The raw fruit of Chikoo (Botanical name: Manilkara zapota (sapodilla) is hard, juicy, and astringent, but when ripe, becomes soft and juicy, which can look almost like a pear. Some chikoo are seedless but usually contain 3 to 12 seeds. Chikoo is known to be an energy booster and is counted among high-calorie fruits. The sweet taste of chikoo-fruit is due to simple sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose.
The main producing countries of Chikoo (Top Health Benefits of Manilkara zapota)
Chikoo is basically a fruit of America and South America. Its tree is commercially grown in India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala and Central America. India is the largest producer.
Varieties of Chikoo
Chikoo is often considered a slow-growing evergreen tree, many varieties of chikoo have been adopted for cultivation in India, such as – black leaf – black leaf The fruits of chikoo are oval and the seeds are low. Others – brown leaves and perennials.
Income during farming
According to climatic conditions and irrigation facilities, many plants can be cultivated in chikoo field till the chikoo plants grow up, such as peas, cauliflower, eggplant, tomato, cocoa, pineapple, pumpkin, banana and papaya etc. In this way, it is possible to use and earn resources even till the fruit is harvested in Chiku.
What are the benefits of Chikoo?
- Fruits and leaves are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidant compounds. Chikoo is also antibacterial.
- Vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals are abundant in the fruit.
- Chikoo contains flavonoids and bioactive polyphenolic compounds.
- Chikoo contains a type of natural phenol and antioxidant called catechin, which is present in chikoo leaves.
- Chikoo contains natural antioxidants that can help protect human cells from the effects of free radicals.
- They can promote free radical cancer cells and also induce other diseases.
- Leaf decoction is consumed in fever, bleeding, wounds and ulcers, but only by asking a specialist.
- The leaves have anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterol and antioxidant properties. Anti-inflammatory and arthritis-relieving symptoms have also been found in the leaf extract.
- The leaves have been found to have antimicrobial, especially antibacterial properties.
- Raw fruit juice has been said to be helpful in the treatment of diarrhea.
- The decoction of the bark of the tree has been considered useful in the treatment of malaria symptoms such as high fever and chills.
- In neuralgia, it is said to crush the leaves of chikoo in oil and apply it on the affected area.
- After delivery, chikoo flowers are used as an ingredient of powder to rub on the mother’s body.
- The bark is considered astringent, antipyretic and invigorating.
- Chikoo is high in calories (about 83 calories in 100 grams of chikoo).
- Chikoo contains a high amount of dietary fiber, which makes enough stool in the stomach and helps in keeping the bowel movement normal.
- Chikoo contains high amounts of vitamin-A, which helped in keeping chikoo vision normal.
- Due to the abundance of vitamin-C, chikoo helps the body’s immune system in fighting infections.
At the industrial level, gem, jelly and chewing gum are manufactured from chikoo. - Potassium – Potassium present in chikoo is a mineral that is a type of electrolyte that is essential in the functioning of nerves and helps in muscle contraction. It regulates the heart rate and also helps in the delivery of nutrients to the cells and removes waste products from there.
- Copper– Chikoo contains copper, it plays a role in the formation of red blood cells, maintenance of nerve cells and immune system functions.
- It also helps in the formation of collagen in the body and absorption of iron in the body from the diet.
- Most of the body’s copper is found in the liver, heart, brain, kidneys and skeletal muscles.
- Iron – It is essential in the growth and development of the body, along with the body needs iron in the formation of hemoglobin and the hemoglobin of red blood cells is such an iron-rich protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Iron is also necessary to make a protein called myoglobin, which provides oxygen to the muscles. Iron also plays its role in the formation of many hormones. Chikoo contains a sufficient amount of iron.
Folate – Also known as vitamin B9, a water-soluble vitamin that normalizes healthy cell division and pregnancy and reduces the risk of birth defects. Folate is also found in chikoo. - Vitamin B1 – Also called thiamine, which is present in chikoo, it protects against complications in the nervous system, brain, muscles, heart, stomach and intestines. It also plays a role in the flow of electrolytes in and out of muscle and nerve cells. Vitamin B1 is helpful in protecting against a disease called berry-berry, which is a pathology related to the heart, nerves and digestive system.
Vitamin B5 – Also called pantothenic acid, it is also necessary for the formation of blood cells in the body and for the conversion of food into energy.
Precautions related to chikoo
- Old leaves of chikoo contain toxic alkaloids, so keep them away from the play of young children.
- The seeds contain hydrocyanic acid, the seeds have to be removed before eating the fruit.
Did you like the article on Benefits of Chiku / How did you like this article on the benefits of chikoo? Please share your comments.
