THE ELEPHANT 'S FAVOURITE

THE  ELEPHANT APPLE


One more popular fruit of North-eastern part of India particularly Assam is the Elephant Apple or Dillenia indica. It is called 'Ou-tenga' in Assamese and 'chalta' in Hindi .The  fruit  is native to South-eastern Asia and found abundantly in India,Srilanka, China, Vietnam,Thailand,Malaysia and Indonesia. Today  the fruit  grows throughout Asia  and parts of Australia. In India, the fruit  grows in the northern tropical region particularly in Assam,West Bengal,Bihar,Odisha,Madhya Pradesh and toward  the south in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The fruit also thrives in swamps,semi-tropical and the evergreen forest of the sub-Himalayan tract from Kumaon to Garhwal.

The  existence of the elephant apple in the wild indicates elephant habitat. This fruit is commonly called elephant apple because it is a favorite fruit of the elephants and these elephant are important seed dispenser.It is therefore prohibited to collect these fruits from the  core areas of forest. Large scale commercial sale of the fruit is also prohibited to avoid distrubances of the food chain system of the forest.

Elephant apple is an evergreen medium sized tree growing 15 m tall.The tree bears aromatic flowers in June for three weeks and then bears fruit from september to January.The flower of this tree are visibly large and grow 15-20 cm in diameter,each bearing 5 petals and multiple yellow stamens that attracts the bees. The fruit is large and hard,12-15 cm in diameter and an aggregate of 15 carpels, each  carpel containing five seeds embedded in a gelatinous pulp.The unripe fruit is greenish yellow and leathery brown when fully ripe.

The edible part of the fruit is the crunchy outer carpels and the pulp.The fruit as a whole has an aromatic flavour.It is sour in taste turning slightly sweet when ripe.The fruit is rarely eaten raw.In Assam , crunchy outer carpels are used in flavoring lentils,making pickles, juices and fish curries. The jelly-like pulp is traditionally used as shampoo for washing hair.However, in some Asian countries the jelly-like pulp is used to make jam and preserves.

The interesting facts about the elephant apple is that the pickles and the dishes prepared using elephant apple is all time favourite among the Assamese people.The elderly in the family would always advise to consume the fruit during the period of its availability as it is loaded with so many vitamins and minerals.

Let's see how elephant apple can rejuvenate us-

*Get rid of high blood pressure- Including elephant apple in any form in the diet normalize blood pressure.

*Eye Care-Eyes are often neglected unless and until confronted by some major eye problem.Consuming elephant apple will maintain eye health naturally as it is rich in Vitamin A.

*Increase immunity-The sour taste of the fruit indicate the presence of vitamin C which increases immunity.Taking elephant apple is like preparing your body to fight any kind of infection.

*Looking  younger-The elephant apple is rich in vitamin C.This vitamin is essential for the synthesis of collagen,which is a type of protein that helps to make the skin firm.Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights off free radicals that quickens skin aging.

*Boost stamina-Loaded with vitamin B,eating elephant apple can make you more energetic and significantly improve your nerve cells and brain function.

*Remove iron deficiency-Elephant apple is rich in iron. Regular consumption prevents anemia.It also helps in flushing out toxic substances from the bloodstream.

*Protects vital organs-The elephant apple is excellent for the overall well-being of the kidney,heart and the liver.

Stomach problem- Elephant apple is rich in laxative properties that is usually used to cure abdominal pain.The fruit is used in traditional medicines to cure stomach related problems.Elephant apple is antidiabetic,antimicrobial,analgesic and anti-inflammatory.

So friends,nature is abundant in so many nutritionally rich fruits and vegetables.Just a glimpse to this 'book of nature' and with very little effort include fruits like elephant apple or Ou-tenga in your diet which will take overall care of your health,preventing many health issues as it is well said 'Prevention is better than cure'.Ofcourse, due to this reason people traditionally consume these kind of fruits to prevent health problems.