Description of the nipa mangrove palm and its fruits. Nutritional composition and beneficial properties of a rare fruit. How is nipa fruit eaten? Interesting Facts.
The nipa mangrove palm (Nypa fruticans) is a plant on the branches of which rare fruits ripen, interesting, tasty and healthy. Other names - bushy nipa, swamp palm. Nipa is widely used in construction, cooking, in particular, in the production of drinks, vinegar, sugar and salt, as well as in medicine and in the manufacture of various household items. Fruits are a rare type of fruit, they are mainly eaten raw, used for making refreshing drinks, fresh and canned desserts. A more detailed description of their composition, useful properties and use cases in this article.
Description of nipa mangrove palm
In the photo there is a mangrove palm tree nipa
The nipa palm is a very interesting plant. It grows in marshy areas or along rivers with calm waters in the territories of Northern Australia and South Asia. The largest areas of mangrove palms are in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Discovered fossils with parts of this plant date back 70 million years ago.
The ground part of the mangrove palm has very long and sweeping leaves, often their length reaches 7-9 m. At the same time, the stem is horizontal and is almost always located underground. Its diameter sometimes reaches 70 cm. It is very strong and thanks to this it protects the earth from erosion. With the help of these plants, they strengthen the banks, preventing landslides.
Photo of a rare fruit - fruits of the nipa mangrove palm
Inflorescences appear on a stem, which usually reaches 1 m in length. Male and female flowers look different: the former resemble a long spike, which, when ripe, acquires a golden yellow hue, and the latter are similar in shape to a cone and turn into chestnut-brown fruits. forming spherical clusters up to 25 cm in diameter.
There is a seed inside each fruit. It is he who is eaten in the stage of immaturity. He is often called Attap. And this name adds to the list of names of rare fruits, because their fresh application is carried out mainly in the territories within the growing area.
In the photo, the seed of the mangrove palm tree nipa
The seed of the nipa palm is very similar in appearance to a translucent milky candy. Jelly-like consistency, specific aroma. By the way, the mangrove palm grows not only in the area of fresh waters, it also tolerates salt water very well, and the level of salt in the reservoir affects the taste of juice and fruits. In general, this rare tropical fruit is sweetish, but in places with salt water, the fruits are smaller and not so sweet, watery, and more transparent in color.
As they mature, the seeds become less transparent, becoming ivory, and harder. As such, they are not edible and are used to make buttons. Basically, nipa fruits are tree nuts, but they are classified as fruits.
In addition to using the seeds themselves for food, sugar juice is also used for processing into food, which is extracted from the male inflorescence. It is a raw material for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, vinegar and sugar.
Composition and calorie content of mangrove palm fruits
At the moment, there are few exact data on the nutrient content of mangroves. One of the works on the study of the chemical composition of the world's rare fruits was carried out in Nigeria at the University of Calabar. Thus, the presence of certain vitamins, minerals in seeds and juice was confirmed, and their approximate content was also determined. It is noteworthy that the seeds are characterized by a high ability to provide the body with energy, but the fat content is negligible.
The calorie content of nip palm fruits per 100 g is 150 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 1, 27 g;
- Fat - 0.95 g;
- Carbohydrates - 51, 08 g;
- Fiber - 2.5 g;
- Minerals - 2, 7 g.
Macro and microelements:
- Sodium - 11.6 mg;
- Potassium - 128.5 mg;
- Calcium - 5 mg;
- Magnesium - 11.3 mg;
- Iron - 10.6 mg;
- Copper - 0.6 mg;
- Zinc - 7.6 mg
Young fruits of the nipa mangrove palm contain tannins, polyphenols and flavonoids, as well as yeast enzymes.
Among the vitamins, there are representatives of the B group and vitamin A.
The composition contains traces of hydrocyanic acid - a poisonous substance. However, the content is so small that this substance does not affect health and well-being.
The juice extracted from the inflorescences contains:
- Sugar (fructose, maltose, glucose, raffinose) - 15-17%;
- Proteins - 0.23%;
- Fat - 0.02%;
- Vitamin B12 - 0.02%;
- Vitamin C - 0.06%.
In addition, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, as well as minerals are present in smaller amounts in the juice of the very rare fruit nipa.
Benefits of Nipa Mangrove Fruit
The capacious composition of nutrients justifies the presence of properties important for maintaining health in the fruits of the nip palm tree. They are useful not only fresh, but also canned.
Properties of one of the rarest fruits in the world:
- Restoration of normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Normalization of acidity levels;
- Replenishment of fluid reserves in the body;
- Strengthening immunity in the fight against viral diseases;
- Antibacterial effect;
- Replenishment of energy reserves;
- Antioxidant effect;
- Lowering blood sugar levels;
- Restoration of liver cells, the damage of which was caused by diabetes mellitus;
- Maintaining the balance of coagulability and fluid state of the blood.
In addition, the fruit of the nipa mangrove palm, one of the rarest fruits, is beneficial for women's health. They facilitate the course of menstruation and serve as a source of valuable substances during pregnancy. During gestation, they also reduce the load on the urinary system and prevent various infectious diseases of the kidneys and bladder, as well as prevent the accumulation of fluid in the body, protecting it from edema.
