Unexpected health benefits of star fruit
Star fruit is a delicious, nutritious fruit, low in calories but rich in vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. In addition, some traditional medicine recipes from star fruit are very effective.
Doctor CKII Huynh Tan Vu, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Campus 3, said that star fruit is a popular tropical fruit in many places around the world, with many beneficial effects on nutrition and medicine. All parts of the star fruit tree are good for health such as star fruit, star fruit leaves, star fruit flowers. You can eat it raw, squeeze the juice to drink or make salad, pickles.
Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) contains about 60% cellulose, 27% hemicellulose and 13% pectin. The acidity and nutritional composition vary with maturity. Moreover, the calcium content is higher at the ripe stage. Factors such as titratable acidity, tannin content and reducing sugars vary significantly at different stages of maturity.
Star fruit is a good source of vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in natural antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, and gallic acid. Furthermore, star fruit is a good source of magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus. It is also high in fiber and low in calories, which can help control blood sugar levels.
Below are some health benefits of star fruit, according to Dr. Huynh Tan Vu:
Star fruit has several health benefits. These include antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-infective, anti-cancer, and immune-boosting effects.
Hypoglycemic and antidiabetic effects
Each star fruit has a high amount of fiber, which contributes to its beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis. Insoluble fibers inhibit the activity of α-amylase and slow down the release of glucose from starch.
In 2016, an in vitro study on cultured pancreatic beta cells found that the compound 2-dodecyl-6-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1, 4-dione (DMDD) extracted from star fruit reduced inflammation and apoptosis. Furthermore, the same compound increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
In 2020, Zhang et al. showed the beneficial effects of Averrhoa carambola extract in diabetic mice. This is probably due to the inhibition of the TLR4/TGF-β signaling pathway by active compounds such as DMDD.
Cholesterol-lowering effect
Consumption of star fruit increases the ability to remove cholesterol and bile acids from the body. In addition, there is a reduction in serum and liver cholesterol levels.
A study conducted in 2014 found that feeding C57BL/6 mice with star fruit microfiber significantly reduced serum triglycerides, serum total cholesterol, and liver lipids to varying degrees. It did this by enhancing lipid and cholesterol excretion.
Antioxidant activity
Star fruit has high antioxidant activity and is able to effectively scavenge reactive oxygen species and other free radicals. This fruit has high levels of flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, vitamin C, β-carotene saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and gallic acid. It can inhibit the activity of cytochrome P450 3A.
Anti-inflammatory effects
Levels of inflammatory factors were assessed in community-dwelling elderly people after consuming star fruit juice for 4 weeks. Scientists found a reduction in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-23, and nitric oxide (NO).
Anti-infective effect
Scientists have isolated two compounds (p-anisaldehyde and β-sitosterol) from star fruit bark, which have strong inhibitory effects on the growth of Escherichia coli and have mild inhibitory activity against fungi.
Anticancer effects
Swiss scientists found that the use of star fruit extract resulted in a reduction in tumor incidence, tumor number, and tumor burden in a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma when compared with a control group.
However, according to Dr. Vu, it is important to note that most of the studies describing the beneficial effects of star fruit are based on experimental animal studies and in vitro animal studies (test tube studies).
In addition, star fruit is commonly used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to treat fever, cough, diarrhea, chronic headaches, eczema and fungal skin infections. The ripe fruit is also used in some countries to treat bleeding hemorrhoids.
According to traditional Vietnamese medicine, star fruit is sour and sweet, neutral in nature, has anti-inflammatory, diuretic, expectorant and salivation effects. Star fruit root is sour and astringent, neutral in nature, has anti-rheumatic and pain-relieving effects. Stems and leaves are sour and astringent, neutral in nature, have anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. Flowers are sweet, neutral in nature, have anti-malarial effects.
The fruit treats coughs, sore throats, and enlarged spleens that cause fever. The roots treat joint pain and chronic headaches. The stems and leaves treat runny nose, gastroenteritis, decreased urination, bruises, boils, and skin abscesses. The flowers treat malaria, kidney failure, poor vitality, dry cough, phlegmy cough, dysentery, etc.
"You need to consult a nutritionist and doctor to use star fruit in a way that is beneficial to your health as well as limit unwanted effects from star fruit," Dr. Vu noted./.
