Rambutan is a topical fruit whose scientific term is Nephelium Laapaceum. Rambutan is believed to have originated in Indonesia and is now widely found in Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Ecuador, Australia and America. In India, Rambutan fruit is available mostly in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The name rambutan comes from an Indonesian name “rambut” which means hair and by adding a suffix you get “rambutan”. Rambutan tree belongs to a group of tropical trees that bear fruits like the lychee, mamoncillo and longan.
Rambutans are small red colour fruits with spiky hair on the skin. It has a sweet, juicy flesh which is slightly acidic and small brown coloured seeds whose oil is used in a number of industries. Rambutans are available in two colours, red and yellow.
Rambutan is a healthy food and is a great substitute for processed snack foods. Rambutan health benefits are not just limited to the fruit but are derived from other elements as well, like fruit, rind, bark and leaves. Here is a list of the rambutan benefits.
1. This fruit is a traditional medicine in Malaysia and Indonesia that is being used for hundreds of years. It is used in a number of treatments which includes diabetes, hypertension and various other ailments.
2. The carbohydrates and protein content of rambutan help to increase energy and prevent bloating. Rambutan is also rich in water which helps to get back the lost energy and quenches thirst.
3. Vitamin C in Rambutan helps in the absorption of minerals, iron and copper. It also protects the body from getting damaged from free radicals.
4. One of the main compounds of rambutan is Gallic acid. This compound behaves like a free radical scavenger that protects our body from oxidative damage and is particularly helpful to fight cancer.
5. This fruit contains moderate amounts of copper which is necessary for the creation of white and red blood cells. It also contains manganese which our body needs to produce and activate enzymes.
6. Phosphorus in rambutan helps to remove the waste in kidneys and is essential for the development, repair, and maintenance of tissues and body cells. Rambutan also contains significant amounts of Calcium which works together with phosphorus to fortify the teeth and strengthens bones.
7. Rambutans are an excellent source of iron which helps to correct the amount of oxygen in the body which controls dizziness and fatigue due to anaemia, an illness caused by iron deficiency.
8. Rambutan has good fiber content and is low in calories. The fruit keeps us full for a long time due to its high fiber and water content and controls irregular hunger pangs. This also aids in weight reduction.
9. Rambutan is also good for treating common illnesses like headache, thrush and dysentery. For headache, the leaves are used as a poultice on the temples. This calms the nerves and reduces headache. A decoction of the bark is applied on the tongue to treat thrush. A decoction of roots is used to lower fever.
10. The other health benefits of Rambutan is in its antiseptic qualities. It helps to fight the body infection which invades our body.
11. Besides nutritional benefits, rambutan also offers therapeutic functions. Consuming the fruit can help to kill intestinal parasites and helps to relieve symptoms of diarrhoea and fever.
