This write up will let you know some of the amazing wood apple benefits and delectable bael sorbet recipes.
India has always been a land of therapeutic plants.
Ayurvedic practitioners and herbalists from around the globe rely on leaves, fruits, roots, and stems derived from these trees for coming up with natural remedies.
The one name that would easily make any list of most popular therapeutic fruits grown in the country is bael or wood apple.
You will come across discussions on various therapeutic properties of the fruit in Charaka Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit text on Ayurveda.
The popularity of this medicinal fruit has not diminished even slightly even after centuries. Most people prefer having it in form of a sorbet.
In this write-up, we would be educating you about various health benefits offered by wood apple sorbet. In addition, we have also shared a couple of mouth-watering recipes for the sorbet.
Read on to know more…
Wood Apple Benefits for Health
Cures Constipation
When ripe, wood apple showcases immensely powerful laxative properties. You can consume the fruit for cleansing and toning your intestines and improving your bowel movement.
Individuals below the age of 15 years will experience serious benefits if they can consume 20 to 40 grams of wood apple pulp per day. Adults, on the other hand, should consume 60 grams of the pulp every day.
Continue consuming the sorbet daily for at least two to three months.
Once your constipation is gone, have it twice or thrice every week. It would keep your bowel movement normal.
Depending on your preference, you can prepare wood apple sorbet with or without milk and sugar.
Manages Dysentery and Diarrhea
Unripe wood apple is instrumental in treating chronic dysentery and diarrhea.
To prepare sorbet using unripe wood apple, first you will have to cut an unripe fruit into thin slices and sundry them. Next, grind the dried slices and store the powder thus obtained in an airtight container.
Prepare a sorbet by adding a teaspoon of the powder and brown sugar to warm water and have it twice every day. Regular intake of the sorbet would reduce blood and mucus in dysentery.
Continue taking the drink for a week. You will definitely experience significant improvement in your symptoms.
Here, it must be noted that the remedy is not effective for people experiencing severe dysentery.
Improves Liver Health
Wood apple is a rich source of beta-carotene. According to a recently conducted study
, consumption of beta carotene helps in preventing liver damage.
Thiamine (or vitamin B1), another component present in the fruit, is also known to aid liver health.
All these beneficial properties make wood apple a great food option for people experiencing liver problems.
Manages Kidney Health
If you make wood apple sorbet a part of your daily diet, your kidney will undergo more efficient detoxification.
By preventing accumulation of toxins in your kidneys, the fruit allows the organs to function normally.
Treats Piles and Peptic Ulcer
Phenolic compounds and tannins present in wood apple are known for their powerful antioxidant properties.
These components work by reducing inflammation and thus are great remedies for piles and peptic ulcer.
Great Solution to Respiratory Problems
The antibacterial and anti-allergic properties of the fruit play major role in preventing onset of lung infections.
These components are particularly beneficial in stopping mucus formation or accumulation of mucus in our respiratory tract.
Boosts Immunity
The fruit contain good amount of vitamin C, which is one of the most potent antioxidants discovered to date.
These antioxidants eliminate harmful free radicals from our body and strengthen our immune system. A stronger immune system automatically helps us to keep diseases and infections at bay.
Wood Apple Sorbet Recipes
Recipe #1: The Basic Wood Apple Sorbet
Ingredients
- 2 wood apples (medium sized)
- 6 tbsp of sugar
- 6 cups of cold water
- 8 tsp lemon juice
Preparation
- Bang the fruits (one at a time) against your countertop, floor, or any other hard surface in your house. This will break the wood apples and you will be able to dig out the pulp from them.
- Pull the fruit apart firmly and scrape as much pulp as possible using a spoon.
- Fill a large bowl with water and immerse the wood apple pulp in it. The bowl should contain enough water for soaking the pulp. Keep the pulp immersed in water for a couple of hours.
- Once the pulp is ready for use, take another large bowl and pour two cups of water into it. Add the sugar and mix well.
- Break and mash the soaked pulp using your hands. Next, strain the pulp into the bowl containing the sweetened water. You can do the straining either using a strainer or a piece of cheese cloth. Discard the fiber and seeds.
- Add 6 cups of cold water into the wood apple mix and stir the mixture well using a spoon.
- Add the lemon juice to the sorbet and divide it into six glasses. Your wood apple sorbet is not ready to be served.
Recipe #2: Spicy Wood Apple Sorbet
Ingredients
- 3 wood apples (small to medium in size)
- 3 to 4 cups of chilled water
- 1/2 tsp of cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 12 tbsp jaggery powder (you can increase the quantity if you want your sorbet to be extra sweet)
- ½ tbsp of black salt
Preparation
- Follow the steps in the previous recipe to extract wood apple pulp and soak it in a bowl of water.
- After soaking the pulp for a couple of hours mash it using your veggie masher. You can also sue your hand in this step.
- Once you finish mashing, strain the juice in a bowl. To ensure that you get to use most part of the juice, stir the mixture using a spoon when straining.
- Next, add all the dry spices and jaggery to the mixture and mix using a spoon. We are using jaggery to make the drink healthier. You can also add sugar or honey if you don’t have jaggery.
- The sorbet is now ready to be served. Pour it into tall glasses and serve.
Conclusion
Try the recipes above to make wood apple fruit a part of your daily life.
These sorbets would ensure that you don’t suffer from any digestive disorder and make you feel more energetic.
References –
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/bael-fruit/
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/the-perfect-recipe-to-make-bel-sherbet-at-home/photostory/69825991.cms
https://www.diginvt.com/blog/chef-jason-tostrup-shares-his-recipe-for-wood-s-apple-cider-jelly-sorbet/
