Rambutan Fruit: Health Benefits, Uses and Side Effects

Rambutan Fruit

Of the spiky or hairy skin of this Malaysia, southeast Asian tropical fruit, the rambutan’s name is derived from the Malay word for hair, Rambut. The round or oval fruit, sometimes comparable in size to a golf ball, may be red, yellow or orange when ripe. Inside, the flesh is translucent and juicy, and tastes sweet and slightly acidic, reminding one of lychee. The pulp inside a rambutan or aril is soft white to pale pink and with a delicate texture.

Rambutan fruit is rich in vitamin C antioxidants and several minerals. Most are often consumed raw but it can also be put into many different beverages, salads and desserts. Rambutan fruit is sweet, slick, smooth and silky.It tastes great. It has a slightly acidic flavor often compared to a little like grape flavor.

Rambutan Fruit Benefits

Rambutans include vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can offer important nutritional advantages. For example folate is an important vitamin necessary for healthy cell division and DNA duplication.

Rambutans are also high in potassium, a mineral which pumps your heart, keeps your kidneys going and makes your muscles contract.This fruit is also an excellent source of trace nutrients like zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. These will make your digestive system better, make blood move better by iron, vitamin C to boost your immune system and many more antioxidants preventing chronic diseases. Some of these are discussed below in detail:

Lower risk of Cancer

Rambutans have the greatest antioxidant vitamin C. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals. These are the free oxygen radicals that cause cell damage. It has been proven that antioxidants can help decrease cell damage, and they can therefore reduce the risk factor of cancer for many people.

Healthier Lungs

Two rambutans fruit are sufficient to meet the daily vitamin C requirements of a healthy individual. Aside from increasing iron absorption and, hence, increasing the blood flow, Vitamin C increases the white blood cells in one’s body to raise its resistance. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that the body uses to remove toxins from the body even though it is indispensable for the growth of all tissues in the body. Some extracts from the rambutan fruit therefore contribute to fighting infections. These extracts ensure your body’s immunological system will be able to fight infections by disrupting multiplication by viruses.

Gastrointestinal health.

Rambutans, may improve your digestive system.There are two types of dietary fiber that could be present in rambutans, soluble and insoluble. Since the dietary fiber from rambutans can help increase the volume of stools, preventing impaction it should also alleviate constipation. Insoluble fiber makes it a little easier for your intestines to digest more complex foods by providing nutrients for the “good” bacteria inside your digestive system.

Heart Health:

The healthiest benefit of potassium from rambutans is its contribution to the control of heart health. Potassium is needed for normal blood pressure. Potassium reduces the risks of developing hypertension and helps improve proper circulation through the dilation of blood vessel walls. Moreover, rambutan increases the level of good HDL cholesterol and decreases the level of bad LDL cholesterol, thus allowing an increase in activities in the heart muscles. The dual action, therefore, improves health and may even contribute to better chances of no heart attack or stroke, thus bringing about a healthier life for an extended time.

It is nutrient-rich:

Rambutan contains much vitamin C-an antioxidant that keeps off and strengthens the immune system. Vitamin C assists in making of collagen that maintains the youthfulness and glow of skin. It also contains antioxidants that counter oxidative stress with decreased risks of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease and reduces inflammation.

Anemia

It plays a role in the enhancement of the body’s ability to take up the iron from the diet for prevention of anemia. Since iron has the role of transporting oxygen and nutrients throughout the body by red blood cells, it is deficiency in iron that is responsible for anemia – weakness and exhaustion. Thus, your body would stand a better chance of picking efficiency from iron intake with the other foods when you take rambutan. This would then increase red blood cell production and subsequently give you more energy.

Digestive Health.

Rambutan dietary fiber prevents constipation and hence frequent bowel movements promote digestion health.It helps the body flush out toxins as it helps add bulk to stool easy going for its movements.This ensures proper maintenance of proper kidney functioning. Rambutan is a great accompaniment after any heavy meal. It helps dissolve intestinal problems like gas and bloating.

Muscle Relief:

Rambutan is rich in magnesium, which is an essential nutrient in the proper working of muscles.As magnesium promotes contraction, as well as relaxation of the muscles rambutan is very helpful for athletes or those who perform strenuous physical activities because of their need for a healthy reservoir of magnesium for rebuilding the muscle tissue. There are sometimes relief of soreness and cramping in muscles or muscles heal faster if eaten soon after engaging in any kind of physical activities.

Bone Health:

Rambutan contains calcium, an element very essential to keeping your bones strong and healthy. Adequate amounts of calcium ensure perfect bone density and safeguards several diseases, including osteoporosis. Because rambutan is rich in potassium, it ensures cells and tissues absorb minerals the best, which makes your bones strong and functional for life.

Urinary Tract Health:

Rambutan is rich in vitamin C. Although this vitamin is a booster of the immunity system, it has anti inflammatory characters that reduce inflammation in the bladder of women. Antioxidants in rambutan keep the urinary system healthy and help prevent infections by making the body expel harmful bacteria and free radicals from its body. This eliminates proper wastes removal without allowing poisonous substances to accumulate inside the excretory system.

