This rare, exotic fruit popular in Asia known to all as, bilimbi has indeed various health benefits. The bilimbi fruit is used in many medicinal purposes because of its high acidic properties. In fact, the extract of the bilimbi fruit is used medicinally throughout Asia.
Let’s tackle each amusing bilimbi health benefits one by one:
- The infused leaf of bilimbi can be used for cough while leaf decoction can give soothe to rectal inflammation.
- The leaves of bilimbi tree are also used as a treatment relief for skin itches, swellings of mumps and rheumatism. It can also be a good alternative remedy for insect and animal bites.
- Study showed that the bilimbi extract has hypoglycemic, hypotriglyceridemic, anti-lipid peroxidative and anti-atherogenic properties.
- Malays make a paste from the fruit to help new mothers heal from childbirth. Its oxalic acid is a natural blade cleaner and household cleaner as well.
- As the bilimbi fruit was screened with phytochemicals, the extracts contained flavonoids, saponins and triterpenoids. The chloroform and methanol fruit extracts were active against Aeromonas hydrophilia, E coli, K pneumonia, S cerrevisiae, S aureus, Strep agalactiae and B subtilis. Hence, bilimbi fruits possess antibacterial properties.
- The Bilimbi fruit contains a small amount of vitamins and minerals. According to Purdue University, an edible portion of kamias is considered to be 100 g, and this contains 0.61 g of protein, 0.6 g of fiber, 3.4 mg of calcium, 1.01 mg of iron, 11.1 mg of phosphorus, as well as trace amounts of other minerals.
- It also controls hypertension. Bilimbi’s may be used as a natural medicine to control hypertension. Drinking boiled water with bilimbi fruits can have a positive effect in controlling hypertension. Stewed bilimbi fruits can be boiled in 3 cups of water. You can take the decoction when half of the water gets reduced by evaporation. It is advised to have this decoction in the morning to get the desired result.
- Helps treat mumps. Mumps is termed as a viral disease caused by the mumps virus. This can result in the swelling of the neck due to the painful swelling of one or both parotid glands. As a result of this, the neck skin experiences hardness and stands out like a lump. Bilimbi’s can help with the reduction of this disease. Young branches of bilimbi trees are mixed with 3 to 4 grains of garlic and onion. The mixture is made into a smooth paste and is applied on mumps. This can have a positive effect in reducing mumps swellings.
- Aids in controlling diabetes. People suffering from diabetes can make use of the nutritional benefits of bilimbi’s for controlling this common disease. Boil the mashed bilimbi fruits in 1 cup of water. Once the water is reduced to half a glass, strain out the stew. Drinking these distilled bilimbi decoction two times a day can help in controlling diabetes.
- Helps alleviate allergies. Allergies are caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system towards the environment with which one lives on. In a healthy human, this cannot cause major problems. Allergy can be of different types like food allergies, skin allergies, allergic asthma etc. Allergic symptoms may include red eyes, shortness of breath, runny nose etc. The juice from bilimbi fruits and the extract from bilimbi leaves can help with the alleviation of allergies.
Image Credits: healthylivingnatureloc, healthyfood-list
