Description of the marang fruit. Composition, calorie content and nutrients in its fruits. What properties does it have on the body, possible contraindications and caution in use. Marang recipes.
Harm and contraindications to the use of marang
Despite the mass of useful properties, the fruit has some features that are important to consider when using it. Among them, there is a fairly high calorie content of the fetus, its saturation with fats, carbohydrates, specific substances that are not useful for everyone.
Consequences of Marang abuse:
- Weight gain … Marang is not only high in calories, but also high in vegetable fats and carbohydrates. This combination will only be beneficial if you lead an active lifestyle and play sports. Otherwise, you should not abuse the fruit.
- Increased cholesterol levels … Marang itself does not contain cholesterol. However, given the presence of vegetable fats in it, any incoming animal product will be perceived by the body as "excessive". If you have a lot of marang in your diet, you should plan your diet carefully and avoid overeating, in particular, animal foods.
- Strengthening metabolism … In addition to the positive aspects of an accelerated metabolism, excessive consumption of marang can lead to an increase in body temperature, stomach cramps, nausea and indigestion.
Absolute contraindications to the use of marang:
- Pregnancy … It is not known exactly how it will affect the body of a pregnant woman, given the high estrogen content. Be sure to consult your doctor about the contraindications for marang and the use of any exotic food.
- Diabetes … It is better for those suffering from this disease not to eat marang or to limit themselves to a very small amount of the product, given the high content of carbohydrates.
Marang recipes
This type of fruit is used not only in confectionery and baked goods. Sauces, casseroles, various side dishes and salads are prepared from it. Marang pulp is combined with almost any food, and its seeds are added to seasonings and eaten after roasting.
Marang recipes:
- Marang bread … For baking we need the following ingredients: 20 g flour, 1 egg, 100 g sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, 20 g butter, 450 g marang pulp, a little water or milk. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly to get a dense mass. Add water or milk if necessary for better mixing. Lubricate the bread pan with butter and place in the oven, preheated to 200 degrees. Cover with foil, place in a water bath and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Marang jam … For this marang recipe, take a glass of fruit pulp, remove the seeds and mix with a glass of white sugar. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice, place in a container and boil down for 30 minutes, adding a little water if necessary (if the jam is too dense and sticks to the walls of the dish). After cooling down, lay out in jars with lids and store in the refrigerator.
- Marang Seed Lollipops … Pick a ripe fruit and remove the seeds by drying them well in the sun. Fry lightly in a pan, then remove the shells. Prepare caramel with equal parts water and sugar, add seeds to a saucepan and cook until mixture is thick and sticky, suitable for hardening. Prepare a large wooden surface (such as a cutting board) and brush it with oil. Spread the caramel mass in small portions, rolling it out with a rolling pin. Shape the candies into the desired shape using a knife or special blanks. For long-term storage, wrap the caramel in confectionery paper and store in food containers.
- Marang flour … Remove the seeds from the fruit, dry well and fry. Remove the skin and blend thoroughly using a mortar or blender. Pack in jars or bags, store in a cool dry place.
Interesting facts about marang
The fruit, closely related to durian, has a strong aroma that may not always be pleasant. To get rid of it, you just need to remove the peel, since the foul-smelling essential oils are in it, but not in the pulp. The taste of ripe marang is almost creamy, reminiscent of a banana.
Trees bearing marang are extremely vulnerable to cold, therefore they grow only in areas where the temperature does not drop below +7 degrees. This greatly complicates the industrial cultivation of the fruit and its transportation to other countries. Marang was successfully acclimatized only in Australia, Brazil and some other tropical countries.
There are several marang-like plant species, such as Artocarpus sericicarpus, known in its homeland as bua-tarap, or Artocarpus sarawakensis, called pingan or mountain tarap. It is easy to confuse them, as the visual differences between species are extremely small. The first fruit is covered with hairs and may turn red, the second has an orange tint and large internal "sections". Despite the different shape and structure, all three types are equally useful and eaten.
There are many uses for marang seeds, stems and leaves. The substances in their composition purify the water, the seeds are stored ready-made or crushed, using instead of flour. Each marang fruit contains approximately 100 seeds, each weighing about a gram. Young fruits are eaten with milk and added to curries as a vegetable.
The marang tree grows up to 25 meters, but actively bears fruit for only about 5 years. Fruits that have fallen to the ground are usually not harvested, as their rind cracks and the contents deteriorate quickly. Marangi are picked green to maximize their shelf life.
The fruits are widely cultivated in the Philippines, where an average area of about 1,700 hectares is set aside for marang plantations. Trees are easily grown from seeds, which are extracted from ripe fruits, carefully cleaned and grown in nurseries in sandy loam soil.
If you want to sprout a marang seed on your own, you should remember that the latter also do not retain their viability for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary to moisten and fill the grain with earth as quickly as possible. If the planting is successful, the first sprout will appear after 4 weeks. The seedlings grow very quickly and are ready to be planted in the ground at the age of one year. Marang trees can also be propagated by budding on seedlings of other species (in particular Artocarpus elasticus or altilis).
The only pest dangerous to fruit is the fruit fly. No other marang pest has been identified, however many trees lose their leaves when fruit ripens on them.
Watch a video about the marang fruit:
Marang fruits are an excellent source of energy as they are high in carbohydrates, as well as vegetable fats and proteins. The fruit is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, fiber, retinol, beta-carotene, niacin, thiamine, vitamins A and C. As a result of its use, blood pressure is reduced, heart disease, stroke and cancer are prevented. The composition of marang is good for the digestive system, it is considered the "fruit of athletes" due to its unique components. The extremely short shelf life of the fruit limits their wider use, but in tropical countries, marang is easy to obtain and worth a try.