Ice Apple-a Natural Coolant to Beat Summer Heat

Mother Nature has gifted mankind with various ways to keep our body cool during hot summer days. That is the main reason we see plenty of cucumber, water melon, tender coconut and ice apple i.e the tender fruit of palmyra tree.

The elders take maximum care to prepare smoothies, lassi and fruit juices to make the family members feel comfortable. When out of home most of the people depend on tender coconut– nariyal pani, lime juices, pudinah pani to balance the heat and get going with the scheduled work.

The humidity is high in the air, and with getting exposed to hot waves the body sweats constantly and you can observe small red rashes, commonly known as prickly heat all over the body especially the back, neck, along the folds of hands and legs.

Ice apple / Munjalu / Thaadi Nungu is a seasonal fruit and can be found in plenty in summer. The watery fluid found inside the jelly has excellent cooling properties. The tender, pale white, translucent jelly like fruit is seasonal and is a very good alternative for body cooling. Children love ice apple for its taste and softness.  Ice apple flesh is similar to the fruit litchi in texture and taste similar to coconut.

Also read: How to Overcome Common Summer Health Problems

Health Benefits of Ice Apple:

• Ice apple is rich in vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, thiamin, riboflavin etc.
• Seasonal problems like prickly heat affect children and grownups alike in summer.  Ice apple is an excellent remedy for prickly heat.  You can actually apply the mashed jelly on the affected areas and find quick relief to that nasty itch. The soothing effect of the ice apple fights fatigue and provides immediate relief.  This application needs to be continued for two to three days and the prickly heat boils will quickly vanish away.
• Pregnant women can overcome constipation and related difficulties with the help of ice apple. Improves digestion and tackles acidity problems too.
• Dieters who are on a weight loss regimen can take ice apple as it does not contain fat or carbohydrates.
• Those affected with chicken pox and measles can take ice apple regularly to bring down the intensity of the disease condition as well as aid rapid healing.
• Taking the fruit with the skin may taste a bit sour and it can heal stomach ulcers.  So take a few fruits along with the skin for attaining maximum benefit.
• Ice apples helps to cool the body and helps to reduce exceeding white discharge in women.
• Ice apple is a good appetizer and it is recommended for aneamic patients too.

Various preparations of Ice apple:

The jelly part is cut to pieces and added to cool milk and honey.  This preparation also called Ice apple kheer cools the body and helps tackle the hot summer.

Consumption of ice apples:

Ice apples must be consumed at once when cut as it become rubbery when stored and the sugar inside ferments changing its taste. The period is very short and the fruits usually appear in early summer.

Ice apple has a buff color covering that has to be removed to eat the ice apple inside.  Each fruit contains a small quantity of sweet water and the peeler must cut the fruit carefully to avoid the sweet water to drip away.

Ayurvedic Home Remedy-Ice apple:

Ice apple is also recommended by Ayurveda as a natural remedy to overcome summer heat and associated health problems. Take the benefits of Ice apple , beat the summer heat by consuming them fresh, this will ensure you stay away from summer problems i.e fatigue, heat strokes, indigestion and the common prickly heat.

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