Rambutan fruit - how to eat, useful properties, cultivation. What is rambutan fruit, how is it eaten, how is rambutan useful? Description

Rambutan is a rather exotic fruit. That there is only one name! If you still do not know what it is, then be sure to read the information below. After all, acquaintance with this exotic can be very useful.

The fruit has a very specific appearance. It is somewhat similar to a walnut, but not smooth, but covered with hairs that branch off in different directions. But inside it has a tender and juicy pulp and a bone no more than two centimeters in size.

The hairs are usually coarse, and the skin is red or white. The fruit is most common in Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. It grows on a tree that can reach 25 meters in height.

What taste and smell does

Want to know what rambutan tastes like before you buy a treat in the store? It can be very sweet or slightly sour.

Ripe fruit will taste different depending on the variety.

Until cut, the rambutan fruit does not emit any smell, but once you open it, you will smell a scent somewhat reminiscent of blue grapes.

Chemical composition and calorie content of rambutan

In addition to its unusual and bright appearance, the fruit can boast of one more advantage - a large amount of useful substances.

• It contains B vitamins.
• Vitamin A is also present in the pulp of the fruit, which has a positive effect on vision and skin condition.
• The large amount of vitamin C contained in exotic fruits protects against colds. Only 100 grams of pulp already contains seven percent of the daily value of ascorbic acid.

There are many minerals in it: sodium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and manganese are present in abundance in the pulp of rambutan.

This fruit is not as high in calories as a banana, but it cannot be compared to an apple. There are already 82 calories in 100 grams of the edible portion. And most of all in the fruit of water and carbohydrates - 18 grams. Proteins and fats are practically absent - less than 0.5 grams for every hundred grams.

Rambutan: beneficial properties and contraindications

It is believed that the beneficial properties of rambutan are better preserved if bought directly from the twigs.

Residents of Thailand are confident that it is necessary to consume at least five fruits a day, which will almost completely eliminate the risk of cancer.

There are no contraindications to the use of the fruit. Unless the digestive tract, which is accustomed to it, which has never received such food, may react unexpectedly, for example, with diarrhea or pain.

Allergies are also possible. To eliminate it, you need to try a small piece of exotic fruit and wait a while.

Application in traditional medicine

In folk medicine, mainly fruit peels are used. But first, they process it in a special way.

• The skin is crushed into small pieces.
• It is laid out in a container of boiling water.
• Once half of the liquid has evaporated, remove the peel pieces and squeeze into another clean bowl.

The result is used as a healing drink.

You can also drink a decoction. For its manufacture, not only the peel is used, but also the roots, shoots and leaves. It is useful for lactating women, as it stimulates lactation. In addition, it relieves headaches and helps wounds heal faster. Rinsing your mouth with such a remedy will relieve abscesses, stomatitis and gum disease. It is recommended to take it twice a day.

Selection criteria for ripe rambutan

It is very difficult to choose fresh and ripe fruit on our counters. But if you set a goal, then everything will work out. The main thing is to pay attention to some of the nuances.

• To find out if a fruit is fresh, be sure to look at its color. It should be bright red, saturated with slightly greenish but very taut hairs.
• If you have a soft fruit in front of you, its skin is dull, even slightly wrinkled, and the hairs are completely wilted or fallen, and even yellow in color, then feel free to refuse the purchase. All these signs indicate that the rambutan is not fresh.

It is best to enjoy this fruit in the country where it is sold.

Since after a couple of days it begins to deteriorate and it is very difficult to bring it to our countries in its original form. You can store rambutan in the refrigerator, where it will "hold out" for about a week.

How to properly peel and eat fruit

You nevertheless acquired such a curiosity, and now you look at it and think about how to eat rambutan and how to free it from the skin? First of all, take a close look at the fruit. It has a natural seam that cuts it in half. In this area, pull the skin in different directions so that the halves separate, but remain in your hands. This way you can easily open it and enjoy the juicy pulp.

You can also use a knife. To do this, make a cut in the skin around the entire circumference, but do not cut it completely. Pull and remove it - you are left with a pulp that you can bite off or eat all at once.

