Its leaves are highly ornamental, evergreen, glossy, alternate, spirally clustered at the tips of the forked twigs elliptic, pointed at both ends, firm, 3 to 4 1/2 in (7.5-11.25 cm) long and 1 to 1 1/2 in (2.5-4 cm) wide. It is strong and wind-resistant, rich in white, gummy latex. The sapodilla is a fairly slow-growing, long-lived tree, upright and elegant, distinctly pyramidal when young to 60 ft (18 m) high in the open but reaching 100 ft (30 m) when crowded in a forest. Among numerous vernacular names, some of the most common are: baramasi (Bengal and Bihar, India) buah chiku (Malaya) chicle (Mexico) chico (Philippines, Guatemala, Mexico) chicozapote (Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela) chikoo (India) chiku (Malaya, India) dilly (Bahamas British West Indies) korob (Costa Rica) mespil (Virgin Islands) mispel, mispu (Netherlands Antilles, Surinam) muy (Guatemala) muyozapot (El Salvador) naseberry (Jamaica British West Indies) neeseberry (British West Indies nispero (Puerto Rico, Central America, Venezuela) nispero quitense (Ecuador) sapodilla plum (India) sapota (India) sapotí (Brazil) sapotille (French West Indies) tree potato (India) Ya (Guatemala Yucatan) zapota (Venezuela) zapote (Cuba) zapote chico (Mexico Guatemala) zapote morado (Belize) zapotillo (Mexico). One of the most interesting and desirable of all tropical fruit trees, the sapodilla, a member of the family Sapotaceae, is now known botanically as Manilkara zapota van Royen (syns. Great taste, almost like brown sugar fruit usually cost $4-$5 a piece making this tree a great value. The fruit size and tree size can vary according to variety, but rnall varieties begin to bear at one to two years of age. The fruit are most often eaten fresh, but they rnare great in milk shakes and cooked dishes as well. Recent selections of improved varieties have a very fine texture and incredibly large fruit size. Sapodilla also called chiku or Naseberry, Nispero, Sapote have an exquisite flavor that tastes like a pear that has been soaked in brown sugar. These compounds are essential for optimal health as they involve in various metabolic processes in the body as cofactors for the enzymes.Sapodilla Tree Grafted in a 3 Gallon Container. So also, consumption of foods containing vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance to combat infectious agents and help scavenge harmful free radicals from the human bodyįresh ripe Chikoo is a good source of minerals like potassium, copper, iron and vitamins like folate, niacin and pantothenic acid. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A has been known to offer protection from lung and oral cavity cancers. It also required for maintaining healthy mucosa and skin. Hence, these compounds may found useful applications in traditional medicines as antidiarrheal, hemostatic (stops bleeding) and as a remedy for hemorrhoids.įurthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of tannins helps limit conditions like erosive gastritis, reflux esophagitis, enteritis, and irritating bowel disorders.Ĭhikoo contains a good amount of antioxidant vitamins like vitamin-C (24.5% of recommended daily intake per 100 g of fruit), and vitamin A. Research studies suggest that tannins possess astringent properties, and shown to have potential anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-parasitic effects. Tannins are a composite family of naturally occurring polyphenols. This fiber content helps relieve constipation episodes and help protect mucosa of the colon from cancer-causing toxins.Ĭhikoo fruit is rich in antioxidant polyphenolic compound tannin. Additionally, it is an excellent source of dietary fiber (5.6 g/100g), which makes it a good bulk laxative. Scientific name: Manilkara zapota.Ĭhikoo is one of the high-calorie fruits 100 g provides 83 calories (almost same as that of calories in sweet potato, and banana). Chikoo is a tropical evergreen, fruit-bearing tree belongs to the family of Chikooceae, in the genus: Manilkara. It contains about 3-10 black, smooth, shiny bean shaped, inedible seeds, located at its center.īotanically, each sapodilla fruit is a berry round or oval measures about 10 cm in diameter and weigh about 150 g. Once ripen, it becomes soft, acquires a sweet taste and smooth or grainy texture with slight musky flavor. This milky latex gradually disappears, and its white flesh turns brown as the fruit ripe. Unripe fruits possess white, hard, inedible pulp that secretes sticky latex containing toxic substance saponin. Chikoo fruit has a brown, sandy outer surface but without the fuzziness. Chikoo is a popular tropical fruit composes of soft, easily digestible pulp made of simple sugars like fructose and sucrose.Ĭhikoo thought to have originated in the Central American rain forests, probably in Mexico and Belize. Exotic Fruit Market offers Chikoo fruits grown in the USA.
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