Three seasonal fruits available in Tamil Nadu — eecham pazham, naaval pazham and ayini pazham — have a lot more nutritional properties than most other fruits, says food technologist Maria Jenita. She explains the benefits of these fruits in detail and why they should be consumed during this season
Naaval pazham, Maria Jenita
Chennai:
Naaval pazham
Seasonal fruits are the best source of Vitamin C. Citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C only when in season and not throughout the year. One such fruit is jaamun/naaval pazham that has Vitamin C and Iron. This fruit also cleans the gut and parasitic worms. Though we include healthy foods, still we are deficient in nutrients because of the intestinal worms. The worms, if present, obstruct the absorption of nutrients. That said, monsoon season also paves the way for such parasitic activity. Nature-wise, jamun acts as a coolant that helps cure digestive ailments like diarrhoea, indigestion, and dysentery in the changing weather (summer to monsoon). It also regulates bowel movement during the monsoon season.
It is also a perfect fruit for diabetes management — jamun helps in slowing down the process of converting starch into sugar. That leads to lesser chances of a sudden spike in blood sugar levels when the starch in your food is metabolised. This is how an indigenous superfood benefits our body during the season by building the required immunity. While the same Vitamin C-rich orange or apple won’t work in this season and does not boost immunity. Remember, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, only when the apple is in season.
Ayini pazham
This fruit is a mini jackfruit known as anjili chakka — it is precisely a jackfruit of an apple size. It is rare, indigenous and seasonal produce to the regions closely surrounding the Western Ghats. Ayini pazham is known to reduce the water content in the body. Nutrients like Vitamin B and potassium are abundant in this fruit. Do you know that the seeds of this fruit are healthy too? These seeds are rich in thiamin and riboflavin which help in turning the food you eat into energy and keep your eyes, skin and hair healthy. Its seeds also contain compounds that have an antimicrobial effect, which could help prevent contamination with bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses and it’s an age-old cure for asthma.
Eecham pazham
The date palm has been prized from remotest antiquity for surviving the arid space. Date fruits are harvested at three stages, khalal or doka stage (fresh fruits), soft or ripen stage (pind or tamar) and dry stage (chuhhara). Before the monsoon commences the harvesting is finished. At the doka stage, these bright yellow and red raw dates are in season now; grown in arid areas of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. These fruits are seasonal energy boosters and build immunity and are much needed for the upcoming monsoon season.
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