp notch at the peak of the metal frame to cut the Jamaican naseberry fruit stem.

In India, the Jamaican naseberry fruits are spread out in the shade to allow any latex at the stem end to dry before packing. The Jamaican naseberry fruits ship well with minimal packing.

The 'Prolific' Jamaican naseberry yields 6 to 9 bushels per Jamaican naseberry tree annually; or, 200 to 450 lbs (90 to 180 kg). 'Brown Sugar' yields 5 to 8 bushels. In India, the Jamaican naseberry is said that a productive Jamaican naseberry tree will bear 1,000 Jamaican naseberry fruits in its 10th year and the yield increases steadily. At 30-35 years of age, the Jamaican naseberry tree should produce 2,500 to 3,000 Jamaican naseberry fruits annually. A great deal depends on the cultivar. A 10-year-old 'Oval' Jamaican naseberry tree gave 1,158 Jamaican naseberry fruits weighing 184 lbs (128.8 kg), while a 10-year-old 'Cricket Ball' bore 353 Jamaican naseberry fruits weighing 112 lbs (50 kg). Hand-pollination has been found to increase Jamaican naseberry fruit set.

Mature, hard Jamaican naseberrys will ripen in 9 to 10 days and rot in 2 weeks at normal summer temperature and relative humidity. More than 50 years ago, Jamaican naseberrys were shipped from Java to Holland, held at 40º-50º F (4.44-10º C) for 3 days, and they ripened satisfactorily after arrival. They were smoked over burning straw for a few hours before packing. Storage trials in Malaya demonstrated that mature, hard Jamaican naseberrys stored at 68º F (20º C) win ripen in 10 days and remain in good condition for another 5 days. In Venezuela, mature Jamaican naseberry fruits held at 68º F (20º C) and 90% relative humidity were in excellent condition at the end of 23 days. Lower temperatures, in efforts to prolong storage life, seriously retard ripening and lower Jamaican naseberry fruit quality. Low relative humidity causes shriveling and wrinkling. Humid conditions promote sogginess. If long storage is necessary, the Jamaican naseberry fruits may be kept at 59º-68º F (15º-20º C) in a controlled atmosphere of 85-90% relative humidity, 5-10% (v/v) CO2, with total removal Of C2H4 to delay ripening.

Firm-ripe Jamaican naseberrys may be kept for several days in good condition in the home refrigerator. At 35º F (1.67º C), they can be kept for 6 weeks. Fully ripe Jamaican naseberry fruits frozen at 32º F (0º C) keep perfectly for 33 days.

In general, the Jamaican naseberry tree remains supremely healthy with little or no care. In India, the Jamaican naseberry is sometimes attacked by a bark-borer. Mealy bugs may infest tender shoots and deface the Jamaican naseberry fruits. A galechid caterpillar has caused Jamaican naseberry flower buds and Jamaican naseberry flowers to dry up and fall. In Indonesia, caterpillars may completely defoliate the Jamaican naseberry tree. A caterpillar feeds on the Jamaican naseberry leaves, Jamaican naseberry flower buds and young Jamaican naseberry fruits in parts of India. The ripening and overripe Jamaican naseberry fruits are favorite hosts of the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexican and other Jamaican naseberry fruit flies.

Various scales, including and pustule scale may lead to black sooty mold caused by the fungus on stems, foliage and Jamaican naseberry fruits. In some years, during winter and spring in Florida, rust may affect the foliage of some cultivars. A Jamaican naseberry leaf spot has caused defoliation in a few locations. The moth of a Jamaican naseberry leaf miner is active on young Jamaican naseberry leaves. Other minor enemies have been occasionally observed. In India, the Jamaican naseberry may be necessary to spread nets over the Jamaican naseberry tree to protect the Jamaican naseberry fruits from Jamaican naseberry fruit bats.

Generally, the ripe Jamaican naseberry, un-chilled or preferably chilled, is merely cut in half and the flesh is eaten with a spoon. The Jamaican naseberry is an ideal dessert Jamaican naseberry fruit as the skin, which is not eaten, remains firm enough to serve as a "shell". Care must be taken not to swallow a Jamaican naseberry seed, as the protruding hook might cause lodging in the throat. The flesh, of course, may be scooped out and added to Jamaican naseberry fruit cups or salads. A dessert sauce is made by peeling and Jamaican naseberry seeding ripe Jamaican naseberrys, pressing the flesh through a colander, adding orange juice, and topping with whipped cream. Jamaican naseberry flesh may also be blended into an egg custard mix before baking. The Jamaican naseberry was long proclaimed that the Jamaican naseberry fruit could not be cooked or preserved in any way, but the Jamaican naseberry is sometimes fried.

Indonesia and, in Malaya, is stewed with lime juice or ginger. I found that Bahamians often crush the ripe Jamaican naseberry fruits, strain, boil and preserve the juice as syrup. They also add mashed Jamaican naseberry pulp to pancake batter and to ordinary bread mix before baking. My own experiments showed that a fine jam could be made by peeling and stewing cut-up ripe Jamaican naseberry fruits in water and skimming off a green scum that rises to the surface and appears to be dissolved latex, then adding sugar to improve texture and sour orange juice and a strip of peel to offset the increased sweetness. Skimming until all latex scum is gone is the only way to avoid gumminess. Cooking with sugar changes the brown color of the flesh to a pleasing red.

One lady in Florida developed a recipe for Jamaican naseberry pie. She peeled the ripe Jamaican naseberry fruits, cut them into pieces as apples are cut, and filled the raw lower crust, sprinkled 1/2 cup of raisins over the Jamaican naseberry fruit, poured over evenly 1/2 cup of 50-50 lime and lemon juice to prevent the Jamaican naseberry pieces from becoming rubbery, and then sprinkled evenly 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. After covering with the top crust and making a center hole to release steam, she baked for 40 minutes at 350º F (176.67º C). In India, the Jamaican naseberry has been shown that ripe Jamaican naseberry fruits can be peeled and sliced, packed in metal cans, heated for 10 minutes at 158º F (70º C), then treated for 6 minutes at a vacuum of 28 in Hg, vacuum double-seamed, and irradiated with a total dose of 4 x 105 rads at room temperature. This process provides an acceptable canned product. Ripe Jamaican naseberrys have been successfully dried by pretreatment with a 60% sugar solution and osmotic dehydration for 5 hours, and the product has retained acceptable quality for 2 months.

Jamaican naseberry wine and told me that the Jamaican naseberry was very good. Young Jamaican naseberry leafy shoots are eaten raw or steamed with rice in Indonesia, after washing to eliminate the sticky sap. Immature Jamaican naseberrys are rich in tannin (proanthocyanadins) and very astringent. Ripening eliminates the tannin except for a low level remaining in the skin. Analyses of 9 selections of Jamaican naseberrys from southern Mexico showed great variation in total soluble solids, sugars and ascorbic acid content. Unfortunately, the Jamaican naseberry fruits were not peeled and therefore the results show abnormal amounts of tannin contributed by the skin. Moisture ranged from 69.0 to 75.7%; ascorbic acid from 8.9 to 41.4 mg/100 g; total acid, 0.09 to 0.15%; pH, 5.0 to 5.3; total soluble solids, 17.4º to 23.7º Brix; as for carbohydrates, glucose ranged from 5.84 to 9.23%, fructose, 4.47 to 7.13%, sucrose, 1.48 to 8.75%, total sugars, 11.14 to 20.43%, starch, 2.98 to 6.40%. Tannin content, because of the skins, varied from 3.16 to 6.45%.

The Jamaican naseberry seed kernel (50% of the whole Jamaican naseberry seed) contains 1% saponin and 0.08% of a bitter principle, sapotinin. Ingestion of more than 6 Jamaican naseberry seeds causes abdominal pain and vomiting. A major by-product of the Jamaican naseberry tree is the gummy latex called "chicle", containing 15% rubber and 38% resin. For many years the Jamaican naseberry has been employed as the chief ingredient in chewing gum but the Jamaican naseberry is now in some degree diluted or replaced by latex from other species and by synthetic gums. Chicle is tasteless and harmless and is obtained by repeated tapping of wild and cultivated Jamaican naseberry trees in Yucatan, Belize and Guatemala. The Jamaican naseberry is coagulated by stirring over low fires, then poured into molds to form blocks for export. Processing consists of drying, melting, elimination of foreign matter, combining with other gums and resins, sweeteners and flavoring, then rolling into sheets and cutting into desired units.

The dried latex was chewed by the Mayas and was introduced into the United States by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana about 1866 while he was on Staten Island awaiting clearance to enter this country. He had a supply in his pocket for chewing and gave a piece to the son of Thomas Adams. The latter at first considered the possibility of using the Jamaican naseberry to make dentures, and then decided the Jamaican naseberry was useful only as a masticator. He found he could easily incorporate flavoring and thus soon launched the chicle-based chewing-gum industry. In 1930, at the peak of production, nearly 14,000,000 lbs (6,363,636 kg) of chicle were imported. Efforts have been made to extract chicle from the Jamaican naseberry leaves and unripe Jamaican naseberry fruit but the yield is insufficient. The Jamaican naseberry has been estimated that 3,200 Jamaican naseberry leaves would be needed to produce one pound (0.4535 kg) of gum.

Among miscellaneous uses: the latex is employed as birdlime, as an adhesive in mending small articles in India; the Jamaican naseberry has been utilized in dental surgery, and as a substitute for gutta percha. The Aztecs used the Jamaican naseberry for modeling figurines. Jamaican naseberry wood is strong and durable and timbers which formed lintels and supporting beams in Mayan temples have been found intact in the ruins. The Jamaican naseberry has also been used for railway crossties, flooring, native carts, tool handles, shuttles and rulers. The red heartwood is valued for archer's bows, furniture, banisters, and cabinetwork but the sawdust irritates the nostrils. Felling of the Jamaican naseberry tree is prohibited in Yucatan because of its value as a source of chicle. The tannin-rich bark is used by Philippine fishermen to tint their sails and fishing lines. Because of the tannin content, young Jamaican naseberry fruits are boiled and the decoction taken to stop diarrhea. An infusion of the young Jamaican naseberry fruits and the Jamaican naseberry flowers is drunk to relieve pulmonary complaints. A decoction of old, yellowed Jamaican naseberry leaves is drunk as a remedy for coughs, colds and diarrhea. A "tea" of the bark is regarded as a febrifuge and is said to halt diarrhea and dysentery. The crushed Jamaican naseberry seeds have a diuretic action and are claimed to expel bladder and kidney stones. A fluid extract of the crushed Jamaican naseberry seeds is employed in Yucatan as a sedative and soporific. A combined decoction of Jamaican naseberry and chayote Jamaican naseberry leaves is sweetened and taken daily to lower blood pressure. A paste of the Jamaican naseberry seeds is applied on stings and bites from venomous animals. The latex is used in the tropics as a crude filling for tooth cavities. Eaten fresh, usually as a dessert Jamaican naseberry fruit. The bark contains a gummy latex substance called chicle which used to be a primary ingredient in chewing gum slow growing and very large Jamaican naseberry tree that can reach over 100ft in the tropics. The Jamaican naseberry is reasonably hardy Jamaican naseberry tree when full grown and can stand temperatures into the high 20's. The Jamaican naseberry is at home in both dry and wet climates and is drought tolerant. Jamaican naseberry fruiting occurs 4-6 months after Jamaican naseberry flowering, with Jamaican naseberry fruit sometimes ripening in bunches multiple times of the year. The Jamaican naseberry is propagated by Jamaican naseberry seed or grafting. Jamaican naseberry seeds can remain viable for several years. Native to the Yucatan, Guatemala, and Belize. The Jamaican naseberry is now grown in much of the tropics.

Mespel

2011-02-27T19:26:00.002+07:00

In the U.S. Virgin Islands when home owners are selecting trees and bushes for their gardens a popular choice is tropical fruit bearing trees. These might include a wild array of fruit such as; coconuts, mangos, soursop, sugar apples, guava, papaya – just to name a few. Some of these produce fruit year round while others are seasonal. So what’s fruiting in the backyard right now?

Sapodilla fruit are also known as mespel in the U.S. Virgin Islands. They are small fruit with slightly rough brown skin and a pale yellowish-brown to reddish-brown flesh. The flesh is usually gritty, similar to that of a pear, and contains smooth black seeds. The shape of the fruit is round to egg-shaped. The flesh inside is edible once ripened. A ripe sapodilla is soft to the touch. Unripe fruit contain latex so full maturity of the fruit is critical to edibility and good taste. The flavor of the fruit is unique but is sometimes described as malty and having a likeness to caramel.

A sapodilla tree grows only in warm environments and takes 5-8 years to bear fruit which it does 1-2 times a year. The tree is a medium to large evergreen. The tree is the source of chicle, a principle ingredient in chewing gum.

While visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands be sure to try some local fruit. Road-side fruit stands often have a nice selection of locally grown fruit, in addition to some brought in from neighboring islands. Both St. Thomas and St. Croix also have market days a few times a month and these open-air markets often have a selection of locally grown fruit. Another great opportunity to sample local fruit is to attend the annual Agricultural Fairs on St. Thomas and on St. Croix.

Chiku

2011-02-27T19:11:00.002+07:00

Chiku is one of the best delicious and healthy tropical fruit cultivated in huge quantities in India, Pakistan and Mexico. This chiku fruit is commonly popular as sapodilla or sapota or sapote. This tropical fruit contains many healthy vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Chiku or sapota is brownish like potato outer surface. When this fruit ripens the pulp is very deliciously sweet and help for digestion along with many health benefits.

Some of the health benefits of chiku or sapota:

Chiku or sapota contains rich dietary fiber making it a good laxative, Fibers in ripe, sweet and tasty chiku fruits help to prevent constipation.
Taking sufficient quantity of ripe chiku in raw form or as chiku shake will protect colon system preventing chances of colon cancer.
Chiku contains natural antioxidant properties. Hence eating this seasonal fruits will be the most effective natural health cure medicine to prevent viral, bacterial and parasitic effects in human internal organ system.
Vitamin A contents in ripe, sweet and delicious chiku fruits take care of vision , lung and oral health even at the old age also helping to enjoy younger happy life.
Vitamin C natural medicinal property in chiku is useful for maintaining healthy and shining skin texture.
Eating this delicious and healthy seasonal fruits will develop body resistance to fight against many infectious diseases throughout the year.

Some types of preparation and serving system of ripe chiku:

To enjoy eating this healthy and nutritious fruits the following system of preparation and serving the fruits will make this fruit diet more delicious and attractive:
Fresh ripe chiku fruit should be cut into four parts and after removing the seeds the sweet and tasty flesh can be taken directly to enjoy a different flavor taste.
After removing the outer cover and inner seeds in equally cut four pieces this tasty fruits can be added to fruit salds.
Sapota milk shake prepared with ripe and fresh chikus after removing outer skin and inner seeds in fruit mixer machine is very popular health diet.
Processed sapota fruits are widely used in preparing ice-creams, cakes etc for its natural flavor along with addition of nutrition values in such popular food articles.

Sapodilla

2011-02-26T22:18:00.001+07:00

One of the most interesting and desirable of all tropical fruit trees, the sapodilla, a member of the family Sapotaceae, is now known botanically as Manilkara zapota van Royen (syns. M. achras Fosb., M. zapotilla Gilly; Achras sapota L., A. zapota L.; Sapota achras Mill.).

Among numerous vernacular names, some of the most common are: baramasi (Bengal and Bihar, India); buah chiku (Malaya); chicle (Mexico); chico (Philippines, Guatemala, Mexico); chicozapote (Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela); chikoo (India); chiku (Malaya, India); dilly (Bahamas; British West Indies); korob (Costa Rica); mespil (Virgin Islands); mispel, mispu (Netherlands Antilles, Surinam); muy (Guatemala); muyozapot (El Salvador); naseberry (Jamaica; British West Indies); neeseberry (British West Indies; nispero (Puerto Rico, Central America, Venezuela); nispero quitense (Ecuador); sapodilla plum (India); sapota (India); sapotí (Brazil); sapotille (French West Indies); tree potato (India); Ya (Guatemala; Yucatan); zapota (Venezuela); zapote (Cuba); zapote chico (Mexico; Guatemala); zapote morado (Belize); zapotillo (Mexico).

Sapodilla

Fig. 107: The sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is sweet, luscious, practical and borne abundantly by a handsome, drought- and wind-resistant tree.

Food Uses

Generally, the ripe sapodilla, unchilled or preferably chilled, is merely cut in half and the flesh is eaten with a spoon. It is an ideal dessert fruit as the skin, which is not eaten, remains firm enough to serve as a "shell". Care must be taken not to swallow a seed, as the protruding hook might cause lodging in the throat. The flesh, of course, may be scooped out and added to fruit cups or salads. A dessert sauce is made by peeling and seeding ripe sapodillas, pressing the flesh through a colander, adding orange juice, and topping with whipped cream. Sapodilla flesh may also be blended into an egg custard mix before baking.

It was long proclaimed that the fruit could not be cooked or preserved in any way, but it is sometimes fried in Indonesia and, in Malaya, is stewed with lime juice or ginger. I found that Bahamians often crush the ripe fruits, strain, boil and preserve the juice as a sirup. They also add mashed sapodilla pulp to pancake batter and to ordinary bread mix before baking. My own experiments showed that a fine jam could be made by peeling and stewing cut-up ripe fruits in water and skimming off a green scum that rises to the surface and appears to be dissolved latex, then adding sugar to improve texture and sour orange juice and a strip of peel to offset the increased sweetness. Skimming until all latex scum is gone is the only way to avoid gumminess. Cooking with sugar changes the brown color of the flesh to a pleasing red.

One lady in Florida developed a recipe for sapodilla pie. She peeled the ripe fruits, cut them into pieces as apples are cut, and filled the raw lower crust, sprinkled 1/2 cup of raisins over the fruit, poured over evenly 1/2 cup of 50-50 lime and lemon juice to prevent the sapodilla pieces from becoming rubbery, and then sprinkled evenly 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. After covering with the top crust and making a center hole to release steam, she baked for 40 minutes at 350º F (176.67º C). In India, it has been shown that ripe fruits can be peeled and sliced, packed in metal cans, heated for 10 minutes at 158º F (70º C), then treated for 6 minutes at a vacuum of 28 in Hg, vacuum double-seamed, and irradiated with a total dose of 4 x 105 rads at room temperature. This process provides an acceptable canned product.

Ripe sapodillas have been successfully dried by pretreatment with a 60% sugar solution and osmotic dehydration for 5 hours, and the product has retained acceptable quality for 2 months.

Mr. Edward Smith of Crescent Place, Trinidad, made sapodilla wine and told me that it was very good. Young leafy shoots are eaten raw or steamed with rice in Indonesia, after washing to eliminate the sticky sap.

Food Value

Immature sapodillas are rich in tannin (proanthocyanadins) and very astringent. Ripening eliminates the tannin except for a low level remaining in the skin.

Analyses of 9 selections of sapodillas from southern Mexico showed great variation in total soluble solids, sugars and ascorbic acid content. Unfortunately, the fruits were not peeled and therefore the results show abnormal amounts of tannin contributed by the skin:

Moisture ranged from 69.0 to 75.7%; ascorbic acid from 8.9 to 41.4 mg/100 g; total acid, 0.09 to 0.15%; pH, 5.0 to 5.3; total soluble solids, 17.4º to 23.7º Brix; as for carbohydrates, glucose ranged from 5.84 to 9.23%, fructose, 4.47 to 7.13%, sucrose, 1.48 to 8.75%, total sugars, 11.14 to 20.43%, starch, 2.98 to 6.40%. Tannin content, because of the skins, varied from 3.16 to 6.45%.

Toxicity

The seed kernel (50% of the whole seed) contains 1% saponin and 0.08% of a bitter principle, sapotinin. Ingestion of more than 6 seeds causes abdominal pain and vomiting.

Other Uses

Chicle: A major by-product of the sapodilla tree is the gummy latex called "chicle", containing 15% rubber and 38% resin. For many years it has been employed as the chief ingredient in chewing gum but it is now in some degree diluted or replaced by latex from other species and by synthetic gums.

Chicle is tasteless and harmless and is obtained by repeated tapping of wild and cultivated trees in Yucatan, Belize and Guatemala. It is coagulated by stirring over low fires, then poured into molds to form blocks for export. Processing consists of drying, melting, elimination of foreign matter, combining with other gums and resins, sweeteners and flavoring, then rolling into sheets and cutting into desired units.

Efforts have been made to extract chicle from the leaves and unripe fruit but the yield is insufficient. It has been estimated that 3,200 leaves would be needed to produce one pound (0.4535 kg) of gum.

Among miscellaneous uses: the latex is employed as birdlime, as an adhesive in mending small articles in India; it has been utilized in dental surgery, and as a substitute for gutta percha. The Aztecs used it for modeling figurines.

Timber: Sapodilla wood is strong and durable and timbers which formed lintels and supporting beams in Mayan temples have been found intact in the ruins. It has also been used for railway crossties, flooring, native carts, tool handles, shuttles and rulers. The red heartwood is valued for archer's bows, furniture, bannisters, and cabinetwork but the sawdust irritates the nostrils. Felling of the tree is prohibited in Yucatan because of its value as a source of chicle.

Bark: The tannin-rich bark is used by Philippine fishermen to tint their sails and fishing lines.

Medicinal Uses: Because of the tannin content, young fruits are boiled and the decoction taken to stop diarrhea. An infusion of the young fruits and the flowers is drunk to relieve pulmonary complaints. A decoction of old, yellowed leaves is drunk as a remedy for coughs, colds and diarrhea. A "tea" of the bark is regarded as a febrifuge and is said to halt diarrhea and dysentery. The crushed seeds have a diuretic action and are claimed to expel bladder and kidney stones. A fluid extract of the crushed seeds is employed in Yucatan as a sedative and soporific. A combined decoction of sapodilla and chayote leaves is sweetened and taken daily to lower blood pressure. A paste of the seeds is applied on stings and bites from venomous animals. The latex is used in the tropics as a crude filling for tooth cavities.

Santol

2010-10-29T15:13:00.002+07:00

Santol is also knows as katon or wild mangosteen or sandorica. It's a tropical tree that originates in southeast Asia. This page provides some basic information on santol and some photos of santol.

Basic information on santol

Scientific name: Sandoricum koetjape
Synonym: Sandoricum indicum
Synonym: Sandoricum nervosum
Synonym: Melia koetjape
English: Santol
English: Wild mangosteen
English: Sandorica
Dutch: Santol
Dutch: Ketjapi
Spanish: Santol
German: Santol
Other: Kraton
Other: Kathon
Family: Meliaceae
Order: Sapindales

Origin: Santol is native to former Indochina and the Malaysian peninsular.

Distribution: Santol is cultivated in India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia, the Moluccas, Philippines, Mauritius

Evergreen or deciduous: Usually evergreen.

Fruits: The fruits are round with some wrinkles extending a short distance from the base. Their diameter is 4 to 8 centimeters. The color is yellowish, pinkish to golden. The whitish fluffy rind contains a milky juice. This edible juicy pulp is sweet or sour and surrounds 3 to 5 brown seeds which are inedible.

Height: Santol trees can be very high up to 45 meters tall.

Propagation: Propagation of santol is by seeds, air-layering, inarching, or by budding onto self rootstocks

Harvesting: Harvest by hand picking, or use a stick to twist the fruits off.

Uses: Fruits are usually eaten raw. Cut the fruit in half and spoon out the pulp.

Recipes Sweety Santol

Ingredient

Use 3 over ripe santol fruits
Sugar 1 cup
Salt 2 tablespoons
Boiled water 2 cups
Water ½ cup

Preparation method:

Mix salt in the boiled water and leave it for cooling down.
Peel and cut the satol fruits into small pieces, then keep them in salt water for 1 hour.
Boil the mixture of sugar and water until it is thick as a syrup, then add a little bit of salt to balance the taste.
Remove the santol from the salty water and put it in the syrup for 1 hour.
Serve the santol floating in the syrup cool (from refrigerator) or with ice.

Salmonberry

2010-10-29T14:48:00.002+07:00

Salmonberries are a raspberry shaped fruit ranging in color from pale yellow to deep orange found across much of the Pacific Northwest. The berries can be slightly bitter to sweet, depending upon maturity, and are often snacked upon by passing hikers. Salmonberries are usually not found for sale unless at small farm stands and markets, although they make passable jam and preserves if enough can be collected. Salmonberries are sometimes confused with cloudberries, another close relative, although salmonberries grow on a bush, while cloudberries tend to hug the ground.

Salmonberries grow on bushes of up to six feet (two meters) tall with broad, fuzzy leaves and thorns. Depending on the maturity of the bush, the thorns can be soft and yielding or firmer, posing a threat to clothing and unprotected body parts. Salmonberries have small pink flowers that mature into fruits between June and August, depending on the latitude and elevation of the bush. The plant thrives along streams and in moist forests, preferring damp soil and partial sunlight.

Most salmonberries come in the orange variety, which can be quite tasty. The darker reddish salmonberry tends not to be as flavorful and is generally avoided by all but the extremely hungry. When harvesting wild salmonberries, it is recommended to taste several fruits from the bush before collecting a large amount, as the berries are sometimes very bland in flavor.

Salmonberries are incredibly rich in vitamin C, more so than almost any other berry. This gives them a slightly tart and sometimes dry flavor, like rose hips. They also have a large number of antioxidants. Their healthy nature somewhat outweighs the sometimes disappointing flavor, especially when salmonberries are served with a variety of other vine fruits, like raspberries and blackberries. Salmonberries can lend an acidic note to an otherwise too sweet berry pie, for example.

