The tamarind tree produces edible, pod-like fruit which are used extensively in cuisines around the world. Other uses include traditional medicines and metal polishes. The wood can be used in carpentry. Because of the tamarind's many uses, cultivation has spread around the world in tropical and subtropical zones.
The tamarind is a long-lived, medium-growth, bushy tree, which attains a maximum crown height of 12 to 18 metres (40 to 60 feet). The
crown has an irregular, vase-shaped outline of dense foliage. The tree grows well in full sun in clay, loam, sandy, and acidic soil types, with a high drought and aerosol salt (wind-borne salt as found in coastal areas) resistance.
Leaves are evergreen, bright green in color, elliptical ovular, arrangement is alternate, of the pinnately compound type, with pinnate venation and less than 5 cm (2 inches) in length. The branches droop from a single, central trunk as the tree matures and is often pruned in human agriculture to optimize tree density and ease of fruit harvest. At night, the leaflets close up.
The tamarind does flower, though inconspicuously, with red and yellow elongated flowers. Flowers are 2.5 cm wide (one inch), five-petalled, borne in small racemes, and yellow with orange or red streaks. Buds are pink as the four sepals are pink and are lost when
The fruit is an indehiscent legume, sometimes called a pod, 12 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) in length, with a hard, brown shell. The fruit has a fleshy, juicy, acidulous pulp. It is mature when the flesh is coloured brown or reddish-brown. The tamarinds of Asia have longer pods containing six to 12 seeds, whereas African and West Indian varieties have short pods containing one to six seeds. The seeds are somewhat flattened, and glossy brown.
The tamarind is best described as sweet and sour in taste, and is high in acid, sugar, B vitamins and, oddly for a fruit, calcium.
As a tropical species, it is frost sensitive. The pinnate leaves with opposite leaflets give a billowing effect in the wind. Tamarind timber consists of hard, dark red heartwood and softer, yellowish sapwood.
Tamarind is harvested by pulling the pod from its stalk. A mature tree may be capable of producing up to 175 kg (350 lb) of fruit per year. Veneer grafting, shield (T or inverted T) budding, and air layering may be used to propagate desirable selections. Such trees will usually fruit within three to four years if provided optimum growing conditions.
The tree is most numerous in South Asia, where it is widely distributed and has a long history of human cultivation. Many South Asian regional languages have their own unique name for the tamarind fruit. In Sanskrit, it is called thinthrinee. In Assamese, it is called teteli. It is called tetul (তেঁতুল) in Bengali. In Oriya, it is called tentuli, in Hindi it is called imli (इमली); in Rajasthani, it is known as aamli (आम्ली); in Gujarati the amli, and Marathi and Konkani चिंचं (the chinch); in Kannada it is called hunase (ಹುಣಸೆ), Telugu chintachettu (tree) and chintapandu (fruit extract). In Tamil-speaking regions as such in Tamil Nadu and northern areas of Sri Lanka, the tamarind is known as puli (புளி). In Malayalam, it is called vaalanpuli (വാളന്പുളി) and in Pakistan in Urdu, it is known as املی imli. In Sri Lanka in Sinhala, it is called siyambala (සියඹලා). Much further west, in Turkey, it is called demir hindi.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, tamarind is known as the asam (or asem) Jawa (means Javanese asam), which in the Indonesian and Malay languages, translates as Javanese sour (though the literature may also refer to it as sambaya). In the Philippines, tamarind is referred to as sampaloc, which is occasionally rendered as sambalog in Tagalog and sambag in Cebuano. The Vietnamese term is me. In Taiwan, it is called loan-tz. In Myanmar, it is called magee-bin (tree) and magee-thee (fruit). The tamarind is the provincial tree of the Phetchabun province of Thailand, where it is called má kăam (มะขาม). In Laos, it is called ໝາກຂາມ (maak-kham). In Malagasy, it is
In the Cook Islands in the Cook Islands Māori language (also called Māori Kūki Āirani or Rarotonganis language), Tamarindus is called tamarene.
In Ghana, it is called dawadawa. In Malawi, it is called bwemba. In Zambia (nyanja) it is called viwawasha. In Nigeria (Hausa language), it is called tsamiya. In the Kiswahili language of east and central Africa, it is called kwaju. In Somalia it is called "Hamaar".
In Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and throughout the Lusosphere, it is called tamarindo. In the Caribbean, tamarind is sometimes called tamón. In Trinidad and Tobago, however, it is also called tambran.
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) should not be confused with "Manila tamarind" (Pithecellobium dulce). While in the same taxonomic family Fabaceae, Manila tamarind is a different plant native to Mexico and known locally as guamúchil.
Advantage of Tamarind
Its sticky pulp is rich source of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) or dietary-fiber such as gums, hemicelluloses, mucilage, pectin and tannins. 100 g of fruit pulp provides 5.1 or over 13% of dietary fiber. NSP or dietary fiber in the food increases its bulk and augments bowel movements thereby help prevent constipation. The fiber also binds to toxins in the food thereby help protect the colon mucus membrane from cancer-causing chemicals.
In addition, dietary fibers in the pulp bind to bile salts (produced from cholesterol) and decrease their re-absorption in the colon; thereby help excretion of “bad” or LDL cholesterol levels from the body.
While lemon composes of citric acid, tamarind is rich in tartaric acid. Tartaric acid gives a sour taste to food but is also a very powerful antioxidant. (Anti-oxidant E-number is E334). It helps the body protect from harmful free radicals.
Tamarind fruit contains many volatile phytochemicals such as limonene, geraniol, safrole, cinnamic acid, methyl salicylate, pyrazine and alkylthiazoles. Together these compounds account for the medicinal properties of tamarind.
This prized spice is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for cytochrome oxidases enzymes.
In addition, it is also rich in many vital vitamins, including thiamin (36% of daily required levels), vitamin A, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin-C. Much of these vitamins plays antioxidant, and co-factor functions for enzyme metabolism inside the body.
Its pulp has been used in many traditional medicines as a laxative, digestive, and as a remedy for biliousness and bile disorders.
This spice condiment is also used as emulsifying agent in syrups, decoctions, etc., in different pharmaceutical products.
Tamarind Juice
Tamarind juice is also a rich source of antioxidants. These compounds help protect the body from the damaging effect of free radicals. Antioxidants help boost overall health and the immune system. They can prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. This prevents cholesterol from sticking to the walls of arteries and blocking them, thereby lessening the risk of coronary heart disease. This makes tamarind juice a healthy addition to the diet of those who suffer from coronary heart disease and high cholesterol levels.
Tamarind juice is also beneficial to people with diabetes. Diabetics, because of their high blood sugar levels, are prone to developing coronary heart disease. In fact, coronary heart disease is one of the highest causes of mortality amongst diabetics. Drinking tamarind juice can help reduce this risk for diabetics. Tamarind juice can also have a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels of diabetics. Studies have shown that diabetics who consume tamarind juice before a meal usually do not have a sharp spike in blood sugar levels that follow a meal.
Many people with type 2 diabetes need to lose weight in order to get their blood sugar levels under control. Tamarind juice is good for weight loss in such cases as well as in cases of obesity. The high antioxidant content in tamarind juice can also reduce the risk of cancer by strengthening the body’s immune system. It can also delay the progress of fluorosis that is caused by excessive fluorides. Its cooling effect on body temperatures has been used to treat cases of sunstroke in the tropics. Tamarind juice also possesses anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve symptoms of sore throat.
Gargling with tamarind juice can help lessen the pain and inflammation in such cases. A poultice made from tamarind and soaked in tamarind juice can be applied to joints to reduce inflammation.
When blended with honey, milk, lemon and dates, tamarind juice can be used as an aid to digestion and to treat biliousness and other digestive disorders. The high fiber content in tamarind juice helps regulate bowel movements and can be used as a remedy for constipation. It has also been used as a home remedy for treating intestinal worms and parasites in children. It can also be used to treat cases of diarrhea and dysentery as well as reduce the inflammation caused by hemorrhoids. Tamarind juice is also good for the skin. Along with the leaves it can be used to treat burns and can help prevent edema. Applying the juice on your skin can help keep it glowing and healthy.
Pink salt originates from the ancient salt mines of the Himalayan region, which stretches across Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is derived from rock salt deposits that have been preserved for millions of years. The characteristic pink hue is attributed to trace minerals present in the salt, including iron oxide.
ReplyDeleteLearn more about link