Many people are still unfamiliar with kawista fruit. In fact, there are many benefits of kawista fruit that are a pity to miss. This high-efficacy fruit has even been used for a long time in Indian herbal medicine.
Kawista fruit (Aegle marmelos) is found in Pakistan, India, and most Southeast Asian countries. This fruit is the size of an orange with a hard, yellow-grey skin, light orange or caramel brown flesh, and a sweet, banana-like aroma.
Ripe kawista fruit is considered to have many health benefits. Usually kawista fruit is enjoyed directly or mixed with palm sugar, made into juice, sliced and dried to make herbal tea, and processed into jam.
Kawista Fruit Nutrient Content
The benefits of kawista fruit for health come from its abundant nutritional content. In 100 grams of kawista fruit contained:
- 0.2–0.4 grams fat
- 28–32 grams of carbohydrates
- 1.8–2.6 grams of protein
- 3 grams of fiber
- 22.5 grams of vitamin C
- 85 milligrams of calcium
- 50 milligrams of phosphorus
- 600 milligrams of potassium
Kawista fruit also contains B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron. Not only that, kawista fruit is also known to have bioactive compounds, such as beta carotene, phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and antioxidants that are believed to improve health and fight various diseases.
Various Benefits of Kawista Fruit
With the content of various nutrients and active compounds, kawista fruit offers a variety of benefits for the health of the body. Here are some of the benefits of kawista fruit that can be obtained:
1. Maintain digestive health
Kawista fruit is known to be useful for maintaining a healthy digestive system. The content of active compounds in this fruit extract is proven to provide a protective effect against harmful bacterial infections in the digestive tract, especially bacteria Shigella dysenteriae causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain.
In addition, the high fiber content in kawista fruit can increase the number of good bacteria or probiotics in the intestines and facilitate the work of the intestines in digesting food, thereby reducing the risk of various digestive problems, such as constipation.
2. Fight free radicals
Herbal tea from dried kawista fruit is known to be rich in antioxidants that are useful for protecting body cells from damage caused by free radicals or oxidative stress.
Regularly consuming herbal tea from kawista fruit is considered to help increase antioxidant levels in the body. That way, this tea can also reduce the risk of various chronic diseases caused by oxidative stress.
3. Lowering blood sugar levels
A small study found that kawista fruit herbal tea can lower blood sugar levels. Although the results have not been significant, this herbal tea can be a good choice for you to consume as an effort to maintain health, especially if you have type 2 diabetes.
4. Lowering blood pressure
Kawista fruit is also considered to have the potential to lower blood pressure. This fruit extract is known to increase the elimination of excess body fluids through urination.
This way of working is the same as the way one type of diuretic blood pressure-lowering drug works. So, kawista fruit might be a good choice of fruit for people with hypertension.
5. Make skin healthier
The next benefit of kawista fruit is to maintain healthy skin. This is because kawista fruit contains a lot of vitamin C, which is a vitamin that can stimulate the formation of collagen in the skin.
In addition, the antioxidants in this fruit can also protect skin cells from free radical damage. This protection can prevent skin damage from sunlight, premature aging, melasma, and skin cancer.
6. Reduce fever
Several studies have shown that kawista fruit extract has the potential to relieve fever and inflammation. Although the same efficacy has not been found in direct consumption of kawista fruit, there is nothing wrong with consuming this fruit as a source of nutrients and antioxidants when you have a fever.
The benefits of kawista fruit are not widely known and their effects as herbal medicines still need to be investigated further. However, what is certain is that this fruit contains many nutrients and antioxidants that are good for health. So, there is nothing wrong with including this fruit in your daily diet.
If you want to take the benefits of kawista fruit to treat certain diseases, you should first consult with your doctor to find out its effectiveness and safety for the condition you are experiencing, as well as its interactions with the drugs you are taking.