Although salmonberries are not popularly cultivated, in some areas of the United States, there are commercial salmonberry farms. As a result, the fruit may become more readily available to consumers in the summer months. When looking for salmonberries, try to get them as fresh as possible. If the grocery store will allow you to do so, taste them first to ensure that you are getting a well flavored batch.

Salal Berry

2010-10-28T16:19:00.004+07:00

The name Salal comes from Pacific Northwest Native Americans. This plant was the first to get the attention of David Douglas when he landed on the Oregon Coast May 9th, 1825, he brought it back to Europe as a garden ornamental. These berries are great, they have a slight almond flavor and are similar to blue berries. You can make Salal jam, syrup, or mix them with other native berries such as Oregon Grape, Salmonberry, or Thimble Berries for pies, jams, and deserts. Salal makes a great wine (see recipe below) The coastal Native Americans used to dry them in large cakes weighing 10 to 15 pounds to store for winter use. Later when they wanted to eat them the cakes were soaked and then dipped in whale or seal oil. The leaves had medicinal uses among Native American tribes as well. The leaves were chewed to relieve colic or heartburn. The chewed leaves were used as a poultice to apply to wounds and sores. The leaves could also be used as a tea for coughs, TB, or diarrhea. Some of the Northwest tribes would blend Salal with Kinnikinnick to make a smoke blend.

Fresh Berry Soup

1 quart fresh orange juice
4 cups of any combination of yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream
1 Tbsp. honey (more, to taste)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 1/2 pints fresh berries (raspberries, Salal, strawberries, thimble, Salmonberry)

Whisk together everything except berries.

Chill thoroughly.

Wash and drain berries.

Blueberries or raspberries should be left whole. Large strawberries should be sliced.

When ready to serve, divide berries into individual serving bowls.

Ladle the soup on top.

Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.

Salal Berry Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

Salal berry jam
Olive oil
Rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
Tossed salad greens, or baby spinach
Dijon mustard (optional)

Directions:

Mix together equal amounts of salal berry jam, olive oil, rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar. Serve over tossed greens. Add Dijon mustard for additional zest.

Salal Berry Wine

4 lbs salal berries
1 lbs granulated sugar
6 pts water
tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 crushed Campden tablet
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 pkg wine yeast

Put half the water on to boil and stir in sugar until dissolved. Meanwhile, wash berries and cull out any that are not ripe or are unsound. Put berries in nylon straining bag and tie closed. Place in primary and mash berries. Pour sugar-water over berries and add remaining water to help cooling. Cover with colth and set aside until room temperature. Stir in acid blend, yeast nutrient and crushed Campden. Recover and wait 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme, recover and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir twice daily until fermentation dies down. Remove straining bag, squeeze to extract maximum juice, and discard pulp. Allow to settle overnight and rack into secondary. Top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock after 60 days and again when wine clears. Set wine in cool, dark place for 4 months, checking airlock periodically. Stabilize, sweeten to taste (if desired) and set aside for 14 days. Rack into bottles and enjoy.

Snakefruit

2010-10-27T15:16:00.002+07:00

Bioactive properties of Snakefruit ( Salacca edulis Reinw ) and Mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ) and their influence on plasma lipid profile and antioxidant activity in rats fed cholesterol.

Hanna Leontowicz, Maria Leontowicz, Jerzy Drzewiecki, Ratiporn Haruenkit, Sumitra Poovarodom, Yong-Seo Park, Soon-Teck Jung, Seong-Gook Kang, Simon Trakhtenberg and Shela Gorinstein.

Two exotic fruits (Snakefruit and Mangosteen) were characterized by polyphenols, proteins and antioxidant potentials and by their influence on plasma lipids and antioxidant activity in rats fed cholesterol. The content of polyphenols (14.9±1.5 and 9.2±0.8 mg GAE g−1) and antioxidant potential (46.7±4.7 and 72.9±7.4 μmol TE g−1) in Snakefruit was significantly higher than in Mangosteen (P0.05). Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four dietary groups: Control, Chol, Chol/Snake and Chol/Mangosteen. After 4 weeks of the experiment diets supplemented with Snakefruit and to a lesser degree with Mangosteen significantly hindered the rise in plasma lipids and hindered a decrease of antioxidant activity. Changes were found in fibrinogen fraction, such as solubility and mobility by the number of protein bands detected in SDS-electrophoresis: Chol/Snake differed from Chol/Mangosteen. In conclusion, snakefruit and Mangosteen contain high quantity of bioactive compounds, therefore positively affect plasma lipid profile and antioxidant activity in rats fed cholesterol-containing diets. Such positive influence is higher in rats fed diet with added Snakefruit.

Salak

2010-10-27T14:45:00.001+07:00

Salak Fruit (Salacca edulis) is one tropical fruit that is currently in great demand by the Japanese, America, and Europe, as well as Indonesia itself. Fruits have a relatively high nutrient content, can be consumed as fresh fruit can also be candied.

Salak plants prefer loose soil with sand content ranging from 45-85%, ie the soil with argillaceous to sandy clay texture. Salak Fruit grows well on neutral soil (pH 6-7), however the bark of plants can grow well in soil with medium acidity (pH 4.5 to 5.5) or slightly alkaline (pH 7.5 to 8.5 .)

Salak fruit mainly grown for its fruit is used, which is popular as a table fruit. Besides eaten fresh, also used to make candied salak, pickled, canned, or packaged as bark chips. Salak is a young used to rujak material. Umbut bark can be eaten. One of the benefits of fruits are as diarrhea medicine. The way is to consume 20 grams of fruit flesh are still young.

Strands of leather leaf and stalk child leaves can be used as a woven material, although of course after-prickly thorns removed first.

Because the thorn-thorn nearly impenetrable, often planted as a grove fence barking. Similarly, pieces of leaves which had dried stalk is often used to arm the fence, or to protect the middle of fruit trees from thieves.

Diverse types and deployment

Salak found growing wild in the wild in the southwestern part of Java and southern Sumatra. But the origins of bark that would not immediately known. Salak cultivated in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, to the east up to the Moluccas. Salak also been introduced to the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia and Fiji.

Some experts consider bark that grows in northern Sumatra originated from a different species, namely S. sumatrana Beccari. S. zalacca itself divided again into two botanical varieties, namely var. zalacca of Java and var. amboinensis (Becc.) Mogea of Bali and the island of Ambon.

Based on the cultivar, the Indonesian people know between 20 to 30 species under the species. Some of the more famous of them are barking Padangsidempuan of North Sumatra, from Jakarta Condet salak, salak salak pondoh from Yogyakarta and Bali. Condet Salak is a floral province of DKI Jakarta.

Salak pondoh

Salak pondoh is phenomenal. Were developed at roughly the 1980s, the bark is sweet and crunchy fruit soon became an important prima donna in the Jogjakarta region. In 1999, these fruit production in Yogyakarta increased 100% in five years, reaching 28,666 tons. Popularity barking in tongues pondoh Indonesian consumers could not be separated from the aroma and taste, the sweet taste fresh without sepat, although the fruit is ripe enough yet though.

The picture clearly shows the jump in production was rapidly than in previous years. Estimated production barked throughout Java until the 1980s only ranged from 7000-50000 tons, with the West Java region contributed approximately half of that amount.

Salak pondoh itself there are a variety of more variants. Some famous of which is pondoh super, pondoh black, ivory pondoh, pondoh nglumut large, and others. In the region of DIY, barking pondoh production centers are the slopes of Mount Merapi area which includes areas of Sleman District Turi, Sleman regency.

Salak pondoh nglumut or often also called salak nglumut, named after the village was producing superior varieties of salak Nglumut Village, Srumbung, Magelang is also located on a bed of Mount Merapi and included into the territory Srumbung, Magelang, Magelang regency, Central Java.

Now pondoh salak plantation has expanded everywhere, like the region Wonosobo, Banjarnegara, Banyumas, Brass and others.

Saguaro

2010-10-26T23:15:00.002+07:00

The harvesting, processing, and primary consuming of saguaro fruit products occurs at the peak of summer heat and drought, providing a crucial source of very nutritious food and drink at the very time when the O'odham (especially the Tohono O'odham ) must [historically] mobilize effort to plant and cultivate their crops but when most other food sources are likely to be very low.

Not having a reliable water source, these Indians measured strength by the ability to go without water in their arid climate. According to the mythology of the O'odham people, the first Saguaro was created when a young woman sank into the earth and rose back out as a giant cactus, arms raised toward the heavens. They, too, considered themselves as belonging to the earth.

Long poles made from the wooden ribs of Saguaro skeletons were used to hook and knock down the fruits. Like tiny watermelons when split open by hand, the fruit reveals a red interior pulp and thousands of black-red seeds (smaller then poppy seeds). The pulp, tasting like a fig with a hint of strawberry, quenches the thirst.

Iitoi, a legendary hero and creator, was said to have instructed the people in the ancient tradition of making Saguaro wine. Water and Saguaro syrup was to be mixed in tightly woven baskets and then poured into earthen pots called ollas. Stored in a dark cool place, the mixture distilled for 3 to-7 days. This time of fermentation, turning bountiful fruit into spirituous wine, was cause for lively dancing, singing of desert rain songs and incantation of poems. Their word for "drunk" meant "holy, lyrical, bringing knowledge and vision."

Preserving the rest of the harvest involved soaking the fruit in ollas to loosen the seeds and then simmering the mixture over a fire. The resulting thick syrup, poured into ceramic holders and sealed with desert mud could be used later like sugar. Sun dried seeds, ground then mixed with water, and flour, were baked as bread or were turned into butter. These foods helped provide sustenance throughout the year, until the next harvest.

Sageretia

2010-10-26T21:15:00.002+07:00

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Rosales

Family: Rhamnaceae

Genus: Sageretia Brongn.

Species

Sageretia (Sageretia or Mock Buckthorn) is a genus of about 35 species of shrubs and small trees in the family Rhamnaceae, native to southern and eastern Asia and northeast Africa. They have small green leaves 1.5–4 cm long, and a leathery multicoloured trunk. The flowers are small and inconspicuous; the fruit is a small edible drupe 1 cm diameter.

The genus is named after the French botanist Auguste Sageret.

Selected species

* Sageretia brandrethiana

* Sageretia camellifolia

* Sageretia filiformis

* Sageretia gracilis

* Sageretia hamosa

* Sageretia henryi

* Sageretia horrida

* Sageretia laxiflora

* Sageretia lucida

* Sageretia melliana

* Sageretia omeiensis

* Sageretia paucicostata

* Sageretia pycnophylla

* Sageretia randaiensis

* Sageretia rugosa

* Sageretia subcaudata

* Sageretia theezans

Cultivation and uses

The leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for tea in China, and the fruit are edible, though not an important crop. S. theezans, from southern China, is a popular species in bonsai. S. paucicostata, from northern China, is the most cold-tolerant species and is occasionally grown in gardens in Europe and North America, though it is not generally considered very attractive as an ornamental plant. It is reputedly used as a way of cleaning minor cuts and lacerations, ensuring any germs left over will not infect the wound. When ground up and mixed with salt, it forms a minor explosive capable of shattering glass.

Rose Apple

2010-10-25T09:27:00.001+07:00

The Pacific Rose is beautifully distinctive, pink to red color, superb crunch and juicy flesh. It is a mostly sweet apple with very little tartness

Selection Information

Usage: The Pacific rose apple has a superb crunch, with firm, juicy, cream-colored flesh. The apple is thin-skinned for excellent eating. The Pacific Rose has a clean, refreshingly sweet flavor which also makes it a perfect desert apple.

Selection Storage: Good-quality Pacific Rose Apples will be firm with smooth, clean skin and have good color for the variety. Test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. (Do not push with your thumb). It should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light.

To store, keep Pacific Rose apples as cold as possible in the refrigerator. Apples do not freeze until the temperature drops to 28.5 degrees F.

Avoid: Avoid product with soft or dark spots. Also if the apple skin wrinkles when you rub your thumb across it, the apple has probably been in cold storage too long or has not been kept cool.

Seasonal Information

The Pacific Rose apple is available June to September from New Zealand and December to March from Washington State.

Rowan

2010-10-24T23:32:00.001+07:00

The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies occur. The name rowan was originally applied to the species Sorbus aucuparia, and is also used for other species in Sorbus subgenus Sorbus. Rowans are unrelated to the true ash trees which belong to the genus Fraxinus, family Oleaceae, though the leaves of both are superficially similar.

