Have you ever seen a fruit like this: the skin is green or light yellow, composed of many raised round or oval scales, and the body is covered with thick green scales, which looks like a Buddha's head.
Yes, this is the sugar apple. Under its unprepossessing appearance, the sugar apple hides sweet and juicy flesh.The sugar apple was once listed as the second of the "Top Ten Most Nutritious Foods" by the BBC and was hailed as "ice cream growing on a tree". What nutritional value does it have? Why can't the seeds of the sugar apple be eaten? Today, let's learn about this curious and mysterious fruit.
Does the name of the sugar apple sound special? It also has a scientific name, called sugar apple. Because it looks like the head of the Buddhist Sakyamuni, it is called the sugar apple, sugar apple, and Buddha's head fruit.
In fact, sugar apples have various nicknames in various parts of my country: "Lin Qin" in Chaoshan, Guangdong, "Ma Luo Tuo" and "Yang Polo" in Guangxi. But for many northerners, they may not have eaten sugar apples. The appearance of sugar apples is conical or heart-shaped, like a small green hedgehog, covered with bumps. But don't be scared by its appearance, the flesh inside is milky white, and it is sweet and delicious.
It should be noted that although most people will not eat the seeds, some friends who like to reuse fruits may use the seeds as ingredients for cooking. However, the sugar apple seeds themselves are poisonous. Some foreign regions will grind them and use them as pesticides, which shows their toxicity.
1 High vitamin C content
Sugar apples are an excellent source of vitamin C, which can promote iron absorption and help collagen synthesis. According to the USDA, every 100 grams of sugar-apple contains 23.6 mg of vitamin C, which is 5.9 times that of apples. In addition, compared with citrus fruits, the vitamin C content of sugar-apple is not inferior.
2 Rich in dietary fiber
Sugar-apple is rich in dietary fiber, which helps promote intestinal peristalsis and improve digestive health. Every 100 grams of sugar-apple contains about 4.4 grams of dietary fiber, which plays an important role in maintaining intestinal health and preventing constipation.
The dietary fiber content of sugar-apple is higher than that of many fruits. For example, the dietary fiber content of sugar-apple is 2.6 times that of bananas. If you are constipated, you can try eating some high-fiber fruits such as sugar-apple.
3 Contains a variety of minerals
Sugar-apple contains a variety of minerals, including potassium, magnesium, calcium, magnesium, etc. These minerals are essential for maintaining normal physiological functions of the human body. For example, every 100g of sugar-apple contains about 247mg of potassium (more than 200mg is considered a relatively high level among fruits), which plays an important role in maintaining heart health and regulating blood pressure.
4 Rich in various antioxidants
Sugar-apple is rich in various antioxidants, such as flavonoids, sulfated polysaccharides, etc. These antioxidants help fight free radicals, protect cells from damage, and slow down the aging process. Although many fruits contain antioxidants, sugar-apple performs well in both the types and content of antioxidants.
5 High energy sugar
Although sugar-apple is rich in nutrition, like most tropical fruits, sugar-apple has high calories and sugar, so many people feel "choked" after eating it. Every 100g of sugar-apple contains 94kcal calories and 23.6g of sugar compounds. This content is not only among the best in fruits, but also higher than most tropical fruits.
1. To choose sugar-apple, you need to know how to look, touch and smell it.
First, observe the appearance. The color of sugar-apple should be light green with a little yellow. If it is completely yellow, it may be overripe, and if it is not yellow, it may not be ripe at all. Black or purple fruit means that it may no longer be fresh or even rotten.
Then, press the fruit gently to feel its hardness. Choose a slightly harder one, such sugar-apple is more durable in storage and more suitable for long-distance transportation. Of course, if you plan to eat it immediately, it is okay to choose a slightly softer one.
Finally, don't forget to smell the aroma. Fresh sugar-apple will exude a fresh and sweet fruity aroma, which makes people salivate. If it smells nothing, it may not be ripe enough. If the smell is pungent or sour, it may be of poor quality and is not recommended.
2. Temperature is the key to storing sugar-apple
Don't rush to put all the sugar-apple you bought in the refrigerator.
If the sugar-apple you just bought is relatively hard, leave it at room temperature for a day or two, and it will soften and you can eat it. If you want it to ripen quickly, you can seal the sugar-apple and banana together for 24 hours, and it will ripen quickly.
