Tamarind fruit is widely used in various recipes in almost all parts of the world.
It is an amazing fruit that has many healthy properties. One of my favorite characteristics of this fruit is its ability to flush your liver.
In essence, if you have a fatty liver, then you should eat Tamarind. It will get rid of the fat in your liver. I have put together a thorough article about this here. And this is scientifically proven.
Where does Tamarind come from?
Tamarind originated from Africa. However, things have changed and now the biggest exporter of this fruit in India. So people think that the tree and its fruits are from this part of the world.
And if you think about it, when you look for tamarind recipes, you’ll get plenty of these from India.
So, this reinforces the thinking that the fruit comes from India.
Next time someone asks you where did this Tamarind originate, then you’ll know that it is Africa.
When to eat Tamarind fruit?
I eat this fruit raw most of the time. In fact, I have them on top of my desk and use them as snacks instead of the usual chocolate bar, etc.
The reason for me to chose this fruit is quite simple. It is tasty to the point that I am almost at the stage of licking my fingertips each time I take my snack. That’s how tasty these are.
Here is the box that is on top of my desk.
And because I spoke about it, then I have to eat one of these. Here is how Tamarind looks like inside the box:
Yes, I know they do not look that sexy and nice. But they are really tasty. Here is how they look when you remove the skin. Look at the piece in the middle.
The skin is very easy to remove. No need for any tool really. Then you remove what I call the sewing thread 😉 that is on the side of the fruit. And you eat it.
Be careful though, as the fruit is full of seeds.
Here are the seeds after I ate the fruit. So watch out for these as I do not want you to break your teeth. You’ll see these as dark brown balls in the below picture.
Now, let me tell you this. When I go to work (I work from home, but I go to work once every two weeks), everyone wants to have a snack with me.
That’s because I bring tamarind and many other exotic fruits that are really tasty and healthy for your body.
So, if everyone wants some of these, I am sure that if you get tamarind for yourselves, then you’ll definitely enjoy their taste and your body will thank you for it.
What are the health benefits of Tamarind Fruit?
Here are the 5 best tamarind fruit health benefits. I advise you to eat this fruit as it is one of those ingredients that can do wonders for your health.
1. Reduce the inflammation in your joints
Research performed on Tamarind fruits is unequivocal. This fruit works wonder against the inflammation of joints. (1, 2, 3)
But what you really need to know is that though the fruit is great to fight your inflammation, it is its seeds that are really good for your joints.
So when you eat the fruit, do not through the seeds. Instead, try to find a way to make it a powder and use it in your food.
I know, this is easier said than done.
Here is what I do. I use a hammer and break the seeds into small pieces. It takes me about five minutes.
Then, I boil these in water and I drink the water (not really my most favorite thing I have to say). But I use the water sauce in other food preparation. I effectively use this as a Tamarind Sauce stock to prepare some of my meals.
And everyone at home eats these without knowing. I feel that I am cheating a little bit, but I want my family not to have inflammation as these can create cancer and other diseases.
Who can benefit from this anti-inflammation properties?
Everyone really. But the best people that really need it are aged individuals.
They are the ones that often suffer from this problem.
We all know that there are some really good medicines out there, but I always prefer to use alternative medicine to solve my problems. And if you are reading this, then I believe you are like me.
Why is tamarind so good against inflammation?
Research has shown that is the interleukin chemical that is usually responsible for arthritis. And the good news about this research is this:
The chemical responsible for arthritis can be controlled by tamarind seeds powder. (4)
In essence, what tamarind fruit does is unique. It gives a real protective shield for your bones and especially your joints.
But it also provides a shield for other parts of your body. Here is why:
- It acts as your immune system developer and booster. So if you feel that you are tired all the time, you may want to eat this fruit as a snack as I do.
- The fruit is full of vitamin C. Again, the seeds are best. (5)
- Tamarind has really effective antioxidant properties. These are so strong that you should be safe from contracting infections. (6)
- This is probably the best property: Tamarind fruit controls free radicals. And we all know that free radicals are the ones responsible for the development of cancer cells. So killing these by just eating fruit is great. (7)
What are the other properties of tamarind?
One of the less-known properties of this fruit is its content of anti-microbial. Here we are entering into a little technical world. But it is worth it, I can tell you.
You’ll find that the anti-microbial properties of tamarind are mainly in the leaves (8).
I know that you may not have access to the leaves. But there are some teas that you can buy which are produced using tamarind tree leaves.
Now, let me explain what I mean by anti-microbial. This is really important.
What is anti-microbial?
When we speak about anti-microbial, we simply speak about a chemical substance.
This substance can be natural (like the tamarind is natural), semi-natural which is known as semisynthetic (made of a natural and human-made compound) or completely synthetic (only human developed).
An antimicrobial substance kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms in your body. (9)
But the best thing about the substance is that it does not damage the host (this is your body). Or does little damage to the host.
If you want to know more, all antibiotics are antimicrobials. However, not all antimicrobials are antibiotics.
Now, when you ingest a mixture with anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, your body can only be a winner.
In essence, you reduce the risk of getting ill and internal infections.
What I mean is this:
When a virus enters your body, the anti-microbial properties found in Tamarind fruit will allow your immune system to fight it more effectively.
Having said so, it is scientifically proven that tamarind will help your immune system to be stronger and healthier.