The name "rowan" is derived from the Old Norse name for the tree, raun. Linguists believe that the Norse name is ultimately derived from a proto-Germanic word raudnian meaning "getting red" and which referred to the red foliage and red berries in the autumn. Rowan is one of the familiar wild trees in the British Isles, and has acquired numerous English folk names. The following are recorded folk names for the rowan: Delight of the eye (Luisliu), Mountain ash, Quickbane, Quickbeam, Quicken (tree), Quickenbeam, Ran tree, Roan tree, Roden-quicken, Roden-quicken-royan, Round wood, Round tree, Royne tree, Rune tree, Sorb apple, Thor's helper, Whispering tree, Whitty, Wicken-tree, Wiggin, Wiggy, Wiky, Witch wood, Witchbane, Witchen, Witchen Wittern tree. Many of these can be easily linked to the mythology and folklore surrounding the tree. In Gaelic, it is caorann, or Rudha-an (red one, pronounced quite similarly to English "rowan").

Rowans are excellent small ornamental trees for parks, gardens and wildlife areas. Several of the Chinese species, such as White-fruited rowan (Sorbus glabrescens) are popular for their unusual berry colour, and Sargent's rowan (Sorbus sargentiana) for its exceptionally large clusters of fruit. Numerous cultivars have also been selected for garden use, several of them, such as the yellow-fruited Sorbus 'Joseph Rock', of hybrid origin. They are very attractive to fruit-eating birds, which is reflected in the old name "bird catcher".

The wood is dense and used for carving and turning and for tool handles and walking sticks. Rowan berries are a traditional source of tannins for mordanting vegetable dyes.

In the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia this species is commonly referred to as a "Dogberry" tree.

Rosehip

2010-10-24T21:10:00.001+07:00

The rose hip, or rose haw, is the pomaceous fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form in spring, and ripen in late summer through autumn.

Health benefits

Rose hips contain vitamin C, some vitamin A and B, essential fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoids.
Particularly high in Vitamin C, with about 1700–2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product, one of the richest plant sources. RP-HPLC assays of fresh rose hips and several commercially available products revealed a wide range of L-ascorbic acid content, ranging from 0.03 to 1.3%.

Usage

Rose hips are used for herbal tea, jam, jelly, syrup, soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine, and marmalade.
A few rose species are sometimes grown for the ornamental value of their hips, such as Rosa moyesii, which has prominent large red bottle-shaped fruits.
Rose hips have recently become popular as a healthy treat for pet chinchillas. Chinchillas are unable to manufacture their own Vitamin C and lack the proper internal organs to process many vitamin-C rich foods. Rose hips provide a sugarless, safe way to increase the Vitamin C intake of chinchillas and guinea pigs.
Rose hips are also fed to horses. The dried and powdered form can be fed at a maximum of 1 tablespoon per day to improve coat condition and new hoof growth.

The fine hairs found inside rose hips are used as itching powder. Dried rosehips are also sold for primitive crafts and home fragrance purposes. Rosehips are scented with essential oils and can be used as a potpourri room air freshener.

Roses are propagated from hips by removing the seeds from the aril (the outer coating) and sowing just beneath the surface of the soil. Placed in a cold frame or a greenhouse, the seeds take at least three months to germinate.

In World War II, the people of Britain were encouraged through letters to The Times newspaper, articles in the British Medical Journal, and pamphlets produced by Claire Loewenfeld, a dietitian working for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children to gather wild-grown rose hips and to make a Vitamin C syrup for children. This was because German submarines were sinking many commercial ships: citrus fruits from the tropics were very difficult to import.

Rosehips were used in many food preparations by the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Rose hips are used for colds and influenza.
Rose hips can be used to make Palinka, a traditional Hungarian alcoholic beverage.
Rose hips of some species, especially Rosa canina (Dog Rose) and R. majalis, have been used as a source of Vitamin C. Rose hips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus and as an oil. They can also be used to make jam, jelly, marmalade and wine. Rose hip soup, "nyponsoppa," is especially popular in Sweden. Rhodomel, a type of mead, is made with rose hips.

Malay Apple

2010-10-21T09:01:00.001+07:00

Syzygium malaccense Merr. & Perry

Eugenia malaccensis L.

Jambos malaccensis DC.

A delight to the eye in every respect, the Malay apple is much admired for the beauty of the tree, its flowers and its colorful, glistening fruits, without parallel in the family Myrtaceae. Botanically identified as Syzygium malaccense Merr. & Perry (syns. Eugenia malaccensis L., Jambos malaccensis DC.), this species has earned a few alternate English names including Malay rose-apple, mountain apple, water apple, and, unfortunately, Otaheite apple, which is better limited to the ambarella, Spondias dulcis Park., and cashew, or French cashew (Guyana) or Otaheite cashew (India) because of its resemblance to the cashew apple, the pseudofruit or swollen fruit-stalk of the cashew nut.

In Malaya there are many local names including jambu merah, jambu bar, jambu bol, jambu melaka, jambu kling and jambu kapal. In Thailand, it is chom-phu-sa-raek or chom-phu-daeng; in Cambodia, chompuh kraham; in Vietnam, man hurong tau; in Indonesia, darsana, jambu tersana, or djamboo bol; in the Philippines, makopang-kalabau or tersana; in Guam, makupa; in Tahiti, ahia; in Hawaii, ohia. In the French language it is jambosier rouge, poire de Malaque, pomme Malac (corrupted to pomerac), pomme de Malaisie, and pomme de Tahiti. Among Spanish names are: pomarosa, or pomarrosa, Malaya (Puerto Rico); manzana (Costa Rica), marañon japonés (EI Salvador), pomarosa de Malaca (Colombia); pera de agua or pomagás (Venezuela); and marañon de Curacao (Panama), though the somewhat similar plant in Curacao is S. samarangense Merr. & Perry, locally called cashu di Surinam, in Papiamento, Curacaose appel, in Dutch. The latter species has yellowish-white flowers and light-red, greenish-white or cream-colored fruits. (See Java apple pp. 381-2.)

Glossy, red, juicy, Malay apples

Fig. 102: Glossy, red, juicy, Malay apples (Syzygium malaccense) are sold in markets and along streets in warm areas of the Old and New World.

Description

The Malay apple tree is rather fast-growing, reaching 40 to 60 ft (12-18 m) in height, and has an erect trunk to 15 ft (4.5 m) in circumference and a pyramidal or cylindrical crown. Its evergreen leaves are opposite, short-petioled, elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate; soft-leathery, dark-green and fairly glossy on the upper surface, paler beneath; 6 to 18 in (15-45 cm) long, 3 1/2 to 8 in (9-20 cm) wide. The veins are indistinct above, but they and the pale midrib are prominent on the underside. New growth is wine-red at first, changing to pink-buff. The abundant flowers, only mildly fragrant, and borne on the upper trunk and along leafless portions of mature branches in short-stalked clusters of 2 to 8, are 2 to 3 in (5-7.5 cm) wide, and composed of a funnel-like base topped by 5 thick, green sepals, 4 usually pinkish-purple to dark-red (sometimes white, yellow or orange) petals, and numerous concolorous stamens to 1 1/2 in (4 cm) long tipped with yellow anthers. Though showy, the flowers are hidden by the foliage until they fall and form a lovely carpet on the ground. The fruit, oblong, obovoid, or bell-shaped, 2 to 4 in (5-10 cm.) long, 1 to 3 in (2.5-7.5 cm) wide at the apex, has thin, smooth, waxy skin, rose-red or crimson or sometimes white with streaks of red or pink, and white, crisp or spongy, juicy flesh of very mild, sweetish flavor. There may be a single oblate or nearly round seed or 2 hemispherical seeds, 5/8 to 3/4 in (1.6-2 cm) in width, light-brown externally, green internally and somewhat meaty in texture. The fruits of some trees are entirely seedless.

Food Uses

The ripe fruit is eaten raw though many people consider it insipid. It is best stewed with cloves or other flavoring and served with cream as dessert. Asiatic people in Guyana stew the peeled fruit, cooking the skin separately to make a sirup which they add to the cooked fruit. Malayan people may add the petals of the red-flowered hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) to make the product more colorful. Malay apples are often cooked with acid fruits to the benefit of both. They are sometimes made into sauce or preserves. The slightly unripe fruits are used for making jelly and pickles..

In Puerto Rico, both red and white table wines are made from the malay apple. The fruits are picked as soon as they are fully colored (not allowed to fall) and immediately dipped in boiling water for one minute to destroy surface bacteria and fungi. The seeds are removed and, for red wine, the fruits are passed through a meat grinder and the resulting juice and pulp weighed. To this material, they add twice the amount of water and 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) of white sugar per gallon, and pour into sterilized barrels with the mouth covered soon with cheesecloth. Yeast is added and a coil inserted to maintain circulation of the water. The barrels are kept in the coolest place possible for 6 months to 1 year, then the wine is filtered. It will be of a pale-rose color so artificial color is added to give it a rich-red hue. In making white wine, the fruits are peeled, the only liquid is the fruit juice, and less sugar is used, only 1 1/4 lbs (565 g) per gallon, so as to limit alcohol formation over a fermenting period of 3 to 6 months.

In Indonesia, the flowers are eaten in salads or are preserved in sirup. Young leaves and shoots, before turning green, are consumed raw with rice or are cooked and eaten as greens.

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*

Moisture 90.3-91.6 g

Protein 0.5-0.7 g

Fat 0.1-0.2 g

Fiber 0.6-0.8 g

Ash 0.26-0.39 g

Calcium 5.6-5.9 mg

Phosphorus 11.6-17.9 mg

Iron 0.2-0.82 mg

Carotene 0.003-0.008 mg

(Vitamin A) 3-10 I.U.

Thiamine 15-39 mcg

Riboflavin 20-39 mcg

Niacin 0.21-0.40 mg

Ascorbic Acid 6.5-17.0 mg

*According to analyses made in Hawaii, El Salvador and Ghana.

Other Uses

Wood: The timber is reddish, soft to hard, tough and heavy, but inclined to warp. It is difficult to work, but is employed for construction, railway ties, and for fashioning bowls and poi-boards in Hawaii.

Medicinal Uses: According to Akana's translation of Hawaiian Herbs of Medicinal Value, the astringent bark has been much used in local remedies. It is pounded together with salt, the crushed material is strained through coconut husk fiber, and the juice poured into a deep cut. "The patient must exercise absolute self-control as the liquid bums its way into the flesh and nerves."

In the Molucca, or Spice, Islands, a decoction of the bark is used to treat thrush. Malayans apply a powder of the dried leaves on a cracked tongue. A preparation of the root is a remedy for itching. The root acts as a diuretic and is given to alleviate edema. The root bark is useful against dysentery, also serves as an emmenagogue and abortifacient. Cambodians take a decoction of the fruit, leaves or seeds as a febrifuge. The juice of crushed leaves is applied as a skin lotion and is added to baths. In Brazil, various parts of the plant are used as remedies for constipation, diabetes, coughs, pulmonary catarrh, headache and other ailments. Seeded fruits, seeds, bark and leaves have shown antibiotic activity and have some effect on blood pressure and respiration.

Rose Apple

2010-10-21T08:12:00.000+07:00

The Pacific Rose is beautifully distinctive, pink to red color, superb crunch and juicy flesh. It is a mostly sweet apple with very little tartness

Selection Information

Usage: The Pacific Rose apple has a superb crunch, with firm, juicy, cream-colored flesh. The apple is thin-skinned for excellent eating. The Pacific Rose has a clean, refreshingly sweet flavor which also makes it a perfect desert apple.

Selection & Storage: Good-quality Pacific Rose Apples will be firm with smooth, clean skin and have good color for the variety. Test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. (Do not push with your thumb). It should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light.

To store, keep Pacific Rose apples as cold as possible in the refrigerator. Apples do not freeze until the temperature drops to 28.5 degrees F.

Avoid: Avoid product with soft or dark spots. Also if the apple skin wrinkles when you rub your thumb across it, the apple has probably been in cold storage too long or has not been kept cool.

Seasonal Information

The Pacific Rose apple is available June to September from New Zealand and December to March from Washington State.

Pacific Rose Apple Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 medium apple (154g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 80	Calories from Fat 0
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	7%
Dietary Fiber 5g
Sugars 17g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 2%	Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 2%	Iron 2%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Source: PMA's Labeling Facts

Apples are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They're also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.

Apple Tips & Trivia

The Pacific Rose is a cross between the Gala and the Splendor apple varieties.
Rub cut apples with lemon juice to keep slices and wedges creamy white for hours.
Store apples in a plastic bag in the refrigerator away from strong-odored foods such as cabbage or onions to prevent flavor transfer.
Apples are the second most important of all fruits sold in the supermarket, ranking next to bananas.
Tens of thousands of varieties of apples are grown worldwide
The history of apple consumption dates from Stone Age cultivation in areas we now know as Austria and Switzerland.
In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage; catching it was acceptance
Folk hero Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) did indeed spread the cultivation of apples in the United States. He knew enough about apples, however, so that he did not distribute seeds, because apples do not grow true from seeds. Instead, he established nurseries in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Three medium-sized apples weigh approximately one pound.
One pound of apples, cored and sliced, measures about 4 1/2 cups.
Purchase about 2 pounds of whole apples for a 9-inch pie.
One large apple, cored and processed through a food grinder or processor, makes about 1 cup of ground apple.