Please note that it is not recommended to use the bone, it is quite bitter, and indeed not edible at all.

If you have visited an Asian country where rambutan grows and do not want to bother with cleaning it at all, then you can look for peeled fruits on sale. But do not forget that this way the fruit spoils faster, is inferior to unpeeled in usefulness and, possibly, even in taste.

Rambutan is very interesting. It can be used to prepare various dishes, for example, make jam, syrup, sauce and even make ice cream. And the fruit seed is used to make oils, soaps and scented candles.

Rambutan is one of the most exotic fruits in the world. His homeland, presumably, is Indonesia. However, the fruit is currently growing in the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Ecuador, Australia and America.

The name "rambutan" comes from the Indonesian name "rambut", which means "hair".
The fruits of the tropical tree rambutan are oval in shape and approximately 1 to 2 cm long. They have a thin peel covered with spiny hairs with a hook at the tip. Visually, this fruit looks like a tiny sea urchin. Inside it is juicy, sweet and sour pulp, usually white or pink in color. And the rambutan bone is ovoid, large (up to 3 cm in length) and has a brown tint.

Look for fresh fruits with bright red or yellow rind to choose the right rambutan. The thorns must be firm. Never buy bruised rambutan as this could be a sign of damage to the fruit.

At home, rambutan can be stored at room temperature for several days. Refrigeration will extend the shelf life by a week. It is advisable to store the fruit wrapped in a paper towel or in a perforated plastic bag.

There are countless ways to enjoy these wonderful gifts of nature.

• Rambutan can be added to various fruit salads, yoghurts, soups, cocktails.
• You can also make rambutan jam and jelly.
• Due to its sweet and sour taste, the fruit goes well with ice cream and other desserts.

Peel the rambutan off with a sharp knife before consuming it. You can also peel it in another way: lightly press the peel with your hands, and when a crack appears on it, gently divide the peel in half with your fingers and remove it. The aromatic, milky-white pulp that tastes good and can be eaten.

Raw rambutan seeds are toxic. They are eaten fried.

Calories and nutrients in rambutan

Nutritional value of rambutan fruits (100 g).

• Carbohydrates - 20.87 g;
• Dietary fiber - 0.9 g;
• Fat - 0.21 g;
• Protein - 0.65 g;
• Thiamine - 0.013 mg;
• Riboflavin - 0.022 mg;
• Nicotinic acid - 1.352 mg;
• Vitamin B 6 - 0.02 mg;
• Folic acid - 8 mcg;
• Vitamin C - 4.9 mg;
• Calcium - 22 mg;
• Iron - 0.35 mg;
• Magnesium - 7 mg;
• Manganese - 0.343 mg;
• Phosphorus - 9 mg;
• Potassium - 42 mg;
• Sodium - 11 mg;
• Zinc - 0.08 mg.

Fruit seeds contain:

• oleic and arachidonic acids.

Calorie content of rambutan:

• The average fruit contains 59 calories.

Potential Harm of Rambutan

This fruit has practically no contraindications. It can cause harm only in one case: if a person is allergic to rambutan. Its symptoms are:

• drop in blood pressure;
• gastrointestinal disorders;
• respiratory distress;
• swelling of the skin;
• dizziness and loss of consciousness.

If this is your first time eating rambutan, listen carefully to your body. Do you have any unpleasant sensations? This means that the fruit can be safely eaten.

They say: "If you want to extend your life, eat at least one rambutan". Locals believe that the taste of only this healing fruit is able to convey to ordinary mortals the taste of ambrosia - the drink of the gods. A garden planted with rambutan trees is treated like heaven on earth. The juicy fruits of such a respected fruit in Southeast Asia have an amazing aroma. Name " rambutan"Comes from" rambut", Which in translation from the Indonesian language means" hair ".

Malaysia is considered the birthplace of rambutan. Today the plant is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical belts of the planet. It is successfully cultivated in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Central America, the Caribbean and Australia. Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka are considered world leaders in terms of rambutan production.

Botanical description of rambutan

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)- a tropical plant of the genus Nefelium, which is part of the Sapindovy family. It is an evergreen fruit tree. Rambutan is a close relative of tropical fruits such as mamonchillo, longan and lychee.

