Queries on bael fruit



What is bale fruit is a common question asked by many. This is because the fruit is widely used as part of many home remedies. Bael fruit is the fruit borne by the bael tree, which grows in places that have a subtropical climate like India, Australia or Africa. The bael tree grows to a height of eight to ten meters and has a stout trunk; it has straight leaves that grow outwards and green-white flowers. The fruit, also called Bengal Quince, is sought after for its medicinal properties. This oblong fruit that grows in clusters has a thick hard rind. When it is still unripe, it is grayish green in color, and on ripening, it turns yellow. The pale orange pulp is seen in sections with orange walls.

The bael fruit contains 1.8% protein, 61.5% moisture, 0.3% fat, 1.7% minerals, 2.9% fiber, and 31.8% carbohydrates, in 100 grams of edible fruit portion. Its vitamin and mineral contents include iron, phosphorus, carotene, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C, and niacin. So what is bael fruit used for? Benefits of bael fruit can be availed both in the unripe and in the ripened stage. Unripe bael fruit is boiled, and the pulp is used to treat diarrhea. When it is just about to ripen, the fruit is cut into rings and dried in the sun. Once they are bone dry, the slices are powdered and stored. This bael fruit powder is an effective medicine for dysentery and diarrhea. Baked unripe bael combined with unrefined brown sugar can also be used as medicine. The pulp of ripe bael acts as an excellent laxative, helping to eliminate long-term accumulated debris from the intestines. With regular consumption of bael fruit, constipation can be easily overcome.

For those who do not know what bael fruit is, the flavor of the ripe fruit may be a little strong. Made into a marmalade or jam, the fruit pulp can be safely consumed even by those with intestinal problems. Drinking a beverage made of bael fruit pulp, milk, and sugar is said to be helpful in healing peptic ulcers as the viscous liquid forms a protective layer over the mucosa in the stomach lining. Bael fruit is also useful in the fight against scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. The pulp of the fruit has been made into a toffee so that even children who are not aware of what is bael fruit can get the medicinal benefits of the fruit. Bael fruit tea is made from sun-dried slices of bael fruit. The sun-dried slices are roasted to bring out the aroma of the fruit, and then boiled in water to get a strong decoction. Sugar may be added to the strained liquid and the tea is served chilled. Bael fruit tea benefits include healing internal wounds like hemorrhoids and ulcers, disinfecting the gastro-intestinal tract, and getting rid of accumulated toxins in the intestines.

Other parts of the Bael tree have beneficial properties as well. Some of the common benefits of bael are as follows:
  • The root of the bael fruit can be used to cure ear problems. Take some bael root, dip it in oil, and light it. The oil that is obtained from the burning root helps provide relief from ear ache. Make sure you cool the oil before putting it in your ears. This helps cure chronic inflammation, infection and discharge.
  • Those suffering from peptic ulcer can get relief by drinking an infusion made from bael leaves. Soak these leaves in water for about 12 hours, strain it and drink this in the morning. The discomfort and pain lessens when this concoction is drunk for a couple of weeks. The tannins in bael leaves helps reduce the inflammation and heal the ulcers.

answered by G M


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