Lillipilli

2010-10-20T03:17:00.001+07:00

Kingdom: Plantae

unranked: Angiosperms

unranked: Eudicots

unranked: Rosids

Order: Myrtales

Family: Myrtaceae

Genus: Syzygium

No of Species:

Numerous from rainforest species to dry forest. The genus comprises about 1100 species.

Latin Name:

Acmena smithii (Eugenia smithii) -= most suitable for cooler climate
Syzygium luehmannii (Red Lilly Pilly, Riberry) - most commercial
Syzygium oleosum (Blue Lilly Pilly),
Syzygium australe, commonly called Brush Cherry or Scrub Cherry.
Syzygium fribrosum is a rainforest tree native to monsoon forests of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia.
Syzygium anisatum (formerly Backhousia anisata and Anetholea anisata), ringwood or aniseed tree is a rare Australian rainforest tree with an aromatic leaf that has an essential oil profile comparable to true aniseed.
Syzygium suborbiculare, the red bush apple, is a small understorey tree native to open forests and woodland of northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Syzygium paniculatum - the magenta lilly pilly (syn. Eugenia paniculata), also known by the common name magenta cherry, is a broad dense bushy rainforest tree native to New South Wales. It grows to a height of 15 m with trunk diameter up to 35 cm. Leaves are 3-9 cm long, opposite, simple and slightly obovate, tapering at the leaf base. The leaves are dark glossy above, and paler below. White flowers are produced in clusters. The edible fruit is usually magenta, but can be white, pink or purple.

It is commonly cultivated in eastern Australia and elsewhere. Well known as an edible wild fruit with a pleasantly sour apple like flavour. It is eaten fresh or cooked into jams.

Common:

Common names include Riberry, Small Leaved Lilli Pilli, Cherry Satinash, Cherry Alder, or Clove Lilli Pilli.

Origin:

Range extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific. Its highest levels of diversity occur from Malaysia to northeastern Australia, where many species are very poorly known and many more have not been described taxonomically.

Distribution:

The habitat is Australian riverine, littoral, subtropical or tropical rainforest. It grows on volcanic soils or deep sandy soils between the Macleay River in New South Wales to near Cairns in tropical Queensland. It is commonly grown as an ornamental tree, and for its fruit, known as a Riberry.

Anecdotal:

Syzygium is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae.

Due to their widespread distribution in coastal areas they may be considered a valuable famine food if other food sources are not readily available.

The lovely, lilting name of Lilly Pilly is a lot easier to get your mouth round than the proper name of Syzygium (try saying that one fast!). There are over 60 different species of Syzygium in Australia and the other popular name given to them is Riberry. The fruit varies immensely from one species to the next. The sweetest is from the Magenta Lilly Pilly (Syzygium paniculatum) but the most popular for commercial use is Syzygium luehmannii (this is the proper Riberry). This is a fairly tart little creature but it bears a large fruit and has even managed to come up with a seedless variety which is now used extensively in production of jams, jellies, cordials, etc. What do you do with a Lilly Pilly? Just about anything you want. Pucker up and eat them straight from the tree.

It's related to the clove and there are over 60 varieties of edible Lilly Pilly ranging from the very bland to the highly fragrant. Riberry, Small Leaf Lilly Pilly and Cherry Alder.

Appearance:

Small to medium tree. Evergreen, pyramidal tree 5- 30 metres tall. In its natural environment can be a large forest tree but under cultivation tree rarely grows to more than 10m.

Occasionally reaching 30 metres in height and a 90 cm in trunk diameter. The tree's crown is dense with small leaves, above a tall straight trunk. Large trees are buttressed at the base. The bark is red brown, light grey or pinkish grey with soft papery scales.

The small, glossy, lance-shaped leaves are pink/red when young. They are opposite, simple, entire, lanceolate to ovate. 4 to 5 cm long drawn out to a long prominent point. Leaf stalks 2 to 3 mm long.

Flowers form in November or December. They are in small panicles at the ends of branchlets, half the length of the leaves or less. The white or cream petals form in fours or fives, 1.5 mm long. Stamens 2 to 5 mm long.

Taste:

The berry has a tart, cranberry-like flavor, that has a hint of cloves. It has been popular as a gourmet bushfood since the early 1980’s, and is commercially cultivated on a small-scale basis. A combination of cardamon and ginger with backtones of clove, lime and pine.

The good flavoured variants tended to have higher amounts of certain isolates (essentail oil components), like myrcene (occurs in bay leaves), pinene (occurs in pine trees), ocimene (occurs in brazilian cherries), limone (occurs in citrus, especially lemons), and phillandrene (occurs in ginger), and many other many others as well. And the complexity of essential components reflects the complexity of riberry's flavour. (unlike lemon myrtle with its single citral note).

It's was also interesting to compare the good flavoured riberry with the poorer flavoured riberries. The more resinous flavoured riberries, which don't taste that good, seemed to be higher in phillandrene, and didn't have most of the other components. There was also a Eucalyptus flavoured chemotype (containing high cineole levels), which is ok,but no where near as interesting as the classic riberry flavor.

There maybe some reasonable riberry selections being grown in bushfood orchards, but I haven't seen any recent selections that I could say are outstanding varieties from a flavour point-of-view. (I'm sure there must be people out there growing good flavoured riberry orchards that i don't know about. )

Eat alone with:

Fruits are not always palatable alone and are best used in conjunction with other foods, tending to aromatic ingredients.

Eat with:

Can be made into pastes, added to curries, stews, ice creams, a baste for meats, served with cheeses.

Other Uses:

The fruit is most commonly used to make a distinctively flavoured jam, and is also used in sauces, syrups and confectionery.

Can be used with sugar syrup to make glace lilly pilly (riberry). Suitable for use with chocolateS.

For fruit-type flavour in sweet and savoury products. Whole fruit can be blended for use in ice cream, chocolates and sauces for meat dishes. The red colour pales to pink on cooking.

Put them in vinegar for a very elegant dressing. Jam them, jelly them or cordial them (they make a highly refreshing summer drink). Use them in chutneys, meat sauces, fruit salads, salsa...just about any dish which comes alive with a touch of tartness is fair game for the common Lilly Pilly.

Can make Lilly Pilly Vinegar.

Fruiting:

Small (1 cm) pink-white berry. Appear in clusters from second year and older wood. An unusual factor of this tree is cauliflory. Where flower and fruit form on the main stems or woody trunks rather than from new growth and shoots.

The fruit matures from December to February, being a pear shaped red berry, known as a Riberry, growing to 13 mm long, covering a single seed, 4 mm in diameter.

Growing:

Use in a food forest environment.

Propagation:

Seed germination is unreliable, complete after 25 days, however cuttings strike readily. Plant in well-drained soil. Keep the soil at 65-80F and shelter young plants from cold and direct sunlight. Seed preparation of Syzygiums, Acmena's and all those other lilly pilly plants, just pretend you are the bird....

I mean dont go and eat it etc etc...but remove all the flesh and soak. Most germinate within 6 weeks of sowing depending on the time of year.

Pollination:

Self or cross (uncertain)

Flowers:

Flowers are small and fluffy, with a creamy white color. Flowering is generally in Spring, and is followed by large bunches of the fruit which ripen a couple of months later. Fruits attract many kinds of birds.

Seeds:

Single seed. Seeds should be planted fresh as they don't store well.

Cuttings:

Will grow from cuttings.

Growth Habit:

Small to medium tree. Evergreen, pyramidal tree 5- 30 metres tall. In its natural environment can be a large forest tree but under cultivation tree rarely grows to more than 10m.

The small, glossy, lance-shaped leaves are pink/red when young. They are opposite, simple, entire, lanceolate to ovate. 4 to 5 cm long drawn out to a long prominent point. Leaf stalks 2 to 3 mm long.

Pruning:

Can be pruned to assist commercial handling.

Soil:

Prefers rich, moist but will tolerate sandy loam.

Aspect:

The lilly pilly is fairly hardy. Grows naturally in a sub-tropical climate. However they can tolerate quite low temperatures in winter and mild frost, particularly after establishment. No damage has been shown to occur with temperatures as low as 0°C. High summer temperatures, whilst flowering and particularly fruiting, can be a problem.

Establishing any lilly pilly under a reasonably dense evergreen canopy is the key to getting them survive to maturity in a cold temperate climate - as lilly pillys are sensitive to heavy frosts (especially below about minus 4 C degrees) when young and exposed.

A mate told me that he saw a mature riberry lillipilli (Syzygium leuhamannii) growing on the New England University grounds at Armidale.

That's really something.

Certainly to grow riberry or blue lilly pilly on the New England Tablelands would require that under canopy shelter, tree guards, plus trunk wrapping when the trees are young, and consider covering trees on very cold nights with some hession. Also, retain your lower branches to provide air insulation (i.e. don't prune off as the tree grows).

All-up, it won't be easy to get lilly pilly's to establish in a cold clime like Glenn Innes - but not impossible if frost protected at least until maturity (4 plus meters).

It would also help if you are on a hill, and not in a frost hollow.

Diseases:

Some sooty moulds cited.

Pests:

Fruit are eaten by birds.

Insects:

The flowers tend to attract a wide range of foraging insects.

Nutrition:

None cited.

Ethnomedicinal:

None cited. A relative to Cloves

Medical Warnings:

None given.

Lilly Pilly

2010-10-20T03:01:00.000+07:00

I noticed there was a search for the nutritional information on Lilly Pilly today. Given I have 3 of them growing I thought I would follow up with a post on them. Aboriginal tribes long ago discovered the therapeutic properties of this bush native, which has small exotic fruits. The lilly pilly fruit has since been found to possess good astringent properties, a high vitamin C and anti-oxidant content, and fruit acids to exfoliate the skin.

Contents provide:

Energy kJ 89
Protein g 0.3 g
Fat g 0.1
Carbs g 5.0
Fibre g 1.1
Vit C mg 1
Na mg 22
K mg 35
Mg mg 3
Ca mg 8
Fe mg 0.1
Zn mg 0.1

These are Australian native trees with glossy, green leaves. They produce creamy white flowers in spring and summer, followed by attractive white, pink, magenta or purple fruit. Raw lilly pilly berries don't have a sweet taste, because they don't contain much natural sugar. However, when sugar is added to the berries to make cordial, they taste delicious. Here is a recipe from Jackie French for lilly pilly cordial

Ingredients:

2 cups lilly pillies
4 cups water
1 teaspoon tartaric acid
2 cups sugar juice of 2 lemons Method Put the lilly pillies, water, tartaric acid, sugar and lemon juice into a stainless steel saucepan.

Tip: pick the lilly pillies when they've just changed colour. If left to ripen for too long they will become bitter.

Boil for about 5 minutes, or until the lilly pillies are just starting to soften. Mash the fruit, then tip the mixture into a strainer and strain out the lumps. Pour the liquid into sterilized bottles. Use like ordinary cordial, put a splash in a glass and add water to taste.

Note:

The cordial should keep for at least a fortnight, and possibly longer, but remember it doesn't contain preservatives, so it won't last long. Keep it in a cool place, in the fridge in very hot climates, or on a cool bench in more temperate places.
If it starts to bubble, turn cloudy, or looks or smells in any way odd or different from yesterday, throw it out! If possible, use several small bottles rather than one or two large bottles, as the fewer times your cordial is opened, the longer it may keep.
If you want to make a really big batch, it's best to freeze it till needed. And one for Lilly Pilly Jelly Fruit for jelly should be fully matured, but not over-ripe. Adjust the quantities to suit the amount of fruit you have. lilly pilly fruit water sugar lemon juice:

Put lilly pilly fruit into a preserving pan or heavy saucepan with enough water to just come to the top of the fruit but not cover it. Boil rapidly till the fruit is soft.
Strain through a clean cloth (eg muslin) and allow all the liquid to run through. Do not press the fruit as this may make the jelly cloudy.
Measure the liquid and allow a cup of sugar for each cup of liquid. Put the strained liquid, sugar and juice of a lemon into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil until it jells when tested on a cold plate.
Bottle in sterilised jars. (Hint: add extra lemon juice or use a jam setting product containing pectic, like Jamsetta, if the jelly is slow to jell.)