The rambutan tree grows to a height of 10 meters. The top is crowned with a branched, spreading crown. Rambutan leaves are paired, consisting of 2-8 ovoid or oval leathery leaves. It blooms with small flowers, collected in panicle inflorescences at the ends of the branches.

The rambutan fruit is oval or spherical, 3-6 centimeters in size. Fruits grow in large (up to 30 pieces) bunches. The peel of unripe rambutan is green in color, which, as it ripens, changes color first to yellow-orange and then to bright red.

The flesh of rambutan is gelatinous, white or reddish and aromatic. Its taste is sweet and sour, reminiscent of the taste of a good variety of green grapes. The pulp contains a brown oval seed, up to 3 centimeters long.

Outside, the flesh of rambutan is surrounded by a dense peel, covered with curved at the ends, hard hairs-hooks. Light brown hairs are about 2 centimeters long. The peel is easily separated from the pulp.

Most cultivated rambutan varieties are bisexual, with many more female flowers on the tree than male ones that produce pollen. On male panicles, "colonies" of three thousand small, pale green flowers are formed, each of which contains 5-7 stamens with anthers, and the ovule contains yellow nectaries. Almost all rambutan flowers bloom in the morning.

Legends of rambutan

According to one of the Thai legends, rambutan appeared in Thailand by accident. It was brought to the kingdom by a tin miner who came to the town of Surat Thani in search of an easier lot, either from Malaysia or from China. He brought with him 5 rambutan seedlings. A few years later, the tin miner was forced to return to his homeland, and his garden grew on its own, beginning to bear amazing and tasty fruits.

Years later, the plot with the garden was acquired by the Thai Ministry of Education and built a school there. The pupils began to take care of the semi-wild garden, and the fruits from this garden began to be called "ngo rongrian" - "school rambutan" ... Soon the plant from the school garden spread throughout the kingdom.

Useful properties of rambutan

The Thai attitude towards rambutan as a very healthy fruit is due to the chemical composition of the fruit. Its pulp contains protein, proteins, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamins C, B1-2, niacin, ash, nitrogen, potassium, manganese, zinc, magnesium. Eating rambutan in food improves the functioning of the digestive system, has a beneficial effect on the skin, and fills the body with energy. In Thai medicine, rambutan leaves are used to treat headaches and the pulp of the fruit is used as a powerful anthelmintic. A decoction from the roots of the rambutan tree is used to fight fever and prevent oral diseases - inflammation, stomatitis and abscesses. In some countries of Southeast Asia, healers advise women to drink this broth after childbirth.

According to unconfirmed reports, regular consumption of rambutan in food reduces the likelihood of developing cancer.

Is it harmful to eat rambutan?

There are no special contraindications for eating rambutan fruit. But you should not start your acquaintance with this fruit by eating it in large quantities: after all, it is not known how your stomach will perceive exotic food.

Rambutan in cooking

Rambutan in Thailand is one of the most popular fruits among the local population. It is eaten raw, canned, jellies and jams are boiled. Seafood dishes that include rambutan are common in coastal restaurants.

How to store rambutan

Rambutan - the fruit very sensitive to low temperatures. To avoid darkening and loss of taste, you need to store the fruits at a temperature of + 8 ... 12 ° C and a humidity of about 90%. If these conditions are met, the shelf life of the fruit will last up to 3 weeks.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum, rambut, hair) Is a tropical fruit tree of the sapindaceae family. Fruits the size of a hazelnut, grow in clusters of up to 30 pieces. They have a red, burgundy or yellow skin. The shape is round, covered with hairs of 4-5 cm. The pulp is sweet, tender, gelatinous, transparent white. The stone is edible, tastes like an acorn. The fruits contain phosphorus, vitamin C, protein, iron, calcium, niacin and carbohydrates. Indonesia is considered to be the homeland.

How is rambutan eaten

The fruits are eaten both fresh and canned. They are often used as ingredients for various dishes (fruit salads, etc.). Sometimes they are replaced by lychee or longan. It is popularly used as a filling for pies, for making jams, sauces, compotes and ice cream. Gives a special flavor to meat, fish and chicken.

