Thai sour tamarind seeds. Giant Thai tamarind seeds.sour tamarind seeds. A Tropical Fruit With Health Benefits
Tamarind is a type of tropical fruit used in many dishes around the world.
It may even have medicinal properties.
This article tells you everything you need to know about tamarind, including what it is, how it may benefit health, whether it has any risks, and how to use it.
What is tamarind?
Tamarind is a hardwood tree, known scientifically as Tamarindus indica.
It’s native to Africa but also grows in India, Pakistan, and many other tropical regions.
The tree produces bean-like pods filled with seeds surrounded by a fibrous pulp.
The pulp of the young fruit is green and sour. As it ripens, the juicy pulp becomes paste-like and more sweet-sour.
Widely used in India, tamarind is a plump pod-like fruit with a sweet, tangy flavor that is indigenous to tropical Africa. The word tamarind itself is derived from the Arabic Tamar hind, meaning “Indian date.” When the fruit is mature, the pods are opened and seeded to reveal the dark chocolate flesh, a staple in Indian cuisine.
But every part of the tree is useful: The leaves are used as an anti-inflammatory in home remedies; the wood is harvested for carpentry, and the seeds are pieces in playing traditional Indian board games.
Count: 5
- Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where it is best grown in acidic, fertile, sandy, moist, well-drained soils in full sun.
- Tolerates a wide range of soils.
- Established trees have good drought tolerance.
- It is grown as a shade and street tree, a fruit tree, and as a specimen tree
Growing Instructions
1. Scarify the seeds by nicking or sanding the seed coat.
2. Soak the seed in water for several hours.
3. Prepare a mixture of half potting soil and half sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Water the mixture so that it is moist but not wet.
4. Put the seeds on the soil.
5. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
6. Water the seeds.
7. Place the pots in an area with warm temperatures in full sun or part shade.
8. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.
Medicinal uses
Tamarind has played an important role in traditional medicine.
In beverage form, it was commonly used to treat diarrhea, constipation, fever, and malaria. The bark and leaves were also used to promote wound healing.
Modern researchers are now studying this plant for potential medicinal uses.
The polyphenols in tamarind have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These can protect against diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
Its antioxidants may boost heart health
It’s high in beneficial magnesium
It may have antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial effects
Remedy for sore throat: You can add a pinch of powdered tamarind seeds to a glass of warm water. Use this solution to gargle your throat. The juice from seeds can also be used as a mouth wash.
Oral health: It is very beneficial for smokers to remove nicotine deposits on teeth. It also prevents tartar and plaque formation. Chew roasted tamarind seeds to improve the hygiene of your teeth and gums. This helps to remove stains and improves oral health.
Arthritis: Tamarind seeds provide relief from joint pain and symptoms of arthritis.
You can add half a tsp. of roasted tamarind seeds powder in a glass of warm water. You have to drink this solution two times a day to improve joint lubrication and ease joint pain.
Cures Indigestion: Tamarind seeds have a high level of dietary fibers. The juice of seeds aids digestion by increasing the production of bile acids in the stomach.
Improves immunity
Lowers Blood sugar level and blood pressure
Controls Blood Cholesterol level
Home uses
Tamarind pulp can also be used as a metal polish. It contains tartaric acid, which helps remove tarnish from copper and bronze.
Tamarind is high in many nutrients. A single cup (120 grams) of the pulp contains:
Magnesium: 26% of the daily value (DV)
Potassium: 16% of the DV
Iron: 19% of the DV
Calcium: 7% of the DV
Phosphorus: 11% of the DV
Copper: 11% of the DV
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 43% of the DV
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 14% of the DV
Vitamin B3 (niacin): 15% of the DV
You can enjoy this fruit in several ways.
One is to simply eat the fruit from the raw pods, as shown in this video.
You can also use tamarind paste in cooking. You can either prepare it from the pods or purchase it as a block.
The paste is often mixed with sugar to make candy. Tamarind can also be used to make condiments like chutney.
Additionally, you can use the frozen, unsweetened pulp or sweetened tamarind syrup for cooking.
You may also use this fruit to add a sour note to savory dishes, instead of lemon.
Tamarind is a popular sweet and sour fruit used worldwide. It has many beneficial nutrients. Two of the best ways to enjoy this fruit are to eat it raw or to use it as an ingredient in savory dishes.