Hydration and Weight Loss:

Rambutan is very high in water, so hydrating itself is very good. Hydration is a major part of a general health, especially if it is a hot climate. In addition, the percentage that rambutan contains is very high in fiber with relatively low calorie count, thus, may make you feel full but not hungry enough to binge. This does make it pretty neat for snack weight management.

Nutrition Facts for Rambutan fruit per 100 grams:

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	68 kcal
Carbohydrates	16 g
Dietary Fiber	0.9 g
Sugars	9.6 g
Protein	0.9 g
Fat	0.2 g
Vitamin C	20 mg (33% DV)
Calcium	22 mg (2% DV)
Iron	0.4 mg (2% DV)
Magnesium	18 mg (5% DV)
Potassium	42 mg (1% DV)
Phosphorus	9 mg (1% DV)

Rambutan Fruit Side Effects

It is rambutan, for instance-by far one attractive supplement to include in a balanced diet with so many nutrients and health benefits in moderation.

• As with most things, moderation is the key: though rambutan is pretty safe almost all the time, overconsumption can cause constipation, ulcers, and acid reflux.

• Alcohol: The free fructose found in fruits that are overripe can convert into alcohol. Rambutans can be high in blood cholesterol and therefore are not advisable for people who are diabetics and suffer from heart problems.

• Allergic reactions may also usher in gastrointestinal upset, swelling, and itchiness.
• High sugar: Rambutan will not be a good option for people who keep their sugar levels low as it contains many natural sugars.

• Gastrointestinal Problems: For those who consume large quantities of high fiber fruits, they often suffer from bloating or diarrhea due to not being used to them.

• Pits: If the inedible pit is not removed from the fruit before consumption then it may cause choking.

• Interaction with drugs: If you are on some medication, make sure to consult your doctor about rambutan as the fruits may react with some of the drugs used.

How to Eat rambutan Fruit

The fuzzy skin makes the Rambutan fruit look a little tricky, but actually, it’s not at all difficult to enjoy once you know how to peel. The easy skin cuts easily with soft spines, and after peeling, you find a fruit which is cherry-sized with a pit inside. This fruit can be eaten raw, but chewing when eating these fruits needs to be careful to avoid the pit inside. Its sweet, juicy taste is great for addition to smoothies, fruit salads, or even ice cream and sorbet. You can also freeze the rambutan to use in cocktails or making jam. The fruit is a delicious addition to your meals and snacks!

Rambutan Juice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4-5 ripe rambutans
• 1-2 tbsp honey or sugar (optional, to taste)
• 1 glass water
• Lime or lemon juice squeeze (optional)
• Ice cubes (optional)

Instructions

• Preparation of Rambutans: Cut the rambutans in halves and scoop the pulp. Discard the seeds and skin.

• Blending: Take all the rambutan pulp, water, and honey or sugar (if using), and blend well until smooth.

• Strain (optional): If you would prefer a smoother juice, you may strain this mixture in a fine sieve or cheesecloth and separate it from its pulp.

• Add Citrus (optional): Add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice for that little extra flavor

• Serve: Pour the juice over ice if you would like and enjoy!

Benefits of Rambutan Juice

Nutrient Rich Vitamin C:

• Rambutans are very rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is important in the development of collagen, the functioning of the immune system, and maintains healthy skin.
• Iron: The fruit is rich in iron, which is important to help sustain the oxygen-carrying mechanism of the blood and to ward off anemia.
• Antioxidants: Flavonoids and phenolic compounds with a wide presence in rambutans can protect against oxidative stress.

Hydration

• High in Water: Rambutans have a very high water content, and the juice would most likely be a good means of hydrating for most conditions, especially when one is a prerequisite to exercise or in warmer climates.

Gut Health

• Rambutan fruit pulp is rich in dietary fibers, hence this can ensure a normal flora in the digestive system, easy digestion, and also prevent constipation.

Antioxidant Properties

• The antioxidants present in rambutan juice help to fight free radicals and thereby reduce diseases that are resulted by chronic conditions and makes the whole body fit.
• Low Calorie Replacement for Weight Control: It could aid in weight loss or weight retention since rambutan juice has very low calories and can replace high-calorie drinks with sugar and sweeten up one’s beverage choice.

Anti-Aging

• Synthesis of Collagen for Healthy Skin: Vitamin C content from rambutan juice is critical in the synthesis of collagen, which tightens skin and reduces signs of aging.

Lower Inflammation

• Possible Relief: There are researches indicating that rambutan antioxidants can be anti-inflammatory and help in lowering the body inflammation rate.

Cardiovascular Heart Health

• Cholesterol Level Handling: The rambutan fruit contains antioxidants and fiber, which may reduce cholesterol and encourage blood flow to contribute to cardiovascular heart health.

Diabetes Blood Sugar Regulation

• Glycemic Control: A moderate intake of rambutan juice will also be much better in the aspect of maintaining healthy blood sugar levels since it is likely to have a low glycemic index.

Healthy Bones

• Mineral Content: Rambutans have two essential minerals calcium and phosphorus.

Note: Always consult a doctor before taking Rambutan fruit if you have any problems with it or any other.

Also Read: Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies: Benefits, Nutrition and Side Effects
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