The shelf life is rather short - about 7 days... Try to consume and prepare right away. This is especially true for fruits for export purchased outside Southeast Asia.

For eating, make a round, shallow cut in the middle of the fruit and peel it off. For convenience, it is customary to shoot only one half of it. The second serves for decorative purposes (beautiful table setting). For guests who do not know how to carve rambutan on their own, you can cut the peel along the fruit into petal-shaped sectors.

Calorie content and composition

In addition to the above, it is worth highlighting proteins, carbohydrates, protein, niacin, vitamins C, B1 and B2. It contains fibers that are useful for digestion. The bone is rich in fats and oils (about 40%), which include arachidonic and oleic acids.

Energy value: 82 kcal per 100 g of product.

Beneficial features

Rambutan has a beneficial effect on the skin, improves digestion. The fruit has nourishing and cleansing properties. Leaves, roots and bark are used in medicine... In its raw form, it is effective in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery.

The pulp soothes sore intestines and normalizes food digestion. Effective in lowering blood pressure.

The leaves of the tree are used to treat headaches. In Thailand, the method is very popular, but the exact process has not been researched.

Locals believe that five rambutan fruits a day will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing many diseases, especially cancer.

Contraindications

The fruit has no specific contraindications, but it must be borne in mind that it is exotic. Your gut and stomach can react differently to unfamiliar food, so try small amounts. It is worth looking at the composition of the fruit to make sure there is no allergy or intolerance to the constituent substances. Otherwise, there should be no problem.

What rambutan tastes like

Rambutan is sweet and very juicy, has an unusual taste, rather even a combination of the tastes of several berries in one fruit. It resembles a lychee. It is important not to touch the bone while eating the pulp, it can spoil the taste. The bone itself tastes like acorns and chestnuts.

Price and selection

The average price in the season (April-October) is 30-40 baht per 1kg... In winter, the price can increase 10-15 times, while the quality of the fruit will be noticeably worse.

Perfectly ripe fruits are red and burgundy, hairs are yellow or green. Tight to the touch. If the hairs are brown or the fruit is squeezing, then the rambutan is overripe and spoiled.

In Thailand, only good rambutans are usually sold, spoiled ones are rare.

Growing at home

The technology is no different from planting flowers. Seeds (bones), freed from the pulp, must be washed, wrapped with damp cotton wool and stored in a warm, closed place for 15-20 days. When they are germinated, they can be transplanted into a pot twice their own size.

The soil must always be moist. Begins to bear fruit in 5-6 years, in Russian conditions after 8-12... The critical temperature is +10 degrees or less. Suitable for growing in greenhouses or at home.

Rambutan has a special, unforgettable, very rich taste and is rich in useful minerals. If you are vacationing in an Asian country, do not be lazy to try it, especially since the fruit is sold on every corner, and it costs mere pennies.

Memo:

• do not buy overripe fruits;
• separate the bone while eating;
• rambutan is all about taste, pleasure and benefit.

A little photo of rambutan

Video on how to eat rambutan:

Rambutan - the fruit of health and beauty
"Eerie appearance, unearthly taste" - so they say in Southeast Asia about the fruits of rambutan. Locals consider the tree to be sacred, magically powerful.
Like any product, it has limitations. But with regard to rambutan, the benefits and harms are incomparable. The usefulness is scientifically proven, contraindications are negligible.
Thais eat five fruits daily. They are sure that with such a menu, the risk of contracting cancer is almost zero.
Rambutan is the number one fruit, the pride and heritage of the region. He was loved all over the world.

Rambutan what is this fruit and what does it look like

Everything about the rambutan fruit is unusual, starting with the "appearance":

• Red round or oval "fluffs" - that's what rambutans are at first glance. The peel is thick, sometimes reddish-orange or orange. Elongated yellow fruits are found in Malaysia.
• Covered with red-greenish hairs similar to antennae. But they are not prickly, but soft, flexible. The hairs gave the name to the fruit: the Indonesian term "rambut" means "hair". This is a "chip" that distinguishes the fruit from others. Specimens with fallen hairs are similar to.
• The pulp of pearl shades resembles a dense juicy jelly, exudes a very pleasant aroma.
• Inside there is an oblong light brown large bone (1.5-2.3 cm).
• Rambutan fruits also taste different - sweet or sour. Some with strawberry notes.
• The aroma of a whole fruit is difficult to catch. But the pulp exudes a gamut of sweet dark grapes.
• Ripen like apples: from green through yellow to intense scarlet.

