Tamarind is known for its sour-sweet flavor. It is widely used in Indian and African cuisine. It is also used in some Asian and Middle Eastern food.
Tamarind gives a tangy-sweet flavor to the dish. The extracts of this popular fruit are used in ancient medicine to treat malaria, snake bites, constipation, diabetes, and many chronic and acute conditions.
Health Benefits of Tamarind
1. Mitigate liver injury
Chronic inflammation in the body affects the liver. In a study, rats suffering from arthritis were fed with tamarind seed extract. The rats showed a reduction in liver oxidative stress.
The active procyanidin content in tamarind extract checks free radical damage of liver. A decrease in the level of inflammatory markers, such as glutathione, thiols, reductase, and glutathione peroxidase, was noted.
The minerals in tamarind are nickel, copper, selenium, manganese, and iron and this help improve your body’s defense mechanism against oxidative stress. Vitamin E and selenium protect lipid content in the liver cell from free radical attack.
2. Can help lighten the skin
The pulp of tamarind is used as a natural skin scrub. It provides smoother and lighter skin due to the presence of alpha-hydroxyl acid (AHAs). These AHAs in tamarind include tartaric acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and malic acid. The AHAs, pectin, and inverted sugar moisturize and hydrate the skin.
The tamarind pulp possesses skin lightening properties. The recent study on 11 male volunteers investigated the impact of tamarind seed extract on the skin tone.
3. May help in weight management
Obesity is associated with heart, kidney, liver, and other metabolic disorders. Researchers studied the effect of tamarind on weight reduction and obesity in rats. The tamarind pulp lowered the bad cholesterol and increased good cholesterol content in plasma.
The anti-obesity effect was observed when rats having high-fat diet received tamarind pulp extract for 10 weeks. The study also showed body weight loss in those rats.
The extract can induce beneficial effects in obese rats. More studies are required to analyze what other substances in this plant contributed to this benefit.
4. Relieves constipation and stomach ache
Tamarind has been used as a laxative due to its high amount of malic and tartaric acid. It also has potassium bitartrate, which together with other active ingredients helps relieve constipation.
Diarrhea and constipation cause abdominal pain. The tamarind bark and root extract have been found to be effective in treating stomach ache.
5. Promotes heart health and control hypertension
The dried pulps of tamarind were supposed to have anti-hypertensive effect. Tamarind pulp has the ability to reduce diastolic blood pressure.
Animal studies have showed the anti-atherosclerotic effect of this wonderful fruit. So, tamarind extract is effective in lowering the risk of atherosclerosis in humans.
6. May manage hyperglycemia and diabetes
Tamarind lowers the blood sugar level in diabetic rats. The fruit can neutralize hyperglycemia in rats which had severe diabetes.
One of the main reasons of diabetes is the inflammation of pancreatic cell, especially in the cells that make insulin. As tamarind can stop the production of pro-inflammatory chemical such as TNF alpha, it could protect pancreas from inflammation-related damage.
7. Helps prevent malaria
Tamarind has been widely used as a fever control medicine in traditional medicine. This fruit is a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial features.
The extracts of tamarind have inhibitory effect against many infection-causing microorganisms.
Various parts of the plant have been used to treat malaria. Fevers caused by bacterial infections could be managed with tamarind extract. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can play a critical role in these cases.
8. Prevents peptic ulcers
Peptic ulcers can be painful. These are sores that appear in the inner layer of the stomach and the small intestine. The polyphenolic compounds in tamarind can prevent ulcers.
9. Helps with digestion
Tamarind is used as a laxative due to its malic acid, tartaric acid, and potassium. It can relax abdominal muscles so it is used as a remedy for diarrhoea. The fruit is also used to relieve constipation, and the leaves can treat diarrhea. The root can be consumed to treat abdominal pain.
10. Aids in healthy heart
Flavonoids in tamarind lower LDL and raise HDL levels, preventing the accumulation of triglycerides in the blood. It has high potassium content that can help keep blood pressure in control.
Side effects of tamarind
1. Increases bleeding with some drugs
Tamarind could raise the risk of bleeding and can be dangerous when taken with some medications. These include:
- Aspirin
- Non-steroidal drugs
- Anticoagulants or blood thinners
- Anti-platelet drugs
If you eat tamarind with any of above medications, the rate of absorption in the body will go up. The actions of the drugs will increase, which will lead to excessive bleeding.
2. Leads to hypoglycemia
Regular consumption of tamarind in more quantity could cause fall in the serum glucose levels, leading to hypoglycemia. The adequate intake of 10 gm of tamarind in a day is recommended which is only 0.8 percent of regular dietary intake.
Consumption of tamarind in excess could cause glucose deficiency in the body. So, diabetics who are taking drug for lowering blood sugar levels should be careful while consuming tamarind.
3. May cause allergy
Allergy is one of the most common side effects of tamarind. There are many people who are sensitive to this fruit and can develop a number of symptoms such as itching, rashes, inflammation, lightheadedness, stinging sensation, vomiting, fainting, and shortness of breath by eating it.
4. Can damage tooth enamel
This fruit is acidic by nature. If you eat tamarind in excess, the enamel of the teeth is likely to get damaged by its acid ingredients. Too much tamarind is bad for your health and teeth.
5. Forms gallstones
A study conducted by Indian scientists has revealed that frequent ingestion of more amounts of tamarind could promote formation of stones in the gallbladder. It might lead to many health problems, including acute fever, jaundice, nausea, abdominal cramping, vomiting, liver problems, and digestive issues.