Many health magazines and websites come up with a list of superfruits you can eat every year. The variety of fruits and their benefits make choosing from them difficult. Making up your mind about which fruits to eat and which to avoid is also quite hard. Some fruits are rich in fiber but high in calories, while others are low in calories but have no other significant nutritional benefit.
Star fruit, which also goes by the name Carambola, is an interesting looking fruit with significant health benefits. This fruit is native to Sri Lanka and grows across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, South America, and Hawaii. It tastes similar to lemon, pineapple, and pear, depending on the variety. This refreshing fruit is a great addition to salads and brings a touch of the tropics to your taste buds. Star fruit is widely used to garnish salads, sorbets, and drinks. It has a unique tart flavor that goes well with seafood and poultry. You can also use it to prepare pickles or jams.
But apart from the look and taste, what makes star fruit a superfruit? Let’s take a look at some of its health benefits to know.
7 Health Benefits Of Star Fruit (Carambola)
1. A Low-Calorie Fruit
About 100 g of star fruit contain only 31 Cal, which is much lower than other tropical fruits. It is naturally low in sugar and has high fiber content. So it’s a good idea to eat this fruit when you’re on a diet.
2. Improves Athletic Performance
Star fruit is rich in potassium, which helps tired or injured muscles recover faster. Potassium is the building block of muscle repair after strenuous physical activity. Eat star fruit every day, and make it your daily source of potassium.
3. Rich Source Of Vitamin C
A cup of star fruit contains about 60% of your daily vitamin C intake. Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant, helps your body grow and repair tissues. It also produces collagen – a protein that’s essential for repairing skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. Star fruit is also packed with other antioxidants that help control the signs of aging by limiting the production of free radicals that damage your skin and make you appear old.1 So, if you want to get rid of those ugly wrinkles, start eating star fruit today!
4. Boosts Metabolism
Star fruit is an excellent source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, and folate. All these help the enzymes involved in your metabolism work better. Consuming star fruit also makes up for your body’s fiber need. Fiber keeps you full for a long time and curbs your appetite. Therefore, you consume fewer calories and manage to keep your body weight in check.
5. Improves Heart Health
Star fruit, along with its waxy peel, provides a good amount of dietary fiber. The fiber helps lower dietary LDL cholesterol2 in the gut and may prevent conditions like a stroke or heart attack. There isn’t any conclusive evidence for star fruit’s role in preventing heart diseases; this can be established only through further research.
6. Prevents Cancer
Star fruit has been found to be helpful in countering adverse physical and biochemical alterations in liver cancer.3 This suggests that star fruit can be a good chemopreventive natural supplement against cancer. The dietary fibers in star fruit also protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to carcinogenic toxins and, hence, prevent cancer.
7. Promotes Lactation In Breastfeeding Mothers
Many traditional medical practitioners prescribe star fruit to promote lactation in breastfeeding mothers, though there’s no conclusive evidence that suggests star fruit promotes lactation. A well-balanced diet with a glass of star fruit juice may help you produce more milk.
A Note Of Precaution
Star fruit is not recommended for people who suffer from kidney problems. It contains a neurotoxin called caramboxin that can be harmful for such conditions. Patients with chronic kidney disorders cannot properly eliminate the neurotoxin, which can become fatal for those conditions.4
Consult your medical practitioner before consuming the fruit. If he/she approves, you can add it to your diet and enjoy its incredible health benefits.
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