Kokum fruit has a scientific name Garcinia indica possess amazing health benefits and medicinal purposes. Kokum juice, butter and kokum sharbat are made up from its fruit that has amazing uses. Likewise, it promotes weight loss, helps to treat constipation and skin rashes. In Ayurveda, its juice is used to manage pitta dosha. In summer it is used as a cooling drink. Kokum fruit is loaded with antioxidants; consumption of kokum juice can give amazing skin and hair too.
Kokum is a tree that possesses fruits and is loaded with medicinal and culinary uses. It falls in the mangosteen family. In India, they occur in Western Ghats and Andaman Islands.
It possesses unique flavor and tart taste due to the presence of malic, tartaric and citric acid. The fresh fruit keeps small amounts of pectin, tannins, fat, and anthocyanins and sugars. It also contains some fatty acid like stearic acid, olein, palmitic acid and linoleic. The major active compound is garcinol.
Medicinal uses
1. Shows antidepressant properties
Kokum extract contains a positive effect on the nervous system and supports lower anxiety and depression. In our daily life, anxiety and depression are common problems and ingredients like kokum aids treat it safely. Studies support that it possesses anti-depressant properties.
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2. Shows antioxidant properties
As mentioned above, it is loaded with antioxidants that neutralize the harmful free radical that generates during metabolism in our body. It has been known to boost immunity and protect from diseases due to the presence of antioxidants. It is believed that consumption of kokum regularly will keep us healthy.
3. Shows anti-ulcer properties
Garcinol has free radical scavenging properties and also has anti-ulcer properties. It is helpful in countering the acidity problem. Consumption of kokum sharbat regularly helps to get rid of acidity problems.
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4. Contain anti-cancer properties
Studies show that Garcinol has amazing anti-cancer properties. Its anti-cancer properties may be due to its antioxidant nature. Some studies support this concept.
5. Helps in Parkinson’s disease
It has neuro protective properties and supports treating nerve related issues. Due to the presence of antioxidants it plays a vital role in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Regular consumption of kokum can help such people.
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6. Aids in type 2 diabetes
Oxidative stress is a factor in type 2 diabetes that depletes glutathione which leads to diabetic complications. It is believed that consumption of antioxidant loaded foods like kokum can reduce oxidative stress and aids restore the optimum level of glutathione result preventing diabetic complications.
7. Helps in weight loss
Some plants from this genus have been used for aiding weight loss. Garcinia cambogia is used for weight loss. Now kokum is also used as a weight loss supplement. Hydroxycitric acid available in its extracts is reported to lower blood lipids, reduce appetite therefore aiding in weight loss.
8. Act as a body coolant
Its sharbat has a cooling effect and is specially consumed during summer to counter heat stroke. Also, you can rub the fresh fruits on prickly heat rashes during summer; it is an amazing natural remedy for it.