Tamarind is a type of tropical fruit used in many dishes around the world.
It may even have medicinal properties.
This article tells you everything you need to know about tamarind, including what it is, how it may benefit health, whether it has any risks, and how to use it.
What is tamarind?
Tamarind is a hardwood tree, known scientifically as Tamarindus indica.
It’s native to Africa but also grows in India, Pakistan, and many other tropical regions.
The tree produces bean-like pods filled with seeds surrounded by a fibrous pulp.
The pulp of the young fruit is green and sour. As it ripens, the juicy pulp becomes paste-like and more sweet-sour.
Widely used in India, tamarind is a plump pod-like fruit with a sweet, tangy flavor that is indigenous to tropical Africa. The word tamarind itself is derived from the Arabic Tamar hind, meaning “Indian date.” When the fruit is mature, the pods are opened and seeded to reveal the dark chocolate flesh, a staple in Indian cuisine.
But every part of the tree is useful: The leaves are used as an anti-inflammatory in home remedies; the wood is harvested for carpentry, and the seeds are pieces in playing traditional Indian board games.
Count: 5
- Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where it is best grown in acidic, fertile, sandy, moist, well-drained soils in full sun.
- Tolerates a wide range of soils.
- Established trees have good drought tolerance.
- It is grown as a shade and street tree, a fruit tree, and as a specimen tree
Growing Instructions
1. Scarify the seeds by nicking or sanding the seed coat.
2. Soak the seed in water for several hours.
3. Prepare a mixture of half potting soil and half sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Water the mixture so that it is moist but not wet.
4. Put the seeds on the soil.
5. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
6. Water the seeds.
7. Place the pots in an area with warm temperatures in full sun or part shade.
8. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.
Medicinal uses
Tamarind has played an important role in traditional medicine.
In beverage form, it was commonly used to treat diarrhea, constipation, fever, and malaria. The bark and leaves were also used to promote wound healing.
Modern researchers are now studying this plant for potential medicinal uses.
The polyphenols in tamarind have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These can protect against diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
Its antioxidants may boost heart health
It’s high in beneficial magnesium
It may have antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial effects
Remedy for sore throat: You can add a pinch of powdered tamarind seeds to a glass of warm water. Use this solution to gargle your throat. The juice from seeds can also be used as a mouth wash.
Oral health: It is very beneficial for smokers to remove nicotine deposits on teeth. It also prevents tartar and plaque formation. Chew roasted tamarind seeds to improve the hygiene of your teeth and gums. This helps to remove stains and improves oral health.
Arthritis: Tamarind seeds provide relief from joint pain and symptoms of arthritis.
You can add half a tsp. of roasted tamarind seeds powder in a glass of warm water. You have to drink this solution two times a day to improve joint lubrication and ease joint pain.
Cures Indigestion: Tamarind seeds have a high level of dietary fibers. The juice of seeds aids digestion by increasing the production of bile acids in the stomach.
Improves immunity
Lowers Blood sugar level and blood pressure
Controls Blood Cholesterol level
Home uses
Tamarind pulp can also be used as a metal polish. It contains tartaric acid, which helps remove tarnish from copper and bronze.
Tamarind is high in many nutrients. A single cup (120 grams) of the pulp contains:
Magnesium: 26% of the daily value (DV)
Potassium: 16% of the DV
Iron: 19% of the DV
Calcium: 7% of the DV
Phosphorus: 11% of the DV
Copper: 11% of the DV
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 43% of the DV
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 14% of the DV
Vitamin B3 (niacin): 15% of the DV
You can enjoy this fruit in several ways.
One is to simply eat the fruit from the raw pods, as shown in this video.
You can also use tamarind paste in cooking. You can either prepare it from the pods or purchase it as a block.
The paste is often mixed with sugar to make candy. Tamarind can also be used to make condiments like chutney.
Additionally, you can use the frozen, unsweetened pulp or sweetened tamarind syrup for cooking.
You may also use this fruit to add a sour note to savory dishes, instead of lemon.
Tamarind is a popular sweet and sour fruit used worldwide. It has many beneficial nutrients. Two of the best ways to enjoy this fruit are to eat it raw or to use it as an ingredient in savory dishes.