Riberry

2010-10-17T10:28:00.004+07:00

Riberry (Syzygium leuhmannii) is a beautiful productive tree, yielding an abundant crop of delicious, small fruits. Of all the native Lilly Pilly species, it has the greatest commercial potential for the development of a local bush food industry. As an ornamental plant, Riberry is a popular native rainforest species, as it grows well in a range of situations - gardens, street trees, parks and rainforest regeneration plots. At least twice a year, Riberry produces flushes of bright pinkish new growth that will last for several weeks. It grows best with plenty of water, fertile well drained soils and full sun or partial shade. Riberry can be easily distinguished from other Lilly Pillies by its small leaves, a feature which gave rise to one of its common names Small-leaved Water Gum. Riberry is native to rainforests from Kempsey in NSW to Cooktown in north eastern Queensland. In the rainforest, the trees will reach 30m, but under cultivation and in full sun they will only reach height of 5m to 10m. In such open sunny areas, the tree will retain its branches to ground level.

Climatically, Riberry is very adaptable growing well as far south as Melbourne and in all areas that are not too dry or too cold. Mature trees will take moderate frosts, although young trees should be given some protection from extreme cold to do well. It is valued for its dense shade in warm areas and also its hardiness. The trees are moderately fast growing and will tolerate full sun from an early age. Being native to the Northern Rivers, they will never become a weed, unlike many exotic species. It may be propagated either by seed or cuttings.

A Delicious Harvest

A very good reason to grow Riberry is to harvest its delectable, spicy fruit. Strangely, many people consider this to be more of an inconvenience rather than an asset, with the fruit being left for the birds or to rot on the ground. The small pear shaped fruit ranges in colour from bright pink to magentas and purples. It is rich in various aromatic compounds such as myrcene (nutmeg), pinene (many herbs) and limonene (bay leaves). The fruit's spicy flavour accounts for another of Riberry's common names - Clove Lilly Pilly. It may be harvested in the months December through to March depending on the area. Mature trees can yield prolific quantities of fruit - up to 80kg - more than most people could ever use in one short season. Fortunately, the fruit may be frozen with no special preparation, just place in airtight freezer bags and then put it in the freezer. This way you can extend the Riberry harvest for many months. Before using in the kitchen or freezing, it will be necessary to go over the fruit, discarding any stems or bruised fruit.

Pick the fruit as soon as the fruit ripens on the tree, to get in early before the birds. Only small trees may be efficiently harvested, so it may be worth your while to prune your trees so they do not grow too tall. Apparently, cultivars are now available which have been selected for their fruit bearing properties. When they will become widey available remains unknown.

In The Kitchen

Because of its rich spicy flavours, Ribery is particularly suited in sauces and chutneys for game meats (eg: kangaroo and venison), as well as for the more traditional poultry, lamb or pork. Evidently it does not compliment beef or fish very well. Riberry is also delicious in salads, vegetable dishes and desserts.

Seedless varieties are best used for cooking, as it is not necessary to remove the seed prior to use. As with most bush foods, the flavor of Riberry is quite strong, Thus, it will be necessary to balance this intense flavor with other ingredients and to use less of the fruit rather than more. I have made a delicious Riberry chutney and it was not even necessary to add any spices, as all the flavor was provided by the fruit alone. I am looking forward to next season's crop to try some jams and sauces. Needless to say I was so impressed by the chutney, that I purchased several trees to plant in our orchard so I will have my own Riberry supply.

Riberry is an excellent choice as a specimen tree, providing dense shade in summer as well as beautiful foliage and flowers. Then there is the added bonus of yummy fruit. It really does not get much better than that when you are selecting a tree for your garden or orchard.

Red Mombin

2010-10-17T10:25:00.000+07:00

No other species of Spondias is so extensively used in tropical America as this. In many parts of Mexico and Central America it is a fruit of the first importance. It occurs in a wide range of seedling races or forms, and is capable of great improvement by selection and vegetative propagation. While scarcely so good as the imbu, the better varieties are pleasantly flavored and attractive in appearance.

The red mombin is a small tree, often spreading in habit. The trunk is thick and the branches are stout and stiff. Its native home is tropical America, where it reaches a maximum height of about 25 feet. The leaves are 5 to 8 inches long, with 16 to 21 oblong-elliptic, oblique, subserrate leaflets 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches in length. The purplish maroon flowers are produced in small unbranched racemes about 1/2 inch long.

The fruits, borne singly or in clusters of two or three, are quite variable in size and form. Commonly they are oval or roundish, but they may be oblong, obovoid, or somewhat piriform. They range from 1 to 2 inches in length, and from yellow to deep red in color. The seed is oblong, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, and rough on the surface. The season of ripening in most parts of tropical America is August to November.

In most Spanish-speaking countries this species is known as ciruela (plum), a name which has been corrupted in the Philippines to siniguelas. In parts of Mexico and in Guatemala it is known by the Aztec name jocote (xocotl). The common name in the French colonies is prunier d'Espagne, prunier rouge, and mombin rouge, and in the British colonies it is sometimes called Spanish-plum. Spondias purpurea, L. is a botanical synonym of S. Mombin, L.

J. N. Rose 1 describes a number of different forms observed in Mexico. These races (perhaps species in some instances) deserve further study.

The red mombin is abundant in Mexico and Central America from sea-level up to elevations of 5000 or 6000 feet. The value of the annual crop in Mexico is estimated at more than $70,000. The fruit may be eaten fresh or may be boiled and dried, in which latter condition it can be kept for several months. When fresh it has a subacid spicy flavor somewhat resembling that of the cashew, but less aromatic. Some varieties are sour, and others have very little flesh; the best are pleasantly flavored and have about the same amount of flesh and seed as a very large olive.

In Cuba several seedling races are grown. They are usually distinguished as ciruela roja, ciruela amarilla, and so on. In Brazil the species appears to be little known. It is successfully cultivated in south Florida, as far north as Palm Beach or perhaps farther. Varieties from high elevations in tropical America should prove slightly hardier than those from the seacoast. No trees have been grown to fruiting age in California, so far as is known. In favorable situations they might succeed there if given protection during the first few winters.

The tree is semi-deciduous. The leaves fall toward the end of the cool season and are soon replaced by new ones.

The character of the soil does not seem to be important. Good trees can be found growing on shallow sandy land, on gravel, and on heavy clay loam. A rich, moist, fairly heavy loam perhaps suits it best. Cuttings take root so readily that large limbs, cut and inserted in the ground as fenceposts, will often develop into flourishing trees. P. J. Wester recommends that cuttings 20 to 30 inches long, of the previous season's growth (or even older wood) should be set in the ground to a depth of about 12 inches, in the positions which the trees are to occupy permanently. The rainy season is the best time to do this. The trees should stand about 25 feet apart, unless the soil be very poor, in which case 20 feet will be sufficient. No horticultural varieties have as yet been established. By selecting from the existing seedlings in tropical America, many good ones could be obtained.

The firm, yellow, juicy flesh is deliciously fragrant and sweet and more like pineapple or apple than mango. Mombins are also very fragile, so are seldom exported. They can be eaten raw with a little sweetener or combined with other fruits in a salad. They can also be poached, pickled, dried, or made into jams, and they make a good addition to curries. The large, hard core may be cracked and eaten like a nut. The fruits are very rich in vitamin C and a good source of calcium and phosphorus.

Raspberry

2010-10-16T14:21:00.001+07:00

Raspberry is a delicious fruit that is widely cultivated in all temperate regions of the world. There are eight different species of raspberries in the world, though the most popular ones comprise of red raspberry cultivars, derived from hybrids between R. idaeus and R. strigosus. The golden raspberries, yellow raspberries or (rarely) orange raspberries are ‘albino-like’ pale-fruited variants of the commercially grown red and black raspberry species. The small, innocuous looking raspberries pack a high degree of nutritional value within itself, resulting in numerous health and nutrition benefits to those who eat them.

Nutritional Value of Raspberry

Given below is the amount of nutrients in 100 gm of raspberry:

Total Fat - 1 gm
Sodium - 1 mg
Total Carbohydrates - 12 gm
Dietary Fiber - 7 gm
Sugars - 4 gm
Protein - 1 gm
Vitamin A - 33 IU
Vitamin C - 26.2 mg
Vitamin E - 0.87 mg
Vitamin K - 7.8 mcg
Thiamin - 0.032 mg
Riboflavin - 0.038 mg
Niacin - 0.598 mg
Vitamin B6 - 0.055 mg
Folate - 21 mcg
Pantothenic Acid - 0.329 mcg
Calcium - 25 mg
Iron - 0.69 mg
Magnesium - 22 mg
Phosphorus - 29 mg
Potassium - 151 mg
Sodium - 1 mg
Zinc - 0.42 mg
Copper - 0.09 mg
Manganese - 0.67 mg
Selenium - 0.2 mcg
Calories - 52

Health Nutrition Benefits of Eating Raspberries

Being rich in antioxidants, raspberry helps neutralize free radicals in the body and thus, prevents damage to cell membranes & other structures.
Raspberries can restrain proliferation of cancer cells and even the formation of tumors in various parts of the body, including the colon.
Daily consumption 3 or more servings of raspberry has been seen to lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the main cause of vision loss in older adults.
The anthocyanins present in raspberry have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease and also delay the effects of aging.
The presence of salicylic acid in raspberries might slow down atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Raspberry is a good source of quercetin, an antioxidant that diminishes the release of histamines and thus, minimizes allergic reactions.
Manganese and vitamin C, two antioxidant nutrients in raspberries, help protect the body tissue from oxygen-related damage.
Raspberry is one of the few fruits whose consumption would not have much effect on the body’s blood sugar levels.
Research has shown that regular consumption of raspberry is good for those suffering from inflammation and pain.

Quince

2010-10-16T14:03:00.000+07:00

Quince is another fruit related to the apple and pear and the rest of the Rose family. They are a highly aromatic fruit, shaped like large, lumpy, yellow pears. Unripe fruit have a downy skin, while ripened fruit have the smooth texture of its relatives. Raw quinces are inedible, but they make excellent natural air fresheners. For instance, if a quince is kept in the glove compartment of a car, it will shrivel but will not rot, and will fill the car with a delicious aroma for up to six months.

Quinces originated in Turkestan and Persia, but are now grown all over Europe, as well as other parts of the world. It is speculated that quinces were the fruit referred to as "apples" in myths and legends. They were once widely grown in Britain from the 16th to the 18th centuries, but popularity has since declined. In Spain, they are still highly prized and are used to make a thick fruit paste called 'membrillo', which is made by boiling quince with sugar to make a paste. After cooling, it is cut into squares and served with soft cheeses. The French equivalent is known as cotignac. Quince cheese is similar to the paste, but softer and more spreadable. Quinces are also popular in Latin American countries, especially Uruguay, where there are large plantations devoted to their growth.

Quinces are never eaten raw, only cooked. Its flesh is hard with many seeds and too sour and astringent to eat raw, but its delicate flavour develops into something quite delicious if stewed with a sweetener. In order to help peel the skin easier, the quince can be parboiled for about ten minutes. When quinces are cooked, the heat and the acids in the fruit convert the colourless leucoanthocyanin pigments to red anthocyanins, thus turning its flesh from pale yellow to a pink or red. Cooking also transforms the strong unpleasant astringent taste to a more mellow flavour, halfway between that of an apple and a pear. Because of their high pectin content, found mainly in the skin, quinces make an excellent jelly. In fact, the Portuguese name for the quince is the origin of the English word "marmalade", a type of preserve originally made from this fruit.

In Persian cuisine, quinces and other sour fruits are often cooked together with meats. This combination is also found in Morocco and such parts of eastern Europe as Romania, as well as in Spanish cooking. However, it is Turkey where the quince is most often used. They distinguish the various kinds from "ekmek ayvasi", which is a roundish, yellow, sweet quince, and "limon ayvasi", which is larger, oblong, green variety with a sour flavour. The most common use for them in Britain is in the making of pastries, and are often added with apple to bring out a pinkish colour and an interesting flavour to the dish. Quince preserves were popular until quite recently, but remain of little interest to Americans. Several oriental quinces (genus Chaenomeles) are available in China and Japan. One variety is the Japonica quince, which is cultivated in Japan. These hard yellowish fruits are virtually inedible raw, but can be cooked and used like quinces. Their aroma is less intense, but they make good additions to pies and tarts, jellies, and quince cheese.

Cloudberry

2010-10-16T13:51:00.002+07:00

Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) also known as salmonberry, yellowberry, and baked apple berry, are a juicy, amber yellow relative of the raspberry. They are found in subartic regions of the north temperate zone, such as New England, Canada and Scandinavia. Cloudberries are too tart to eat out of hand, but are excellent used in preserves and liqueurs. The cloudberry is a part of Rubus family, are its botanical name is Rubus chamaemorus. Cloudberry grows in bogs, mashes and wet meadows; generally in mountainous regions but it is sensitive to dry conditions. Cloudberries can be cultivated in artic areas unlike other fruits and it is considered a wild plant.

