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Custard Apple : Aristocrat of Fruits

Custard Apple is a sweet fruit, which is widely grown across the world. The fruit is compound in nature, measuring 3Ľ to 6˝ inches (8-16 cm) in diameter. The shape of the fruit may be symmetrically heart-shaped, lopsided, or irregular. It may be nearly round or oblate, with a deep or shallow depression at the base. The skin or covering of custard apple is thin but tough, which is usually yellow or brownish when ripe. Beneath the thin covering, a thick, cream-white layer of custard like, granular, flesh is present, which surrounds seeds. The flavor of the fruit is sweet and agreeable. Besides, custard apple has many health and nutritional benefits. Given below is the nutrition value of the fruit.

Commonly known as the "aristocrat of fruits" with a green bumpy skin while inside is a treat unlike any other you have ever tasted. Animation A sweet tooth can safely indulge in delicious fruit as their sugar content comes accompanied by fibre and other nutrients. As fruit is more filling than other forms of sweet foods there is less danger of over-eating. Custard apples provide sugars that give sustained energy and do not over react the body's insulin output like processed sugars. The sugars designed by nature are complemented by other natural products such as vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein necessary for energy production.

Annona reticulata is a small deciduous or semi-evergreen tree in the plant family Annonaceae. It is best known for its fruit, called custard apple, a common name it shared with fruits of several other species in the same genus: A. cherimola and A. squamosa or sometimes it is called wild-sweetsop, bull's heart, bullock's-heart, or ox-heart. The flavor of the fruit is sweet and pleasant, but less popular than that of A. cherimola.

The large, edible, pulpy fruits of some members typically called "anona" by Spanish and Portuguese speaking people of the family's Neotropical range, include species of Annona: custard apple (A. reticulata), cherimoya (A. cherimola), soursop/guan�bana/graviola (A. muricata), sweetsop (A. squamosa), ilama (A. diversifolia), soncoya (A. purpurea), atemoya (a cross between A. cherimola and A. squamosa); and biriba (Rollinia deliciosa, which may require reclassification under Annona.). The names of many of those fruits are sometimes used interchangeably. Recently, consumption of the neotropical annonaceous plant Annona muricata (soursop, graviola, guanabana) has been strongly associated as a causal agent in "atypical Parkinsonsism". The causative agent, annonacin, is present in many of the annonaceae. It is thought to be responsible for up to 70% of Parkinsonian conditions in Guadeloupe. Exposure is typically through traditional food and "natural" medicines.

The bark, leaves, and roots of some species are used in folk medicines. A large number of chemical compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and acetogenins, have been extracted from the seeds and many other parts of these plants. Flavonoids and alkaloids contained in the leaves and bark of several species of the family have shown insecticidal properties.

Nutrition Facts about Custard-apple

Custard Apples supply a well-balanced meal source along with sufficient protein, minerals, vitamins, energy as well as important fiber. Vitamins A as well as C are essential for healthy skin, eyes, hair and the body tissues. They fight people components that age as well as eliminate our cells. Magnesium is nature�s tranquilizer. It will help clean our systems, increases stamina as well as our capability to process oxygen as well as body-building amino.

Custard apple, which consists of higher calories, all-natural sugars as well as scrumptious flavor, are fantastic like a dessert and also as a nourishing munch. Custard apples can be produced directly into shakes or even smoothies, or perhaps into all-natural ice creams. It�s good for people who have hyper thyroidism or even wish to put on weight � a combination of honey as well as custard apple should really help individual�s add-on people much-needed calories.


Serving Size 1 Serving
Per Serving % Daily Value*

• Calories 101

• Calories from Fat 5

• Total Fat 0.6g 1%

• Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%

• Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g

• Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g

• Cholesterol 0mg 0%

• Sodium 4mg 0%

• Carbohydrates 25.2g 8%

• Dietary Fiber 2.4g 10%

• Sugars 0.0g

• Protein 1.7g

• Vitamin A 1%

• Vitamin C 32%

• Calcium 3%

• Iron 4%

Key importance of Custard Apple
 

• Low in saturated fat

• No cholesterol

• Very low in sodium

• No sugar

• High in potassium

• High in vitamin B6

• Very high in vitamin C

• A good food source of copper.

