Why Is Ice Apple A Must-Have Summer Fruit?

Ice apple is known by many names such as palm fruit, Asian palmyra palm, tala palm, doub palm, wine palm, taal shaansh, tadgola, nungu and thaati munjalu. It is round in shape and appears like tender coconut with a green, black or green-black outer cover.

The inside of the fruit contains a translucent jelly-like pulp with a thin yellow-brown skin. The pulp has a similar resemblance to litchi and tastes sweet like coconut water with a bitter aftertaste. Also, when consumed, a mildly sweet liquid is released from the pulp. The jelly-like pulp of ice apple must be consumed within an hour, otherwise, it may lose its colour and flavour. [1]

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Ice apple has an amazing cooling effect on the body, the reason why it is a must-have summer fruit. The fruit is widely distributed in tropical Asian countries and is considered good during the summer due to its high water content and cooling ability. In this article, we will discuss why ice apple is a summer-best fruit and one must not miss out on it during the season.

Reason Why Ice Apple Is A Must-Have Summer Fruit

1. Hydrates the body

According to the USDA, ice apples contain around 85 g of water per 100 g of the fruit. The high amount of water in the fruit helps quench the thirst during the season of summer and prevent the risk of dehydration and related complications such as nausea and headache.

2. Acts as a natural coolant

Ice apple is a natural coolant that helps regulate the body temperature during the summer and keep it calm and cool. As we know that our body temperature often rises due to the hot environment, the natural cooling ability of the fruit prevents the rise of temperature, which may sometimes cause organ failure.

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3. Treats fatigue

Fatigue is common during the summer season due to excessive sweating. Ice apple may help fight fatigue by hydrating the body, balancing the electrolytes and providing nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds that help keep the body healthy.

4. Treats heatstrokes

Heatstroke is a major summer problem that can lead to life-threatening conditions such as organ failure. Ice apple, being packed with a lot of water and electrolytes, may help treat heatstrokes/sunstrokes in a go, which can cause certain severe complications such as damage to the brain or organ swelling.

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5. Energises the body

Ice apple is filled with electrolytes nutrients such as sodium and potassium, along with B complex vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, iron and phytochemicals. These compounds, together, help balance the electrolyte of the body and replenish lost energy which has been lost due to excessive sweating, especially due to summer heat.

6. Prevents rashes

As the temperature increases during the summer, rashes, pimples and other skin problems become common. Consuming ice apple or applying it topically over the rashes or pimples may help prevent them easily by lowering the body heat, which is the main cause of these conditions.

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7. Improves digestion

As the heat rises in summer, the digestion gets slower and weaker due to numerous factors such as imbalance of gut microbiota, along with the increase in the risk of conditions such as food poisoning and loss of appetite. Ice apple may help treat those digestive problems by its soothing effect.

How To Prepare Ice Apple And Watermelon Juice?

Ingredients

• 2-3 ice apples with peel removed.
• One or one and a half ice apple pulp chopped in small pieces.
• A cup of watermelon
• Sugar alternative such as jaggery powder (optional)
• Half glass of coconut water
• One glass water
• Ice (Optional)

Method

• In a blender jar, mix ice apples which are whole (not chopped) and watermelon.
• Blend one round.
• Add jaggery powder, coconut water and water (or ice) and blend again.
• Strain the liquid to remove the discards.
• In a juice glass, first, add the chopped ice apples and then pour the juice.
• Serve fresh.

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Remember: You can also use other seasonal fruits as per your taste such as apple, kiwi or muskmelon. Also, if you want the juice chilled, it is better to keep the ice apple and watermelon in a refrigerator for an hour and then use it rather than using ice, as the ice tends to lower the nutrition of the juice.