If it is soft when you buy it, it is recommended to eat it immediately. But if you can't finish it, wrap it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator, it can be kept for 3-5 days.
3 Eat sugar-apple and enjoy the sweetness
Eating sugar-apple is an enjoyable process. You have to wait for it to be ripe and soft. At this time, cut it open with a knife, and the milky white flesh inside will make people drool.
If you eat it directly, peel and seed the ripe sugar-apple, and eat the flesh directly. The taste is dense and soft, just like ice cream, sweet and delicate! It can also be made into juice. Put the sugar-apple pulp into the juicer and add some milk to make a milkshake, which is nutritious and delicious. It is also great for making desserts, such as sugar-apple ice cream, sugar-apple pudding, sugar-apple cake, etc., which can add a unique flavor to desserts.
1 High sugar content, not suitable for diabetic friends
Sugar apple has high sugar content, with a sugar content of more than 20%, which can easily cause blood sugar fluctuations. According to the "Guidelines for Medical Nutritional Treatment of Diabetes in China", diabetic patients need to strictly control total calories and sugar intake.
Therefore, diabetics try not to eat sugar apples. If you really want to eat it, be sure to pay attention to the amount of consumption. It is best to use it as a small snack when blood sugar control is stable, and monitor blood sugar changes to ensure that health is not affected.
2 There are many seeds, so be careful when feeding it to babies
Each sugar apple may have 20 to 40 seeds. Generally, these seeds are hard and shiny. If they are accidentally eaten, they may increase the risk of suffocation. Babies under 5 years old have imperfect swallowing functions. When feeding babies, remove the seeds before feeding them.
3 Contains prohibited ingredients, athletes cannot eat
Although the trace amount of higenamine in sugar apples is harmless to ordinary people, it may become an "invisible checkpoint" for athletes outside the stadium.
This ingredient is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned list, which may cause athletes to test positive in urine. According to WADA regulations, athletes must strictly avoid consuming foods containing such ingredients to avoid accidental ingestion that may affect their careers.
1. Direct consumption:
Choose sugar apples with full, shiny skin, no damage or rot to ensure good fruit quality.
Wash the sugar apples, cut the peel with a knife, and then separate the peel and flesh with your hands.
The flesh of the sugar apple is fresh and juicy, and can be eaten directly to enjoy its unique taste and flavor. You can also put the sugar apple in the refrigerator for a period of time before eating, which tastes better and is more refreshing.
2. Juice and drink:
Peel the sugar apples, take out the pulp, and use a juicer to squeeze the pulp.
According to personal taste, you can add appropriate amount of water, ice cubes or other fruits to stir and make sugar apple juice drink.
In order to increase the taste and nutritional value, you can also add honey, milk and other ingredients for seasoning.
3. With salad:
Cut the sugar apple into pieces and make salad with other fruits (such as apples, bananas, kiwis, etc.) and vegetables.
You can add appropriate amount of sauce or salad dressing according to personal preference to enhance the taste.
4. Eat after cooking:
Sugar apple can also be used for cooking, such as sugar apple fried rice, sugar apple stew, etc.
These cooking methods can not only make the taste of sugar apple more diverse, but also allow other ingredients to absorb the nutrients of sugar apple.
5. Make jam or jelly:
After peeling and removing the seeds of the sugar apple, put the pulp into the pot and cook it, add appropriate amount of sugar, and cook until thick to make sugar apple jam.
If gelatin or jelly powder is added, it can be made into sugar-apple jelly, which has a soft and glutinous taste.
When eating sugar-apple, you need to pay attention to the following points:
The skin of sugar-apple cannot be eaten directly and needs to be peeled off.
Control the amount of food: Although sugar-apple is rich in nutrients, excessive consumption may cause gastrointestinal discomfort or allergic reactions. It is recommended to eat 1 to 2 per day.
Special groups should eat with caution: People who are allergic to sugar-apple should avoid eating it; patients with diarrhea and diabetes should eat it in moderation or avoid eating it; it is not advisable to eat sugar-apple on an empty stomach to avoid irritating the gastrointestinal tract.
In general, there are many ways to eat sugar-apple, and you can choose according to your personal taste and preferences. At the same time, you need to pay attention to safety and hygiene during the eating process to ensure that the sugar-apple you eat is fresh and pollution-free.
