Read about an exotic fruit called a sugar apple (annona scaly) or in Thai - Noi Na. How to eat it, useful properties and calorie content. Also harm from overeating noinah. Custard Apple or "Sugar Apple" (lat. Annona squamosa) is a deciduous fruit tree of the Annonaceae family. The Thai name is Noi Na (noinah). In India it is called sharifa, in China fan-li-chi, ati in Brazil. In Russia, the fruit is known as "scaly annona" (from the Latin name of the species), or cream apples.
The exact origin of this plant is unknown. Supposedly, like many annonaceae, noina was born in South America. And today the sugar apple is widely cultivated in South and Central America, the Caribbean islands, and Thailand. The Portuguese brought the sugar apple to India at the end of the 16th century. At this time, it was already cultivated in Indonesia and was widely distributed in southern China, Polynesia, Australia, Tropical Africa, the lowlands of Palestine, Egypt and the Hawaiian Islands. Moreover, this fruit is one of the most popular fruits in Brazil. This fruit is in great demand there, and can be found in any bazaar or market.
Description of annona scaly: tree and fruit
The tree reaches a height of 3 to 6 m, with an open crown and zigzag branches. Its dull green leaves are arranged on short, pubescent petioles. Biseriate, oblong and about 5-15 cm long. Small (2-4 cm) fragrant flowers are arranged singly along the branches or in groups of several. Inside - with a dark red or purple spot at the base. Consists of three outer yellow-green petals and three tiny inner pale yellow in color. Never, even during the period of pollination, do not open completely.
The sugar apple is large (about 300-350 g), it can be round, oblong or conical in shape. In length it reaches up to 10 cm. The peel is lumpy: it consists of convex segments, and can be painted in a pale green, bluish green or gray-green color. Inside there is a fibrous-creamy juicy pulp of a milky color, which has a delicious taste and aroma. Each segment contains one oblong seed. The harvesting season for noina is from June to September. Ripe fruits are very soft, with a thin skin, easily damaged. Overripe sugar apples open to reveal seeds.
How and what to eat in a sugar apple
The pulp of ripe Noi Na fruit is edible. The consistency is very similar to applesauce. The skin, as well as the bones, are not eaten. It is not difficult to open a ripe Thai fruit: it is simply broken in half or the skin flakes are opened. Some people eat noina with a spoon - in this case, it is better to cut the fruit in half with a knife.
In Malaysia, sugar apples are used in cooking in the manufacture of various desserts and soft drinks. (For example, you get a very tasty cocktail if you mix the flesh of annona scaly with ice-cold milk). The fruit is loved very much for its extraordinary rich taste. The ripe fruit is very sweet and a bit like cake cream. The only thing I don't like about this fruit is that it has a lot of seeds, from 20 to 40 pieces. You can't eat it like a persimmon (by the way, read about the properties of persimmon). In Thailand, noina costs about 50 baht per kg.
Composition
Vitamins:
- Niacin - 0.65-0.93 mg
- Thiamin - 0, 10-0, 13 mg
- Riboflavin - 0, 11-0, 17 mg
- Ascorbic acid - 35 - 43 mg
A number of vitamins, which the exotic fruit is rich in, have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. And the use of vitamins, group "B" promotes the renewal and growth of tissues, increases muscle endurance and participates in the formation of collagen. Also, the composition of Noyna includes irreplaceable for the human body amino acids:
- Lysine - 54-69 mg
- Tryptophan - 7-10 mg
- Methionine - 6-8 mg
They are involved in the construction of critical proteins and are a means of preventing many viral infections. The fruit is saturated with phosphorus - 23, 5-55, 2 mg. Calcium is present in large quantities - 19, 5-44 mg. The content of iron (0, 28-1, 34 mg) and other minerals is low.
Calorie content of sugar apple (Noi Na)
100 g of pulp is 104 kcal, it can be called one of the most high-calorie fruits. Also for this mass it contains:
- Carbohydrates - 19-25 g
- Proteins - 1, 5 -2, 5 g
- Fat - 0.4 g
- Calcium - 17 mg
Beneficial features
Due to its composition, the fruit perfectly satisfies hunger and thirst, is an excellent source of nutrients, vitamins and microelements.
Also, annona scaly is actively used in traditional medicine:
- In India, the pulp of ripe fruits is applied to tumors.
- For ulcers and wounds, Indians use crushed leaves of the plant.
- In Tropical America, a decoction of them is used as an excellent antipyretic agent.
- And to relieve rheumatic pain, patients are advised to take baths with a decoction of sugar apple leaves.
- In El Salvador, immature fruits are used for diarrhea.
- A decoction of the bark is effective for dysentery.
Harm
Benefit and harm always go hand in hand. Sugar apple seeds have a pungent taste. They are poisonous and poisoning can lead to serious consequences, and contact of juice in the eyes in some cases causes blindness! Do not get carried away with the delicious pulp of the fruit. It should be consumed in moderation.
Women who are pregnant should use sugar apple with caution due to its high calcium content.
