Tamarind is one of the most famous fruits that are widely used, especially in Arab countries, because of its special taste and unique taste, and it also has many health benefits that it offers you, so follow this article with us, in which we will show you the most important benefits of tamarind with The most important uses and also the expected damage to it.

Tamarind

It is considered one of the most important and prominent tropical fruits with multiple health and medicinal benefits. The tamarind tree is a solid tree on which pods grow, which are very similar to beans. Inside these pods are many seeds surrounded by pulp, which is characterized by its small size, green color and sour taste, which later turns into a kind of dried fruit.

But when these seeds ripen and become paste-like, they taste sweet. The original home of this tree is the continent of Africa, but it grows abundantly in the tropics as well, in the continent of Asia, and the most famous areas in which Pakistan and India appear.

The nutritional value of tamarind

It contains many important nutrients, so one cup of tamarind seeds, or about 120 grams, provides your body with a large part of the nutrients required for your body during the day, as this amount contains:

• 26% of magnesium.
• 16% of potassium.
• 7% of calcium.
• 19% of iron.
• 11% of phosphorous.
• 11% of copper.
• 43% of Vitamin B1.
• 14% of vitamin B2.
• 15 of Vitamin B3.

In addition, this amount contains small percentages of:

• Vitamin K.
• Vitamin C.
• Vitamin B6.
• Vitamin B5.
• selenium.
• Folic acid.

This quantity also contains:

• 6 grams of natural fiber.
• 3 grams of protein.
• grams or less of fat.

How many calories in tamarind?

One cup of its seeds contains about 287 calories, because it contains a large percentage of natural sugar, but the sugar in the pulp is natural sugar resulting from being a fruit and not manufactured or added sugar.

Benefits of tamarind

There are many health benefits that it provides to your health, and it is considered one of the most popular alternative medical treatments that have been used for a long time, and we will show you in the coming lines its most important benefits.

1. Benefits of tamarind for the heart

Because it contains polyphenols and flavonoids in addition to antioxidants, it helps improve heart health and regulate cholesterol levels in the body, according to a study conducted in 2013, the results of which indicated that tamarind may protect against atherosclerosis, vascular problems and some heart diseases, but no tests were conducted. Clinical experience of this on the human heart in a practical way.

2. A powerful anti-inflammatory

And due to the antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids as well, these elements greatly help in controlling and controlling the various infections that affect the body.

3. Antiviral and antibacterial

It is rich in natural compounds that have a strong antimicrobial effect, and studies have shown that it helps as an antifungal, antibacterial, and also antiviral that attacks the body. It also strengthens the immune system.

4. Benefits of tamarind for the liver

It is one of the fruits that improve the functions and health of the liver, according to a 2011 review stating that the antioxidants in it may help protect the liver from disease.

5. Tamarind and constipation

One of its most well-known benefits is its help in treating constipation and getting rid of it, because it contains natural fibers that help the digestive system work more efficiently, as these fibers gather inside the stool and make it move faster and easier through the intestines, so it is considered an effective natural laxative.

In addition, it can help stimulate bile and bile juice in the body, which plays a major role in dissolving food quickly.

6. Benefits of tamarind for weight loss

As it contains unique compounds known as trypsin inhibitors, and these compounds help reduce the feeling of hunger, and discourage appetite because they increase the secretion of one of the neurotransmitters, serotonin. And research in this field is still going on now, especially since the extracts of its horns had promising signs for preparing a nutritional supplement that helps lose weight.

7. Tamarind and sugar

It helps a lot in controlling diabetes, as it inhibits the alpha amylase enzyme, which helps prevent the absorption of large proportions of carbohydrates in the body, and the high levels of magnesium it is rich in also help in preventing diabetes and controlling the severity of symptoms, but with Eat it with a small amount of sugar.

8. Its benefits for the kidneys

During one of the studies, they found that it helps prevent the formation of kidney stones, and it also works to inhibit calcium oxalate stones in the urine and the ability to break them up. In addition to containing a high percentage of potassium, it has the ability to purify the blood from toxins and deposits in it, and to maintain kidney health.

9. Benefits of tamarind for the uterus

There is no documented and explicit research indicating that there are benefits to the uterus when eating it, but there is a study that was conducted on a number of girls about 30 who suffer from the problem of menopause, and they found that tamarind helped improve menstruation flow and the amount of blood, and improve the duration of the menstrual cycle as well.

10. Benefits of tamarind for men

Its benefits for men do not exceed the benefits that we have explained in the previous lines, as its benefits for men come from the beneficial nutrients it is rich in, which greatly support men’s health. There is also a common belief that tamarind increases sperm and fertility in men, but this theory has not been proven by confirmed studies yet.

Other benefits

Tamarind has some other benefits for treating some medical conditions, such as:

• Cases of dry eyes when using eye drops extracted from its seeds.
• Colds.
• Stomach disorders.
• fever.
• Nausea attacks during pregnancy.
• Intestinal worms

But the studies proving its efficacy to treat these conditions are not 100% confirmed yet.

Types of tamarind

Tamarind can be obtained in more than one form and type, such as candy made or sweetened drinks made from it.

In addition, you can get the original, unprocessed fruit in three different forms, which are:

• The pods are in their raw form, and the pulp is easily opened and used.
• Compressed blocks, where the pulp is pressed into a cohesive mass after removing the pods, which is the closest form to raw tamarind.
• Concentrated liquid, made by boiling tamarind pulp to form a highly concentrated liquid (tamarind paste), and some preservatives can be added to it.

Tamarind uses and ways to eat it

Tamarind can be used and eaten in more than one way, as it can be added to various sauces and pickles as well. It is also popular in Asian cuisine, especially in many recipes, the most famous of which is mixtures for softening meat before cooking it.

It can also be taken in more than one form, such as:

• The raw image where it is eaten as a fruit, but its flavor is very strong in this case.
• It can be included in the work of candy and some types of sweets.
• Add tamarind paste to some recipes and use it in cooking.
• Add it to soup.
• You can make a wonderful and delicious tamarind drink.

storage methods

It is preferable to keep its fruits away from the sun and its direct rays, and keep it at normal room temperature, in order to keep the fruits fresh. It can also be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container to keep the fruits soft and fresh.

Where can I buy pure tamarind?

It can be purchased in a variety of forms, either in its original form as pods or after being prepared for use, from supermarkets or from an apothecary. And beware of the instant powder that is sold as instant tamarind, because this product may not contain natural tamarind, and it may be harmful to your health, so it is better to use the original and natural type.

Expected tamarind damage

It may cause some damage and side effects as a result of its use in some cases, such as:

• Pressure: as it may help lower blood pressure, so it is better if you take any pressure medications to consult a specialist doctor about the possibility of taking it.
• Drug interactions: Tamarind contains some properties that make it thin the blood, so it may interact with some medications such as aspirin, so it is better not to take it if you are using this type of medication.
• Diabetes: If you have diabetes, be aware that tamarind can lower the level of blood sugar, and this may make you unable to control the levels of high and low levels of sugar levels in your body, so try to monitor your sugar well in this case, especially while taking your medications.
• Lead poisoning: There are many types of sweets made from tamarind that contain much more lead than what was determined by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so be careful when buying these sweets, whether for yourself or your children.