Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola) or carambola is a fruit, native to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This fruit resembles a star when a cross-section is performed. The entire fruit is edible, including the skin. The flesh is crunchy, firm, and extremely juicy. It does not contain fibers and has a texture similar in consistency to that of grapes. Ripe starfruits are sweet without being overwhelming and have a tart, sour trace, and oxalic acid odor.
Here are the 7 health benefits of starfruit:
1. Starfruit can help an individual lose weight.
The high fiber and water content, low calories, and significant carbohydrate composition make starfruit ideal for helping people lose weight. They will fill you up and keep you healthy, which will reduce your urge to overeat.
2. Starfruit helps support the digestive system.
Starfruit possesses a considerable amount of fiber. Fiber stimulates peristaltic motion and increased secretion of gastric juices, which eases digestion, prevents conditions like constipation, and protects the body from more serious conditions like colorectal cancer. Fiber can also scrape cholesterol out of the arteries and blood vessels. One cup of starfruit contains 4 grams of dietary fiber.
3. Starfruit may not spike your blood sugar compared to other foods.
The glycemic index (GI) ranks food and drinks based on their blood sugar increase potential. Foods high on the glycemic index (such as white rice and white bread) will break down easily and cause blood sugar and insulin level spikes after meals, which is followed by rapidly dropping blood sugar levels. Starfruit is more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, which prevents sugar crashes, sugar cravings, and mood swings.
4. Starfruit can help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Starfruit is loaded with potassium and a low content of sodium. They are well known because of its high potassium content. One cup of starfruit contains a whopping 176 milligrams of potassium, compared to just 2.6 milligrams of sodium. This helps the blood vessels relax and maintains proper blood pressure.
5. Starfruit can help individuals fight infections.
One cup of starfruit contains 76 percent of the vitamin C daily requirements per cup. Vitamin C is a potent natural water-soluble antioxidant that helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and eliminates cancer-causing free radicals in the body.
6. Starfruit is great for keeping your hair vibrant and healthy looking.
Adequate vitamin C intake does not only improve the immune system, can also create and maintain collagen, an essential protein found in hair and skin. Also, starfruit contains vitamin A to keep the hair moisturized through increased sebum production.
7. Starfruit can help individuals sleep better.
Starfruit have been known to help an individual sleep with its high content of magnesium, which is a mineral that is directly linked to improving the quality, duration, and tranquility of sleep. Starfruit also help regulate the metabolism, to help reduce sleep disorders and the occurrence of insomnia.
Additional Resources:
- Nutritional Facts of Starfruit
- Fiber Supplements May Lower Cardiovascular Risk In Type 2 Diabetics
- Increasing Dietary Potassium - Find Out Why Most People Need to Consume More of This Mineral
- Dietary fibre and health: an overview
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