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CUSTARD APPLE |
Custard apples, also known as cherimoyas’, are native to the West Indies and South America. The custard apple also grows on the slopes of the Andes and in several parts of Asia. The custard apple fruit is generally priced at the higher side because of the difficulty in transporting these (custard apples are soft and fleshy, with hard exteriors). This fruit with a sugary, grainy taste is rich in iron, niacin and calcium, and is also rich in calories.
Custard apple is
fruit with a sweet taste, which measures about 8-16 cm in diameter. This fruit
can be round, heart-shaped or irregular. The skin that covers this fruit is
thin but tough and generally green or brown in color. Once you break open this
skin, you’ll find thick, creamy flesh surrounding the seeds. Sugary and
granular, it’s this custard like texture that gives the fruit its name. An
evergreen plant that grows up to 6 meters, the custard apple plant bears
flowers and fruits in the mature branches.
Custard apples, with its high calories, natural sugars and delicious taste, are good as a dessert and as a nutritious snack. Custard apples can be made into shakes or smoothies, or even into natural ice creams. It is good for those who have hyper thyroidism or want to gain weight – a mixture of honey and custard apple is supposed to help people add on those much-needed calories. Let’s looks at some other custard apple nutritional facts.
Custard apples, with its high calories, natural sugars and delicious taste, are good as a dessert and as a nutritious snack. Custard apples can be made into shakes or smoothies, or even into natural ice creams. It is good for those who have hyper thyroidism or want to gain weight – a mixture of honey and custard apple is supposed to help people add on those much-needed calories. Let’s looks at some other custard apple nutritional facts.
Custard apples
You might be wondering how to eat the
delicious custard apple fruit? Keep in mind that custard apples should only be
eaten when soft. Only the flesh of the custard apple is eaten, not the skin,
like with other fruits. Most ripe custard apples give off a lovely sweet aroma.
You can check for ripeness by squeezing it gently.
If it gives way slightly
under your hand, it is ready to eat. This fruit is usually broken open into
half and the fleshy bits are enjoyed. Eating custard apple can be a little
tiresome because of the many seeds one has to keep spitting out. A custard
apple is never cooked and can be eaten in several different ways. Store custard
apples at room temperature until you want to eat them or in the fridge for a
few days, if they are already ripe.
During Pregnancy:
Custard apple helps develop the brain, nervous system and immune
system of a fetus effectively. Regular consumption of custard apple also
reduces the risk of miscarriage during pregnancy and minimizes the extent of
labor pain during childbirth.
The pregnancy-wonder fruit also helps the
expectant mother to cope with morning sickness, fight nausea, numbness and mood
swings. Regular consumption during pregnancy is excellent for production of
breast milk.
Prevents Heart Attacks:
The magnesium content in custard apples helps defend the heart
from cardiac attack and can help relax the muscles. Moreover, vitamin B6 in
custard apples help prevent homocystein collection which also minimize the risk
of heart diseases.
Controls Blood Pressure:
Custard apples are good sources of potassium and magnesium which
help keep the blood pressure levels in control. For those with fluctuating
blood pressure levels, a custard apple a day will help keep them in control.
Treating Anemia:
Custard apples serve as a
stimulant, coolant, expectorant and harmonic. Moreover, the rich iron source is
also useful in treating anemia.
Forget counting the seeds of the fruit, instead, start counting
the health benefits and relish the creamy fruit. Leave a comment below to share
your views.
