Get To Know - Tamarind Benefits

Since childhood tamarind is my favourite when i was kid, i played under a shadow of giant old tamarind tree aww still that's kinda nostalgic when i write this beautiful childhood memories are coming to my mind . I have tasted its flowers ,tiny growing leaves ,green baby tamarind and fruits,every morning me and my friends walk around the tree to pick fallen tamarinds ,we add salt or chilly powder to eat the fresh green tamarind that tastes woaaa sour yuMmm  . Every tamarind tree has different types of  tamarind some trees yield sweet fruits and some other trees yield fruits kind of sour in taste . Generally the sweet ones are good to taste raw and the sour ones will be used for preparing tamarind water that is pepper water (south indian cooking method ). Not only for cooking in villages after cooking vessels like copper /silver /aluminium vessels can be washed with tamarind for removing stained discolouration or the blemish mark people use tamarind just like a dishwasher and that works .We eat tamarind for digestion , its so good for the digestive system,this sweet and tangy fruit has lots of benefits it is also legume.In india we preserve our cuisine by adding little amount of  tamarind in dishes,it  works like natural preservative for storing currys /gravys.Tamarind extracts were also reported to be antimicrobial, anti-venom, antioxidant, wound healing, and effective against diabetes, malaria, and asthma. I read an article "Each 100 grams of tamarind contain 36% of the thiamin, 35% of the iron, 23% of magnesium and 16% of the phosphorus recommended for a day's worth of nutrition. Other prominent nutrients include niacin, calcium, vitamin C, copper, and pyridoxine ".You can store tamarind for years .But if you store it for more than one year that will look dry or kinda shrinked

Tamarind trees can produce long curvy brown shelled fruits it has brown to black seeds inside sectioned like tiny compartment :P  i mean the way it looks . Generally in market you can get the processed tamarind which may look like layered sheets, juice base/syrup or sometimes it can be natural for exporting purposes -raw shelled packed but that depends.When you buy in supermarket may be it can come with additives that can alter the natural nutritional benefits.

In a medical article i read the goodness of tamarind , it is said this fruit has liver protective qualities .It has been shown to decongest the liver and gallbladder, as well as to provide antioxidant protection from free radical damage to the liver.There they also mentioned studies were showing " Liver retained normal hepatic function with fewer areas of damage ,when pre-treated with tamarind extracts, possibly related to the free radical scavenging effects".Apart from this generally tamarind is good for diabetes and obesity.Dried or boiled tamarind leaves and flowers are made into poultices for swollen joints, hemorrhoids, boils, sprains, and conjunctivitis.Recently modern medicine reasearches proved it is effective to treat abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, parasitic infections, fevers, constipation, inflammation, gonorrhea, and eye diseases with tamarind theraphy.But i have used tamarind for stomach discomfort and indigestion that was absolutely amazing to treat digestion disorders.

Tamarind is good for skin and hair it has many ayurvedic benefits,you can apply the pulp of tamarind directly on skin it will unclogs pores good for exfoliating skin , it will clean the layer naturally . It has compunds like AHA's(Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids)which is good for skin enhance skin radiance naturally,helps in lightening and brightening skin.You can also use it like a toner .Good for natural bleaching ,it can be used for hydrating skin.It has anti oxidants works well as anti aging remedy. So beneficial for beauty and health. 

How to make tamarind soup syrup for treating digestion problem :

Here i share a simple recipe take a lime size tamarind pulp and cut that into half(use half of it otherwise entire recipe will be sour/tangy). Take 250ml water soak the tamarind. After 10 minutes crush it in hand so that the extract will be absorbed in water,remove the dried waste . Add coriander leaves 1/4 cup into the tamarind water add salt (if it is so much tangy add water  as much as you want to make the taste stable).Add powdered Cumin seeds 1 small spoon , pepper 1 spoon mix everything allow it to boil for 5 minutes . And then enjoy the tamarind soup syrup after a heavy meal or when you have digestion problem . You can prepare many recipes with tamarind like chuttneys /sweets/candy/curry or water based.