In rambutan, the edible pulp and the inedible part (bone plus rind) are almost equal in weight. The weight of 1 fruit is 32-39 grams. A kilogram of fruit is 25-30 pieces or 470-490 grams of pulp.

How rambutan differs from lychee

Rambutan and lychee are close relatives and grow on similar trees. They have a lot in common, there are also differences:

The main external difference between rambutan is the hairs-appendages on the peel, which do not exist in lychee.

Where and how rambutan grows

These are evergreen trees of the sapindaceae family. They grow in the tropics. Leaves are elongated, small flowers form inflorescences, fruits are collected in bunches.

Natural area - the countries of South-East Asia. They are engaged in purposeful cultivation in the homeland of the culture: in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia. Breeders of the latter two countries have developed the most varieties, enriching the local wild-growing abundance.

There are rambutan plantations in Sri Lanka, Australia, India, Central America. The richest crops are harvested by residents of the southern provinces of Thailand - Rayong and Surat Thani. The trees themselves grow up to 19-24 meters. To facilitate harvesting, people have developed a tree species no more than five meters high. During the season, 17-20 kg of fruit are removed from each.

Rambutan season in Thailand

In Thailand, the exotic ripens during the rainy season - from April to August. Tourists arrive for tasting by June-August. At this time, the fruits are the juiciest, sweetest, cheapest. This has not always been the case. The nature gave the harvest only in May, but breeders of Southeast Asia pushed the limits. Fruits are sold until the 20th of September.

How to peel and eat rambutan

For any European who has visited the country or bought an exotic at home, the question arises of how to eat rambutans correctly. There is nothing complicated.

We choose

To enjoy the fruit, you need to choose fresh, ripe specimens. They are distinguished by:

• the density of the fruit;
• the pulp is a hard translucent sweet jelly;
• the peel is bright red, without dark areas;
• elastic reddish hairs; acceptable with greenish tips (such are ripe specimens from the south of Thailand);
• the integrity of the shell.

Stayed fruit contain liquid, acid appears in the taste with a hint of fermentation. Their rind is dull, wrinkled. Antenna hairs are wilted, yellowish or brownish. Sometimes they are not there - they have disappeared. You can eat slightly overripe fruits, but only freshly picked. In unripe fruit, the peel is pink, it is difficult to separate.

We clean

Clean tropical exotic with a knife or hands:

• A regular knife is used. The skin is cut (not to the pulp) around the entire circumference, open.
• With your hands. They find a "shovchik" on the peel, dividing the fruit in half. Twist the halves of the peel along the seam in opposite directions. You can apply pressure to crack the peel.

In both versions, the shell is easily removable. Underneath is the pulp that you can bite off.

We eat

The fruit is eaten while holding it in the hands. Only the pulp is edible, which is bitten off or sent to the mouth whole.

The rambutan seed is bitter and can be toxic for a European. In order not to accidentally swallow it, the fruit is bitten like an apple.

Peeled fruits are also offered to tourists. But it is less useful and hygienic. And it’s interesting to try to clean the exotic itself.
The most delicious rambutan is at home in Asia. It is enjoyed immediately after purchase.
Fruit is not meant to be stored for a long time. It is possible to save a fresh strong specimen in the refrigerator for a maximum of a week.

Calorie content and composition

The stereotype "everything tasty is bad" is not valid for rambutan. The exotic can be enjoyed while at the same time improving health and not worrying about the figure.

Calories

Any variety of rambutan fruit has a caloric content of 75-85 units per 100 grams of pulp. The numbers may seem exorbitant to dieters, but when consumed, fat does not accumulate in the body.