Contraindications and harm of nipa palm fruits
The fruits of the nipa palm are not toxic and are generally safe for people of all ages. However, the risk of a negative reaction of the body remains if there is a predisposition to allergies, and there are also pathologies of the pancreas and a violation of the microflora in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, acquaintance with exotic fruits should begin with a minimum portion, so that you can track the reaction to new food.
Sweet palm fruits should be abandoned if there is an individual intolerance to at least some substance contained in them. It is also worth taking responsibility if there is an increased sensitivity to hydrocyanic acid.
Overeating can cause abdominal pain, dizziness, and weakness. In this case, it is better to see a doctor.
How is the fruit of the nipa mangrove eaten?
The photo shows how the fruit of the nipa palm tree is cut
Fresh mangrove seeds are not stored for a long time, and transportation in the form of inflorescences is extremely unprofitable. You can taste the young seed in Singapore, Vietnam and other countries where this swamp palm grows.
In the photo, the process of cleansing the fruits of nipa
The inflorescence usually consists of 25-30 fruits. They must be separated from the head - for this purpose, you can use a hammer or a strong large knife. Next, each fruit should be chopped in the middle, remove the jelly-like seed and rinsed. It can be consumed fresh. So the body will receive a lot of nutrients.
The photo shows how to get the seed of the nip palm tree
Uses for the rare nipa palm fruit:
- Ice cream … The easiest option for a refreshing dessert is to make ice cream with small pieces of ice, sugar syrup, and jelly-like mangrove seeds. The number of ingredients is arbitrary and depends on preference. Also, the fruit can be added to the finished creamy ice cream to enhance the taste and give an interesting tropical flavor.
- Fruit salad … Ingredients: sweet corn - 80 g, jackfruit - 100 g, fruit jelly - 100 g, nipa seeds - 100 g. Chop the fruits with a cube-shaped knife, add corn and fruit jelly. We use it chilled.
- Tea … Ingredients: unripe marsh palm seeds (8-10 pcs.), Longan (150 g), lotus seeds (20 g), porcini mushroom (20 g), sugar (to taste). First marinate the nipa seed with sugar. Longan blanch. Soak the mushrooms in clean water, then boil until tender. Combine the ingredients in containers and pour boiling water. Let it brew for 10 minutes. If desired, we filter and use it warm or chilled.
- Jam … Ingredients: mangrove seeds (500 g), sugar (500 g), lemon juice (100 ml). Place the peeled seeds in a refractory container and cover with sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes to dissolve. Then we put on the maximum heat, and after 5-10 minutes we reduce it to the minimum. We boil until the syrup begins to thicken. At this point, pour in the lemon juice and stir. We bring to readiness a little more and cool. Such jam can be rolled into glass jars and stored for several months.
In the photo, the peeled fruits of the nipa mangrove palm as a rare fruit
Photo of juice from the fruits of the mangrove palm tree nipa
In Russia, rare fruits harvested from the nipa palm tree appear on sale in canned form. Their taste is unusual, but very sweet, as they are cooked in sugar syrup. Such a delicacy may well become an independent dish or an addition to various fruit desserts and pastries. If desired, they can even be added to compotes and sauces, giving the dishes a touch of exoticism.
Canned seed can be ordered online or purchased from major supermarkets.
Interesting facts about the mangrove palm and its fruits
In the absence of an external threat, which usually comes from people using the plant for their own purposes, the nipa mangrove palm reproduces well and does not require human assistance in cultivation. Its seeds are able to germinate, being on the mother stem, and then they are carried with the flow of water and are easily strengthened in the soil, increasing the growing area. However, due to its widespread use in the economy and food industry in some areas of Singapore, the plant is on the verge of destruction, because its protection is not legally enshrined there. In the event of further reduction in acreage, these rare exotic fruits may become even more outlandish even in Asian countries.
An interesting fact is that fruits and juice have a fairly high sugar content. Thanks to this, the raw materials are used for the preparation of various drinks. Some growers lease vast areas in the Philippines where mangrove palms are grown for the purpose of harvesting sap and further producing 95-degree alcohol. Its cost is the lowest, so companies benefit enormously. Continuous harvesting from one plant can last 60-90 days. At the same time, one tree gives about 43 liters, and from one hectare the yield is 30,000 liters of juice, which after fermentation and distillation will give 1500 liters.
It is noteworthy that from the moment of harvesting the juice, it is enough to keep the raw materials for 10 hours at a temperature of about 5-6 degrees to get wine.
From palm juice in Malaysia, sugar is produced in large quantities for export. Harvesting from one hectare is more than 20 tons.
The nipa mangrove is a rare fruit that can be eaten by both humans and animals. So, in some islands of Indonesia, juice and fruits are used as complementary food for pigs to replenish fluid and give meat a sweetish taste.
Watch the video about the nipa mangrove palm:
Due to its wide use in everyday life and in the food industry, the nipa mangrove palm is highly valued in Asian countries. In addition, it can also be used as an ornamental plant, because its sweeping leaves and gorgeous globular bunches of fruit are very attractive.