And by having a better immune system, you’ll end up with better kidneys too as tamarind is a natural kidney purifier.
The results of a research study demonstrated that the fruit in association with other natural substances such as garcinia Cambogia fights the build-up of kidney stones (10).
The fruit is, therefore, a detoxifying agent.
It is also full of potassium that is good for your cholesterol.
But best of all, the properties contained in the tamarind fruit help to flush toxic substances that can find their way to your kidneys.
That’s why I always say to my children, eat a tamarind snack and you’ll protect your kidneys.
2. Improve your eyesight with tamarind
Several research studies have proven that the regular consumption of Tamarind can improve your vision.
But, yet again, it is the seed that has the most nutrients for your eyes. (11) So try to use the above method, where you break the seeds and make some sauce or stock.
Here is why this fruit is great for your eyes:
- The fruit contains some vitamin A which has proven to help improve your eyesight (12).
- You can find natural beta-carotene in tamarind for better eyesight.
- What is good about it is that it dramatically reduces the risk of macular degeneration.
- If you have dry eyes, then the consumption of tamarind can reduce such problems. (13)
3. Reduce hair loss with tamarind
Tamarind is a good remedy for hair loss. Research performed on this fruit has shown that is you apply tamarind pulp liquid to your scalp, then you’ll activate your hair cells and as such you’ll help the growth of your hair. (14)
You may ask how one would make the tamarind pulp liquid.
This is really simple. Just take some tamarind pulp that you buy in specialized shops.
Put it in a little bit of water. Now you just need to squeeze the pulp to form a paste.
Leave the paste for 15 minutes (even more if you want).
Now, you just need to apply the paste to your scalp.
Leave this for an hour. Just was your scalp with Luke warm water. Not hot, please. Just warm. Apply the paste twice a week till you start seeing results.
It may take some time before you see any results. This depends on your scalp.
4. Lose weight by eating tamarind
As weird as it may sound, tamarind has been demonstrated to be an effective agent to lose weight. (15, 16)
Unfortunately, to this day, it is not clear why tamarind has such an effect.
Nevertheless, scientists believe that it is the flavonoids and polyphenols that could be responsible for weight reduction.
But what is of critical importance is that as Tamarind leads to weight loss, it is also responsible for lower cholesterol. And that can only be good for your health.
5. Tamarind is good for your heart
Many scientists believe that the high level of potassium found in tamarind helps your heart functioning. (16)
It is true that potassium does help your heart functioning. And as such eating this fruit is helpful in reducing your blood pressure level.
But there is more to this. Scientists have shown that the cholesterol level in your body can be controlled just by eating tamarind. And the rationale for this is that the fruit contains a lot of fiber.
I am sure you know this, but an abnormal level of cholesterol as found in your blood is what is dangerous for you. Usually, a high level of Cholesterol means that you can end up with a heart attack or what is known as a cardiovascular problem.
In addition, as free radicals are eliminated from your body because you are eating tamarind, these cannot harm your heart. So again, tamarind is good for you.
6- Tamarind to fight constipation
As aforementioned, tamarind is rich in fiber. So eating this fruit will increase your dietary fiber.
And you may not know this, but a dietary rich in fiber is critical to your body.
Most of the fiber you absorb in your life may not be highly nutritious. But without these, you may have painful bowels and you may not go to the toilet as you should be.
Tamarind fiber plays a great role in helping in regulating your bowel movements.
It does cleanse your digestive system from various harmful and unneeded substances. And this has been extensively documented by experts in tamarind (17).
So, if you are a victim of constipation, you may well want to eat tamarind. It will treat your stomach problems such as constipation.
In fact, many scientists say that tamarind juice provides almost instant relief for people suffering from constipation.
And by cleaning your bowel system, the fiber will help eliminate the bad toxins from your body.
7- Eat tamarind for sore throats, colds, and flu:
Tamarind has been demonstrated to be highly effective in curing sore and itchy throats (17).
You just need to absorb a simple saltwater gargle mixed with dry powdered tamarind leaves and you’re on the mend.
This is what you need to do. Take half a teaspoon of ground tamarind leaves. Pour it in lukewarm water.
Stir the lot pretty well. Now drink and wait. That’s it really.
Now onto the flu and cold. Tamarind is very effective against these as it is rich in Vitamin C. We all know that this vitamin enhances your body’s natural defense and your immune system.
You can make a simple tea with the tamarind pulp. Just add warm water to the pulp, mix the lot and drink. Done.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits associated with Tamarind.
For me, there is not a single benefit that is better than another one.
When you look at it, the only benefit that we could live without is hair loss. But still, if you are a victim of hair loss, you definitely would want to find a method that helps you grow your hair.
So, there is no weak point associated with tamarind fruit.
You just need to buy some, and if you are like me, eat them as snacks.
You can always eat them in the morning when your stomach is empty. You’ll optimize the fruit’s impact on your body.
I’d like to end this article by saying that the fruit is very tasty and simple to eat. You can’t get it wrong.
This is definitely an invitation to enjoy a healthy fruit.
Back to you
I invite you to start eating this fruit to improve your health.
You do not need to even cook. You can just peel them and eat them raw.
But if you want to take the full advantage of tamarind, then you need to break down the seeds. Use them to make tea and drink a lot of it.
This should not take you long. And with the health benefits associated with this fruit, I am sure you will agree that you will be a winner.
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