Chemical composition

The fruit contains a large amount of organic acids, vitamins, and other useful substances:

• saturated and unsaturated fatty acids: nicotinic, pantothenic (concentrated in the bones);
• vitamins: A, B (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12), C, PP (niacin), riboflavin;
• thiamine.

Mineral composition:

• iron;
• potassium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• manganese;
• copper;
• sodium;
• phosphorus.

The nutritional value

Four-fifths of the fruit is water. The remaining 17-20 grams (out of every 100) are distributed as follows (d):

• proteins - 0.63-0.66;
• fats - 0.19-0.22;
• carbohydrates - 16.0-19.0.

The exact figure depends on the degree of ripeness and the type of fruit.

Useful properties of rambutan

The beneficial properties and contraindications of rambutan have been revealed thanks to research by scientists from China and Malaysia.
The advantages outweigh:

• It has been proven that the bones, peel, pulp are effective in the fight against cancer.
• Phenolic acids-antioxidants are concentrated in the peel of the fruit, simultaneously killing infections and bacteria. Extracts from it are sold as dietary supplements.
• The antimicrobial properties of the pulp allow it to be used as an anthelmintic.
• A set of vitamins and minerals helps the body to work, inhibits aging.
• Phosphorus cleanses the kidneys from "debris", is indispensable for the growth and restoration of body cells.
• To relieve the condition, people with diabetes are prescribed crushed fruit seeds.
• A dietary product that helps burn fat is a godsend for fans of healthy eating. This is facilitated by fiber, increased water content plus low calorie content. Many people simply swallow bones.

Rambutan seeds can be taken internally only after heat treatment, crushed and mixed with other products.

• Vitamin C reserves remove toxins, strengthen the immune system.
• Carbohydrates plus protein (with minimal fat content) energize the body almost instantly. High water content allows you to safely quench your thirst.
• hypertensive patients and heart patients.
• It is a good source of copper. It participates in the generation of blood cells, improving the composition of the blood.
• Without manganese, enzymes vital for the body are not produced.
• Calcium, phosphorus, iron strengthen the skeleton, teeth, hair.
• Fiber and protein boost metabolism and treat disorders such as diarrhea or constipation.
• Iron prevents anemicity, rapid fatigue, and dizziness. Delivers oxygen to tissues.

Finally, it is used as a beauty fruit. Regular consumption makes the skin healthier. Residents of Thailand prepare "rejuvenating" masks from the pulp.

The use of rambutan in traditional medicine

Traditional oriental medicine uses all parts of the fruit, including the inedible ones:

1. From the seeds of rambutan, an oil is extracted that has a wide range of uses.
2. Peel neutralizes diarrhea, dysentery, fever. The crushed skin is thrown into boiling water. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half. The cooled water is drunk twice a day until the result.
3. Rambutan oil inhibits hair growth, therefore it is used for hair removal. They are treated for skin rashes.
4. A decoction of the peel, roots, young shoots, leaves is prescribed for lactating women who have little milk. They relieve headaches, heal wounds, rinse their mouths for inflammation of the gums, abscesses, stomatitis.

Parts of the plant that are not edible are also used for medicines and natural dyes.

Harm of rambutan and contraindications

Like any exotic, the fruit requires caution:

• Forbidden for allergy sufferers.
• Others try at most one first to see how the body reacts. If there is no allergy, the stomach does not rebel, you can continue to eat.
• However, you should not be zealous. Four to five fruits a day is enough for a person of average build. With a greater body weight and tolerance, you can add a couple more.

Exceeding the daily allowance (more than eight fruits) is fraught with indigestion or intoxication of the body.

• For those suffering from type 2 diabetes or hypertension, overripe specimens are dangerous. In them, sugar becomes alcohol, causing an increase in cholesterol levels.

You cannot eat raw bones: the alkaloids saponin and tannin are concentrated here. They are safe after being cooked (for example, roasted).

Conclusion

Southeast Asia is a land of mysticism, mysteries and wonders. Be sure to enjoy the rambutan as you take in the sights. It's delicious and healthy. If possible, take a few twigs with you to please your boss, relatives or friends. After all, finding exotics outside the region is problematic.