All About Carambola: The Vitamin-packed Fruit You Should Be Eating

Carambola, also called Starfruit or Scarlet-fruited Vine, is a tropical fruit with an impressive amount of vitamins. In fact, it contains more Vitamin C than oranges and other fruits. If you’ve never heard of carambola before now, that’s because this exotic-sounding fruit is native to Southeast Asia and northern Australia. But thankfully for those of us who love new and interesting tastes in our fruit bowl, the carambola is increasingly becoming easier to find here in North America. Here are all the facts about carambola, from its nutrition profile and benefits to how to use this unusual fruit at home.
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What is Carambola?
Carambola, also known as starfruit and scarlet-fruited vine, is a tropical and subtropical fruit. It has a sweet and sour taste, and is rich in Vitamin C. The carambola is a native plant of Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The name carambola is a Spanish modification of the Malayalam word “karambola”, which means “sail jousting”. This name refers to the method of tree cultivation by tying cuttings to stakes. The carambola is also known as star fruit, and belongs to the same family as currants, grapes and pomegranates. The carambola is related to the sweet, black, blue and pink varieties of birimbola — known as ”Golden Temple Sap” in South Asian markets — which is grown in the South Pacific, West Indies and Africa.

How to Select and Store Carambola
To get the best carambola, choose fruits that are heavy for their size and have smooth and unblemished skin. Avoid any that have a green tinge or are squishy. The color of the fruit’s skin can vary from yellow to orange or red, and the flesh inside can be white, yellow or pink. You can buy carambola fresh, canned or dried. Fresh carambola is available in your local supermarket, or you can find it at an Asian or Hispanic grocery store. Store fresh carambola in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can also freeze it for longer storage. Dried carambola will keep for about a year stored in an airtight container. If you want to grow carambolas at home, you can find seeds and growing instructions online.

Carambola Nutrition
Carambola’s high Vitamin C content makes it a great choice for boosting your immunity and fighting off colds and flu. It’s also a good source of iron, manganese, Vitamin B6 and fiber. One ounce of carambola also contains about 36 calories. Vitamin C: 36% Iron: 6% Manganese: 8% Vitamin B6: 8% Folate: 3% Vitamin K: 2% Vitamin A: 2% Copper: 6% Fibre: 2% Potassium: 2% If you’re looking to lose weight, carambola is a great choice for snacks. It’s very low in calories, fat and sugar, and has a high amount of fiber to keep you full and help with digestion. If you’re trying to gain weight, you can also eat carambola. It contains a small amount of protein and a lot of Vitamin C, which boosts your metabolism and increases your calorie burn.
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Benefits of Eating Carambola
Carambola is a good source of Vitamin C, which is great for your immune system, skin health and healing wounds. Eating carambola can also help reduce inflammation and boost your mood. Carambola is low in calories and has a high amount of fiber, which can help with digestion and weight loss. Carambola is also a good source of iron, manganese, Vitamin B6 and other vitamins and minerals.

How to Eat Carambola
Fresh carambola is best eaten raw, as it is not very good when cooked. If you’re slicing it for a salad or other dish, keep in mind that the seeds are very small and easy to miss. Dried carambola can be eaten as is or rehydrated in water for about 15 minutes before eating. You can also make dried carambola into a tea or add it to smoothies. Carambola can be used as a substitute for lemons, limes and oranges in drinks, desserts, marinades and more. You can also use it in place of papaya for a less acidic taste and texture in salads.

Final Words
Carambola is a tropical fruit that is rich in Vitamin C, and one serving of this delicious treat has more than an orange! This is a great choice if you’re trying to lose weight, as it contains almost no calories and is high in fiber. Carambola can be eaten as is, blended into smoothies, or added to salads and other dishes. It can also be dehydrated and used as a tea. Now that you know all about carambola, go get yourself a taste. And don’t forget to share the facts with your friends so they can enjoy this delicious treat, too.

Reference:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carambola
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/star-fruit-101#:~:text=Star%20fruit%20%E2%80%94%20or%20carambola%20%E2%80%94%20is,and%20a%20larger%2C%20sweeter%20one.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wikihow.com/Eat-a-Star-Fruit%3famp=1

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