Custard Apples certainly are a sub-tropical deciduous tree within the Annonaceae family. This particular family consists of more than 2000 members spread all through the entire world. Of the family, it�s the atemeoya, a crossbreed of the Annona genus, which Australia�s industrial cultivars originate from. Custard apple is actually a fresh fruit having a fairly sweet flavor, which usually measures about 8-16 cm in dimension. This particular fresh fruit could be spherical, heart-shaped or even unusual. The skin which includes this particular fruit is actually thin yet hard and usually green or even brown in color. As soon as you break open this skin, you�ll uncover thicker, creamy flesh around the seeds. Sweet as well as granular, it�s this custard just like structure that provides the fruit its title.
 

Types of Custard Apple
 

1. Pinks Mammoth:

Pinks Mammoth would be the favored industrial custard apple selection, even though it requires more time to come back into manufacturing as well as the tree is pretty huge. The fruit can also be huge and it has outstanding taste having a scrumptious as well as fairly sweet melting flavor that makes it the more popular of the 2 types. It really is considered to be the bigger of the custard apples and may generate fruit weighing just as much as 3kg! Pinks Mammoth is renowned for possessing much less seeds as compared to an African Pride. Whenever ripe, it is advisable to break apart rather than chopping it open, as the center is gentle as well as succulent.
 

2. African Pride:

African Pride custard apple is really a smaller sized tree, bearing smaller sized fruit that has several seeds. It�s got much more of a heart shape having a moderate thick skin, that makes it simpler to slice open whenever ready to consume. It creates fruit at a younger age as well as the taste is fairly great. In between 500g to 800g each fruit, this particular variety has to be cut and it�s also the most effective variety to be utilized in recipe preparing.

Health benefits of Custard Apples

1. Beneficial during Pregnancy.

2. Good Eyesight:

The existence of riboflavin as well as vitamin C content within custard apple is recommended to aid in combating free-radical destruction brought on to the cells. These may assist in sustaining excellent eye-sight.

3. Improves Digestion:

Digestion is definitely the mechanized as well as chemical wearing down of food items directly into smaller sized elements, to your form that may be soaked up, as an example, right into a blood stream. Digestion is usually a type of catabolism; a break-down of macro food molecules to smaller sized ones.

This particular fairly sweet flavored fresh fruit can also be effective with regards to digestive function. It really is belief that custard apple is usually a natural method to obtain soluble fiber. It will help enhance digestion by causing stools much softer as well as helping in peristalsis. Furthermore, the existence of magnesium might help in smooth muscle relaxation of the alimentary canal. This may assist deal with dysentery as well as diarrhea.

4. Healthy Heart:

The heart is often a muscular organ about the dimensions of a closed fist, situated just behind as well as somewhat left in the breastbone. The heart pumps blood from the network of arteries as well as veins referred to as cardiovascular system.

The heart possesses four compartments.

It is strongly recommended that custard apple consists of moderately large quantity of magnesium as well as potassium. Magnesium can unwind the smooth muscles of the heart as well as calm jerks or even cramping, therefore avoiding heart attack as well as strokes. Alternatively, the rich content of potassium may possibly control blood pressure level, therefore sustaining cardiovascular performance.

5. Treat Arthritis and Rheumatism:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is definitely an autoimmune illness that leads to persistent swelling of the important joints. Whilst swelling of the tissue round the joints as well as inflamation related joint disease are attribute features of rheumatoid arthritis, the condition may also result in swelling as well as injuries in various other internal organs within the body. Autoimmune diseases are usually health problems which happen if your body�s tissues are incorrectly assaulted by their own defense mechanisms. The immune system includes a complicated organization of cells as well as antibodies developed usually to �seek and destroy� intruders of the entire body, especially bacterial infections. Individuals along with autoimmune illnesses have got antibodies within their blood that focus on their very own body tissues, exactly where they may be related to swelling. Mainly because it can impact several additional organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is known as a endemic illness and is also occasionally known as rheumatoid illness.

Experts claim that high in magnesium content, custard apple might control water balance. This may assist in eliminating acids through the joints, therefore relieving the signs of arthritis as well as rheumatism.

6. Fighting Fatigue:

Exhaustion like a idea is incredibly difficult to explain, since most people have their very own concept of what being exhausted means. Everyone is exhausted once in a while � the most typical cause is, obviously, insufficient sleep.

Fatigue may also be the result of a number of ailments as well as diseases. In such instances, an individual generally finds they abruptly (or perhaps steadily) require more rest as well as sleep. This might have an effect on their own performance at the office.

Fatigue is additionally popular when you are experiencing down.