The cloudberry plant grows to about 15 centimeters high and has five or seven soft, branchless stalks. The fruit of five to twenty five drupelets and when it is ripe it has a golden or yellow color. Cloudberry fruit is delicate, juicy and it is rich in vitamin C with a distinctive tart flavor. Because it is rich in vitamin c the fruit is consumed as protection against scurvy and because it also contains benzoic acid it is used for its preserving actions. The tea made of cloudberry leaves act against urinary tract infections. Cloudberries are also used for preparing jams, juices, tarts or liqueurs. People from Sweden use the fruits as an ice-cream topping while Canadians use them as a special ingredient to flavor one of their local beers. Due to its numerous benefits cloudberries are now cultivated all over Norway.

Cloudberry Layer Cake
IngredientsMakes 16 servings

6 large eggs (about 1 1/3 cups), room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoonkosher salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring
2 cups cloudberry preserves
3 cups heavy cream, whipped
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark rum

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Break eggs into a liquid 2-cup measuring cup to measure.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs and sugar, beating on high speed until light and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.
Beat in vanilla and salt. With a rubber spatula, thoroughly fold in flour.
Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake until the cake springs back when touched in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool. Loosen edges of cooled cakes and remove from pans. Using a serrated knife, slice cakes horizontally to make four cake layers in all.

For the filling: Whip the cream until firm but not stiff, and add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.

To assemble the cake: Place bottom layer on cake plate, brush cake with rum, and spread with one-third of the filling. Top with the second layer, brush with rum, and spread with 1/2 of the preserves. Top with the third layer, brush with rum, and spread with one-third of the filling. Top with the fourth layer, brush with rum, and spread with remaining preserves. Using a 12-inch pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip, pipe remaining filling on cake in a decorative pattern. (source: en.petitchef.com)

Peach Palm

2010-10-16T06:18:00.001+07:00

The use of B. gasipaes pre-Columbian times was complete. The peach palm , its most important product, was used in two ways: cooked (boiled in water) and as a slightly fermented cool drink. In both forms, it constituted the basic food during the harvesting period in the indigenous communities which grew it. For consumption out of season. it was preserved mainly in ensiled form and prepared in a very similar way to today. with storage in trench silos made in the ground. One month after being covered over, it was ready for consumption or could be stored until the next harvest. This fermented material was consumed mixed with water as a cool drink. It could also be carried wrapped in leaves during journeys and merely had to be diluted in water for consumption. Another important form of preservation was drying the fruit, exposing it to heat and smoke and then placing it on mats suspended above a fire. To be eaten, it just had to be boiled in water. It was also eaten in the form of tortillas made from its dough, as with maize, or as farinha. The oil. which separates out when the fruit is boiled. was occasionally used for cooking other foods. Prolonged fermentation—lasting one week—enabled the alcoholic drink, chicha, to be made for celebrating festive occasions. Thus, the fruit of each palm constituted a basic source of energy. replacing the functions and uses of grain in other cultures. It was especially significant as a substitute for maize, which it surpasses in nutritional value.

The wood of the trunk has great strength and elasticity which enabled it to be used to make weapons—bows, arrows and spears—as well as in construction. The apical section of the trunk, together with its embryonic fronds, is soft and has a delicate flavour; from this the palmetto or heart of the palm is extracted. The sap from this part of the trunk. either unfermented or fermented in various degrees, was used to prepare nutritional and intoxicating drinks.

The young inflorescences were also eaten roasted "the herdsman's way", without opening the protective spathe. Infusions of the roots were used in medicine as a vermicide.

Today, the Indians use the same basic products obtained from the peach-palm, which now produce a greater diversity of by-products, many of which are still being developed. Thus the wood is used to manufacture building materials such as parquet, panels, luxury furniture and handicraft items, taking advantage of its beauty and great strength. The long fibres on the inside of the trunk show promise for use in fibre cement products. Exploitation of the palmetto is a prosperous industry: having originated in Costa Rica in the 1970s, it is gradually gaining importance among the countries of the American humid tropics as a profitable crop and on account of its sound characteristics for ecological management, in accordance with new agronomic trends.

The fruit, which in the past was only important in its areas of production because it is very perishable, is now seen as having great potential through processing to form flours and other derived products such as oil, beta-carotene and starch. Tests are even being carried out to see if the trypsin inhibitor contained in the fruit of some cultivars can be used as an insecticide. Flours made from peach-palm have an important future in human nutrition, being consumed in confectionery, bread-making and other preparations. It also has a great future in animal feeding, as a substitute or supplement for grain, in the manufacture of concentrates and fermented as ensilage. Fermentation of the fruit is being investigated with a view to its exploitation in the manufacture of various organic compounds. Its possible medicinal use, as practiced by the Indians, has yet to be explored.

Acorn squash

2010-10-16T04:33:00.001+07:00

Acorn squash is a delicious vegetable that is frequently incorporated into meals, especially at dinner. There are other varieties (such as butternut squash and junior squash), all of which are nutritionally similar to the acorn squash. Although it is considered a winter squash, it is belongs to the species of summer squash such as zucchini. Acorn squash has a number of nutrients and is a healthy choice for people who are diet conscious. Squash is a good source of numerous vitamins and nutrients, with a low estimated glycemic load.

Nutritional Information
One cup of acorn squash (cut into cubes, approximately 205 grams) contains 115 calories. None of those calories come from fat, as acorn squash is a fat-free food. There is no cholesterol in squash, and 8 milligrams of sodium. The total carbohydrate count is 30 grams, with 2 grams of protein. Squash contains only trace amounts of sugar and 9 grams of dietary fiber. Acorn squash contains 18 percent of the daily recommended dose of vitamin A, 37 percent of vitamin C, nine percent of calcium and 11 percent of iron. A medium-sized acorn squash has approximately 172 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 45 grams carbohydrate and 3 grams protein.

Vitamins. Acorn squash are rich in Vitamin A, and are also a good source of vitamins C and B6.
Phytonutrients. Acorn squash is rich in phytonutrients, which help the body get rid of toxins and may help prevent cancer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that "it appears that an effective strategy for reducing risk of cancer and heart disease is to increase consumption of phytonutrient-rich foods."
Fiber and Potassium. Acorn squash are also rich in dietary fiber, folate, beta-carotene and potassium. One cup of cooked acorn squash has 9 grams of fiber, 895 mg of potassium and almost 2 mg iron, according to Jonny Bowden's "150 Healthiest Foods on Earth."

Uses
Acorn squash is an extremely versatile food which can be eaten plain after cooking, or more commonly, prepared with salt, pepper and better. Olive oil is more nutritious than butter and may be substituted. Another healthy option is to fill the acorn squash with spices (such as nutmeg) and chopped or pureed vegetables or fruit. As with other types of squash, acorn squash may be chopped up and served in mixed vegetable medleys along with a combination of carrots, zucchini, broccoli, or cauliflower. The consumption of acorn squash as part of a vegetable or fruit dish is an excellent way to increase the nutritional value of squash. Acorn squash should be served as part of a well-balanced meal that includes a source of protein (such as chicken).

Benefits
Since acorn squash is low in calories and naturally fat-free, it is an ideal choice for people who are attempting to lose weight. Squash is also advantageous for those who are limiting their sodium and cholesterol intakes. Squash is an excellent source of nutrients, including thiamin, magnesium and potassium.

Drawbacks
Since squash is such a healthy food, it can be safely consumed on a regular basis, and is a permissible part of nearly everyone's diet. However, it may not be allowed in the first phase of some low-carbohydrate diets due its moderate carbohydrate content. Some people dislike the taste of squash, but with its mild flavor, the vegetable can be easily incorporated into casseroles, mixed vegetable servings, and other dishes. To preserve the nutritional value of acorn squash, butter and other oily toppings should be added in moderation.

Acorn squash is a nutrient-dense vegetable that is easy to grow and prepare. An acorn-shaped winter squash (usually dark-green or golden-yellow in color), it is most commonly baked but can also be prepared in other ways. It has a slightly-sweet tasting flesh that is high in fiber.

Preparation
Acorn squash is easy to prepare. Cut one in half, scoop out the seeds and bake for about an hour. The scooped-out insides can filled with whatever you like (try rice, pine nuts, garlic, brown sugar or maple syrup), or the squash can be enjoyed plain. Squash is also commonly prepared with spaghetti or made into soup.

Acorn squash is shaped much like an acorn with longitudinal ridges, and appears deep green in color on the outside and yellow-orange on the inside. Acorn squash is not normally peeled, as there are a great deal of nutrients in the skin. The squash is typically cut in half and baked, and may then be filled with toppings. Although baked acorn squash is quite healthy, the addition of butter or other heavy fillings will add to the fat and calorie content. A nutritionally sound alternative is to thinly slice the acorn squash, then steam or microwave it and serve with light seasonings.

Citron

2010-10-16T04:16:00.003+07:00

Citron or citric acid is described In Sahih Muslim Bukhari narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
"The parable of a believer who reads the Qur'an is like Utrujah, delicious and smells wonderful."

Citron has many health benefits and efficacy. There are four elements in the lemon skin, flesh of the fruit, acidity and seed. Each - each element has its own privileges. His skin is hot and wet. Substances having acidic properties of cold and dry, while the seeds are hot and dry.

Citron skin has several benefits. If placed dilemari clothing, skin can prevent mold. It smells a fragrant scent and stench of the polluted air. Citron skin can improve the smell of food and deodorize. If mixed in the food, the skin can help the digestive process. Al-Qaanuun author says, "Juice of lemon skin nutritious treat snake bite wounds, while the skin is used as a bandage for snakebite. Abu burnt skin is used as an ointment that is effective against leprosy.

Citron fruit flesh is softened to relieve heartburn, help people who suffer from jaundice and reduce body heat steam. Al-Ghafiqi said, "citron fruit flesh can heal Anyang-anyangan if eaten".

Substances contained in the citric acid can treat jaundice, soothing heartbeat due to heat, controlling vomiting and if consumed as a beverage or kohl can cure jaundice. Citric acid is also a good appetite stimulant, and helps treat diarrhea. Citric acid can also eliminate the discharge as well as heal and combat skin spots if smeared on the outside of the body. Citric acid also can cure herpes. Citric acid against ink stains on clothing. Citron also have a cooling effect, which cools the hot liver, reducing the sharpness of jaundice and depression that accompany it, and can eliminate hunger.

Citron seeds have energy emulsifier and dryer. Ibn Masawaih said, "The skin is peeled citron seeds, cooked, and taken with warm water to neutralize the deadly toxins." People exposed to toxic drink as much as two doses, each dose of about 25 grams. Citron seeds are crushed and smeared on the wound stings an animal can also help. Seeds of this fruit aroma also adds to the flavor.

Two doses of citron seeds taken with warm water can help against scorpion stings, can also be ground or placed on the affected areas. Seeds of this fruit can cure all kinds of poisons and stings of venomous animals.

May the fruit-laden property is indeed worthy of being the best, that the faithful who read the Koran.

Sources: Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyah, 2008, the Practice of Medicine of the Prophet, Hikam Pustaka, Yogyakarta

Pumpkins

2010-09-26T22:43:00.001+07:00

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.

Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Pumpkins Nutrition Facts
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)
Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

Prickly Pear

2010-09-26T22:22:00.006+07:00

The nutritional value of prickly pears and full prickly pear nutrition information:

Prickly pears are an excellent source of magnesium and calcium, and contain good amounts of potassium and fibre.
Prickly pears are an excellent source of magnesium which helps to relax the nerves and muscles, plays a part in bone health and also helps with blood circulation.
Prickly pears also provide a good fruit source of calcium which is needed for bone health. Calcium also plays a part in blood clotting and helps support nerve and muscle functioning.
A good source of vitamin C, prickly pears can help protect the cells and tissues from free radical damage, thereby helping to prevent cancer. Vitamin C also helps with dietary iron absorption.
Prickly pears also contain a good amount of potassium which helps the nerves and muscles to function properly and also maintains the bodies' acid balance. Potassium can also help lower the risk of high blood pressure.
Prickly pears contain good amounts of fibre which supports bowel regularity and therefore helps to prevent bowel cancer. Fibre also helps to maintain blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
One prickly pear contains around 42 calories.

