Bilimbi: what kind of fruit is it and how is it healthy

If they say that cucumbers grow on a tree, you do not need to immediately make fun of a joker. It is possible that we are talking about bilimbi. Its fruits really look like plump light cucumbers. This plant is cultivated for a plentiful harvest. Bilimbi is used as a seasoning, added to marinades and soft drinks, used in folk medicine.

Secrets of a Cucumber Tree

For Russian latitudes, the plant is unfamiliar. It perfectly does not tolerate frosts, therefore it is grown only by fans of exotics and then in the indoor version. In the natural environment, the tree grows up to 8–10 m; in a spreading crown with cirrus leaves, clusters of large fruits hide. The trunk branches into several powerful vertical branches. The tree is very beautiful due to the combination of white branches and deep green leafy plates.

The leaves are similar in structure to acacia, but much larger, reach 60 cm. The flowers are very bright with an intense aroma. The color of the corollas can be yellowish green or dark red.

Unripe fruits of green color, crisp flesh. Upon reaching full ripeness, they acquire a light cream color, the flesh gains juiciness, becomes loose. Inside, several seeds are hiding.

The plant is distributed in Thailand, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines. Later it was brought to Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador.

Composition and useful properties

The pulp is acidic in fruits, almost never used in fresh food, but it is valued as an additive to sauces and used as a spice. The composition includes:

• alimentary fiber;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• flavonoids;
• organic acids;
• tannins;
• riboflavin;
• thiamine;
• niacin.

The sour taste of the fruit gives a high content of oxalic acid. Several varieties of cucumber tree have been bred, but even the sweetest specimens require additional processing. Jelly and jam are prepared from them, the taste of which resembles a mix of grapes, apples and gooseberries.

Interesting: After heat treatment, most of the beneficial substances of bilimbi are preserved.

The fruits of the cucumber tree are rarely exported from Asian countries, only as part of spicy mixtures. In Indonesia, they are grown as a valuable culinary ingredient. The plant is also used in traditional medicine recipes. Moreover, almost all parts go to decoctions and infusions, except for the roots and trunk.

Basic properties:

• pressure normalization;
• strengthening immunity;
• increased metabolic rate;
• increased regeneration rate;
• anesthesia;
• reduction of inflammatory processes;
• elimination of allergy symptoms.

Fruits are introduced into weight loss diets. Bilimbi activates the removal of toxins and excess fluid from the body, makes up for the lack of vitamins, and contributes to faster saturation due to a large amount of fiber.

Contraindications

Bilimbi is more likely to relate to seasoning than to a full-fledged independent dish. It should not be included in the diet for diseases of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system. Even gastritis no longer has the fruit of a cucumber tree. Do not try them for people with gout. Oxalic acid in the composition of the fruits provokes seizures and makes them longer. Individual intolerance also becomes a contraindication.

Cooking Application

Sour taste eliminates the possibility of dainty fruits in raw form. They can be pickled, boiled in sugar, added with vegetables to stew. They are part of the sauces, they make delicious jam.A very interesting taste in the side dish, which is made up of rice, beans and bilimbi.

Important: the fruits are not subject to long-term storage and begin to deteriorate already 3-5 days after being picked from the branches.

On sale, they most often appear in dried form, you need to look for them on the shelf of spices. There are also candied cucumber tree flowers and jam.

In the menu of cafes and restaurants in Indonesia, tourists are advised to try:

• beef ribs with bilimbi;
• Irumban Puli Achar with rice and cottage cheese;
• spicy oatmeal muffins;
• baked shrimp in cucumber sauce.

The most popular drinks are bilimbi juice and wine.

The use of bilimbi in traditional medicine

The high content of vitamins and fiber has determined the spectrum of application. Bilimbi is part of the means to stabilize the digestive tract, complex cleansing of the body, support the cardiovascular and endocrine system. It is used to speed up metabolism and activate regeneration processes.

The leaves perfectly relieve pain and tumors in joint pathologies, remove irritation and itching from insect bites, and are included in the means for solving delicate intimate problems. Decoctions from the green part of the crown facilitate the discharge of sputum in diseases of the respiratory system, accelerate recovery from influenza and bronchitis.

Flowers normalize the digestive process, relieve irritable bowel syndrome. Milky juice is instilled into the eyes with conjunctivitis and retinal dystrophy.

Interesting facts about bilimbi

1. The tree is so beautiful in the combination of snow-white branches, deep green leaves and purple flowers that it is often grown as a decorative element of the garden.
2. Trees grow very quickly, which allows the use of wood for the manufacture of furniture and home decoration.
3. The yield of one tree is several hundred fruits.
4. The size of one "cucumber" is from 5 to 8 cm.
5. Mashed potatoes are used to remove rust and bleach fabrics.
6. The acid is partially neutralized by soaking in salted water. Before dipping into the solution, the fruits are pricked in several places. The liquid obtained after processing the berries is considered healing and is used as eye drops.
7. In cooking, the plant is used as a spice, side dish, component of sauces, raw materials for making wine and preserves.
8. The tree is grown in pots like bonsai.
9. In some African tribes, the plant is considered sacred.
10. The fruit is low in calories and is recommended for weight control programs.

Bilimbi brings great benefits and is accordingly appreciated by the inhabitants of hot countries. It is a pity that you can taste fresh fruits only where they are grown, but the impression of dishes with it will be unforgettable.

Bilimbi Fruit Photo