Custard apple is really a abundant energy source. It will help to fight exhaustion as well as a weakness. And also the existence of potassium will also help in eliminating muscle weakness.

7. Helps in healing process:

Healing is definitely the all-natural method by which almost all instability are corrected to ensure the signs and symptoms of the strain or even sickness could be managed. Occasionally our own natural capability to cure ourselves are not able to cope therefore we require the assistance of other individuals. Drugs might help for the short term yet restorative healing occurs individually and this is why you will need to see the procedure so that sufferers might help themselves returning to overall health.

Healing is definitely the act of getting rid of all the unbalances as well as making equilibrium while using Soul. As a result, Supporting Drugs are affected person centered.

The fleshy area of the fruit, if used on any kind of injury will accelerate the recovery process and in addition avoid any kind of infection. Custard apples consist of anti-oxidants just like Vitamin C, which will help to battle free radicals within our body as well as cures the wound quickly.

8. Protects Anemia:

Anemia is really a situation as opposed to a illness by itself which results because of a disorder within the body. The condition signifies less than regular amounts of red blood cells or even hemoglobin within the body. Red blood cells utilize hemoglobin (a protein) to transport oxygen round the body, which in turn in turn functions its numerous responsibilities. Lower amounts of hemoglobin as well as RBCs result in the blood flow inadequate quantities of Oxygen towards the tissues, therefore pushing the heart as well as lungs to operate harder to pump extra oxygen to where it really is required.

Custard apple can serve as an expectorant, catalyst, coolant as well as haematinic and is also even beneficial in dealing with anemia.

9. Treats cancer and tumors:

The term cancer comes from the Latin phrase for crab mainly because it holds onto something and won�t let it go. The phrase cancer identifies a brand new development that will occupy encompassing tissues, metastasize (spread along with other internal organs) and may even ultimately result in the patient�s death if unattended.

We regularly listen to cancer from family and friends as well as in the news. The phrases tumor as well as cancer are occasionally utilized synonymously which may be inaccurate. A tumor just isn�t always a cancer. The term tumor basically identifies a mass. As an example, an amount of pus is as simple as definition a tumor. A cancer is an especially frightening kind of tumor. It really is beneficial to keep these kinds of variations clear whenever discussing a likely cancer analysis.

Perhaps the bark of the custard apple tree, that contains astringents as well as tannins, is utilized for making herbal supplements. The leaves of the tree are believed to be good for the treatment of cancer as well as tumors; whilst the bark can easily reduce tooth pains as well as gum pain.

Custard apples are usually loaded with vitamin C that is a extremely effective anti-oxidant participating in safeguarding our body from free radical injury. Vitamin C will save our body from transmittable illnesses as well as fortifies our immunity system. In addition, vitamin C is usually hugely renowned for its role just as one anti-cancer as well as anti-viral agent.

Summary of health benefits of custard apple

• Custard apple is a storehouse of Vitamin C, which is an anti-oxidant and helps in neutralizing free radicals.

• Vitamin A present in the fruit is good for hair, eyes and healthy skin.

• Custard apple contains magnesium, which plays vital role in relaxing muscles and protecting heart against diseases.

• Potassium and Vitamin B6 are also present in custard apple.

• Copper is yet another useful ingredient of custard apple.

• It is a rich source of dietary fiber, which helps in digestion.

• As it contains low fat levels, it is good for maintaining optimum health.

• The paste of the flesh of the fruit can be used for local application on ulcers, abscesses and boils.

• The fruit, in its unripe form, can be dried, crushed and used for treating diarrhea and dysentery.

• Custard apple serves as an expectorant, stimulant, coolant and haematinic and is even useful in treating anemia.

• The seeds of the fruit have insecticidal and abortifacient properties.

How to Buy Custard Apple

• Hold a custard apple in your hand and press it gently. It must feel firm but not hard, as these are still unripe. Soft and squishy custard apples are considered over ripe and are unfit for consumption.

• Observe the colour of the fruit; it should be brownish green or brown but definitely not black.

• Avoid smaller custard apples as they are generally immature. Instead of buying them in bunches, it is advisable to buy single fruits.

Custard Apple Storage Tips

• It is recommended to consume custard apples soon after buying. Meanwhile, wrap them in a plastic bag and place them at room temperature.

• If you have bought a ripe custard apple then you can speed up its ripening process by placing it in a brown paper bag, along with a banana.

• Place the fruits in a refrigerator if you want to store them for longer periods of time. 

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Dated 17 October 2013