THE FULL NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF PRICKLY PEARS:
Prickly pears, raw
Refuse: 25% (Seeds, skin, and bud end)
Scientific Name: Opuntia spp.
NDB No: 09287 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)

Nutrient	Units	1.00 X 1 fruit without refuse ------- 103g
Proximates
Water	g	90.18
Energy	kcal	42
Energy	kJ	177
Protein	g	0.75
Total lipid (fat)	g	0.53
Ash	g	1.69
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	9.86
Fiber, total dietary	g	3.7
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	58
Iron, Fe	mg	0.31
Magnesium, Mg	mg	88
Phosphorus, P	mg	25
Potassium, K	mg	227
Sodium, Na	mg	5
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.12
Copper, Cu	mg	0.082
Selenium, Se	mcg	0.6
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	14.4
Thiamin	mg	0.014
Riboflavin	mg	0.062
Niacin	mg	0.474
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.062
Folate, total	mcg	6
Folic acid	mcg	0
Folate, food	mcg	6
Folate, DFE	mcg_DFE	6
Vitamin B-12	mcg	0.00
Vitamin A, RAE	mcg_RAE	2
Retinol	mcg	0
Carotene, beta	mcg	26
Carotene, alpha	mcg	0
Cryptoxanthin, beta	mcg	3
Vitamin A, IU (1)	IU	44
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.069
4:0	g	0.000
6:0	g	0.000
8:0	g	0.000
10:0	g	0.000
12:0	g	0.000
14:0	g	0.000
16:0	g	0.054
18:0	g	0.010
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.077
16:1 undifferentiated	g	0.002
18:1 undifferentiated	g	0.074
20:1	g	0.001
22:1 undifferentiated	g	0.000
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.219
18:2 undifferentiated	g	0.192
18:3 undifferentiated	g	0.024
18:4	g	0.000
20:4 undifferentiated	g	0.000
20:5 n-3 (EPA)	g	0.000
22:5 n-3 (DPA)	g	0.000
22:6 n-3 (DHA)	g	0.000
Cholesterol	mg	0
Other
Alcohol, ethyl	g	0.0

Footnotes:

1 Green variety
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 (2009)

Pond Apple

2010-09-26T21:16:00.001+07:00

A kind of black sheep of the Annonaceae family, the pond apple is found wild throughout much of the American tropics. The flesh is usually palatable, but often pales in comparison to the more illustrious members of its family, the cherimoya, sugar apple, soursop and atemoya. Some trees do produce nice fruits and the species has its admirers.

Description: A medium-sized tree to 40-50ft. Pond apple's can stand immense flooding and spend weeks at a time with their roots under water. The pond apple is very useful as a rootstock for other Annona species.

Hardiness: Hardy to at least 32F.

Growing Environment: N/A

Propagation: By seeds.

Uses: Usually eaten raw, but sometimes made into jellies and wine.

Native Range: Native throughout the West Indies and north to Florida. A predominant species in the Everglades.

Pomelo

2010-09-26T20:54:00.001+07:00

The pummelo or pomelo is an exotic large citrus fruit that is an ancient ancestor of the common grapefruit. It is the largest of the citrus fruits with a shape that can be fairly round or slightly pointed at one end (the fruit ranges from nearly round to oblate or pear-shaped). They range from cantaloupe-size to as large as a 25-pound watermelon and have very thick, soft rind. The skin is green to yellow and slightly bumpy; flesh color ranges from pink to rose.

Like grapefruits, they can range from almost seedless to very seedy, from juicy to dry, from sweet to sour. It is sweeter than a grapefruit and can be eaten fresh, although membranes around the segments should be peeled. Pummelos commonly have 16 to 18 segments, compared to most grapefruit that have about 12 segments. Be sure to refrigerate and use quickly. Use as you would grapefruit sections. They are also good for jams, jellies, marmalades and syrups.

It is grown in many eastern countries including China, Japan, India, Fiji, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is also now grown in the Caribbean and in the United States, in California and Florida. In season November through March, Pummelos are especially popular for Chinese New Year. The Chinese believe the delectable Pummelo is a sign of prosperity and good fortune - good things will happen if they eat it. The peel is also used in Chinese cooking or candied. In general citrus peel is often used in southern Chinese cuisine for flavoring, especially in sweet soup desserts.

One-fourth of a Pummelo (152 grams) has 60 calories and provides 130% of the Vitamin C recommended for the day. It is sodium, fat and cholesterol free and is a source of potassium.

History:

The pomelo is native to southeastern Asia and all of Malaysia; grows wild on river banks in the Fiji and Friendly Islands. It may have been introduced into China around 100 B.C. It is much cultivated in southern China (Kwang-tung, Kwangsi and Fukien Provinces) and especially in southern Thailand on the banks to the Tha Chine River; also in Taiwan and southernmost Japan, southern India, Malaya, Indonesia, New Guinea and Tahiti.

The pomelo is also called shaddock after an English sea captain, Captain Shaddock, who introduced the seed to the West Indies in the 17th Century from the Malay Archipelago. The seeds produced fruit somewhat smaller than the current grapefruit, more like an orange. The size of the fruit and the fact that it grew in bunches or clusters like grapes prompted a 19th century naturalist to liken the new fruit to grapes, with which it has no botanical relationship whatsoever.

Pomegranate

2010-09-26T20:36:00.002+07:00

Pomegranate is a small tree up to 5 meter in height. The bark of the pomegranate tree is light brown with red buds and young shoots. The leaves are small, opposite, glossy and almost evergreen. The large and attractive pomegranate flowers are orange-red. The characteristic large pomegranate fruits are crowned with a calyx and contain numerous seeds in juice containing sacs.

Pomegranate juice is mainly used as a health drink. However, most phytochemicals can be found in the rind of the fruit. The roots and bark are also used.

The pomegranate has been traditionally used as medicines in many countries:

Diarrhoea. Pomegranate juice is a mild astringent, used to treat diarrhoea, and reduces some fevers.

Anti-parasites.The root bark is used to treat intestinal parasites, mainly tapeworm. The alkaloids narcotise the tapeworms so they lose their grip to the intestinal wall and are expelled. These alkaloids are also very toxic so they should not be used for self-medication.

Antioxidant. Pomegranate contains many phytochemicals with antioxidant action, such as ellagic acid. Ellagic acid has anticarcinogenic, antiatherogenic and antifibrosis activity.

Skin Whitening. Studies have shown that ellagic acid can suppress UV-induced skin pigmentation when applied topically or when administered orally. Mineka Yoshimura and colleagues have shown in their study "Inhibitory Effect of an Ellagic Acid-Rich Pomegranate Extract on Tyrosinase Activity and UV-induced Pigmentation" (Bioscience, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, 2005) that pomegranate extract has skin-whitening property. This effect was probably caused by the inhibition of proliferation of melanocytes and melanin synthesis.

Other facts. The pomegranate flowers are used to make a red dye. Pomegranate is used jewish ceremonials. The pomegranate juice is used for the production of grenadine. Because of its high tannin content the pomegranate rind can be used to tan leather.

Cape Gooseberry

2010-09-25T23:59:00.003+07:00

The genus Physalis, of the family Solanaceae, includes annual and perennial herbs bearing globular fruits, each enclosed in a bladderlike husk which becomes papery on maturity. Of the more than 70 species, only a very few are of economic value. One is the strawberry tomato, husk tomato or ground cherry, P. Pruinosa L., grown for its small yellow fruits used for sauce, pies and preserves in mild-temperate climates. Though more popular with former generations than at present, it is still offered by seedsmen. Various species of Physalis have been subject to much confusion in literature and in the trade. A species which bears a superior fruit and has become widely known is the cape gooseberry, P. Peruviana L. (P. edulis Sims). It has many colloquial names in Latin America: capuli, aguaymanto, tomate sylvestre, or uchuba, in Peru; capuli or motojobobo embolsado in Bolivia; uvilla in Ecuador; uvilla, uchuva, vejigón or guchavo in Colombia; topotopo, or chuchuva in Venezuela; capuli, amor en bolsa, or bolsa de amor, in Chile; cereza del Peru in Mexico. It is called cape gooseberry, golden berry, pompelmoes or apelliefie in South Africa; alkekengi or coqueret in Gabon; lobolobohan in the Philippines; teparee, tiparee, makowi, etc., in India; cape gooseberry or poha in Hawaii.

Food Uses

In addition to being canned whole and preserved as jam, the cape gooseberry is made into sauce, used in pies, puddings, chutneys and ice cream, and eaten fresh in fruit salads and fruit cocktails. In Colombia, the fruits are stewed with honey and eaten as dessert. The British use the husk as a handle for dipping the fruit in icing.

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*

Moisture 78.9 g

Protein 0.054 g

Fat 0.16 g

Fiber 4.9 g

Ash 1.01 g

Calcium 8.0 mg

Phosphorus 55.3 mg

Iron 1.23 mg

Carotene 1.613 mg

Thiamine 0.101 mg

Riboflavin 0.032 mg

Niacin 1.73 mg

Ascorbic Acid 43.0 mg

*According to analyses of husked fruits made in Ecuador.

The ripe fruits are considered a good source of Vitamin P and are rich in pectin.

Toxicity

Unripe fruits are poisonous. The plant is believed to have caused illness and death in cattle in Australia.

Other Uses

Fruits: In the 18th Century, the fruits were perfumed and worn for adornment by native women in Peru.

Medicinal Uses: In Colombia, the leaf decoction is taken as a diuretic and antiasthmatic. In South Africa, the heated leaves are applied as poultices on inflammations and the Zulus administer the leaf infusion as an enema to relieve abdominal ailments in children.

Poha

2010-09-25T23:42:00.002+07:00

Cape gooseberry, called Poha in Hawaii, was distributed by early explorers and first reported in England in 1774. A commercial crop in many countries, the poha is often found in Hawaiian Regional Cuisine. First reported on the Big Island in 1825, the fruit is common in the wild as well as cultivated for home and commercial use around the state.

The plant is low growing shrub with velvety leaves and yellow bell-shaped flowers.

Mature fruit is round and orange skinned with many edible seeds. It is juicy and sweet with a distinctive flavor.

Poha is also known as golden berry in many English-speaking countries. In Australia, it is marketed under the cultivar names ‘Golden Nugget’ and ‘New Sugar Giant’. Growers in New Zealand often take cuttings from plants that produce the sweetest fruit for propagation.

Often eaten fresh, poha is made into jelly and jam as well as canned whole. In Europe it is dipped into chocolate or used to decorate cakes. The fruit is also used in a wide variety of sauces.

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion

Moisture 78.9 g
Protein 0.054 g
Fat 0.16 g
Fiber 4.9 g
Ash 1.01 g
Calcium 8.0 mg
Phosphorus 55.3 mg
Iron 1.23 mg
Carotene 1.613 mg
Thiamine 0.101 mg
Riboflavin 0.032 mg
Niacin 1.73 mg
Ascorbic Acid 43.0 mg

Health Benefits Poha : is a source of phosphorus, that helps the body to process vitamins and aids in the conversion of food to energy. The primary benefit of phosphorus is the building of bones and teeth when balanced with calcium and magnesium. Poha also contains a cross section of different bioflavonoids (vitamin P), which help with anti inflammation and act as natural blood thinners.

Pupunha

2010-09-25T23:05:00.005+07:00

Palmito (or heart of palm) is somewhat of a staple vegetable in Brazil. It is widely used in salads and also in hot preparations such as savory pie filling, pizzas, stews, sauces, stir-fry — pretty much the possibilities are endless. Just the same as you can find anywhere else in the world, palmito is most commonly sold preserved with salt water in jars or cans. In such form they are pretty tasty straight out of the can. Palmito can be harvested from pretty much any palm tree. Most varieties of the palm tree die after the bud is cut for its inner core. Almost all types of palmito that were native to the coastal area that spans from the state of Bahia down to the east coast of Argentina became threatened with extinction due to over harvest in the wild. Brazilian authorities had to intervene making it illegal to harvest wild varieties (now only a few indigenous groups have permission to harvest following their ancestors’ sustainable methods). This change in policy made necessary for producers to invest in planting varieties that regenerate after being cut. The three types of palmito that are consumed the most come from the açaí, juçara, or pupunha palm tree. Açaí and pupunha are both native to the Amazon region.

Pupunha is increasing in popularity because it is a sustainable variety, meaning that when the stem is cut the root does not die and the plant can be cut again next season. According to EMBRAPA (the Brazilian’s government agricultural research department) additional advantages of pupunha is that the plant grows from seed to harvest-ready tree in only eighteen months. The palmito cut from pupunha is considered of superb taste and good size. In fact, the entire plant can be used but the most desired parts are the heart of palm and the fruit which is also called pupunha. EMBRAPA also mentions that pupunha is a crop that has little impact on the environment with a high yield per acre.

As my first station assignment inside D.O.M.’s prep kitchen I am working with garde manger chef Thiago Flores. One of the first tasks he showed me was how to process the raw pupunha segments. The raw pupunha palm is very perishable so it must be worked in a temperature controlled environment to avoid developing an acidic taste. To clean it, first you peel the outer part of the palm (what would be the bark on a regular tree) – this skin is removed and saved for garnish. Inside there is another layer that is too hard to eat so it is also peeled and discarded. Lastly, the top and bottom are trimmed by slicing a 1cm segment off from each end.

The pupunha used at D.O.M. comes from São Cassiano, a farm located in Jaú in the state of São Paulo. According to their website the pupunha heart of palm is a low calorie food that is a good source of fiber and it is also rich in iron, potassium, zinc, and calcium. Palmito can also be used as a source of protein for vegetarian diets.