Udara, Chrysophyllum albidum (commonly known as white
star apple) is a forest fruit tree described by the Scottish botanist George
Don. It is commonly found throughout tropical Africa. Amongst the Yoruba tribes
of Nigeria, it is called Agbalumo, while called Udala in the eastern and southern
parts of Nigeria. It is closely related to the African star apple (chrysophyllum
africanum) which is also common throughout West Africa. Some schools of
thought feel that they may just be a variety of the same species. Also in the
family is the (purple) star apple (chrysophyllum cainito). Other names -
African star apple, White star apple, Udala, African Cherry,
Osan
and Agbalumo.
African star apple – also known as white star apple, is
associated with the dry season, African star apple is a popular tropical fruit
tree that is widely distributed throughout the southern part of Nigeria.
Agbalumo is common in both urban and rural centres especially during the months
of December to April. The exotic fruit has a chewable, edible skin that ranges
in colour from green to orange, depending on the stage of ripeness. This fruit is both delicious and low in
calories, making it a power-packed favourite.
The Chrysophyllum genus of plants consists of almost 80
different species of fruits all exclusively grown within the tropical region. Udara is a very popular fruit here in Nigeria.
Its fleshy pulp is often eaten as a snack and it is equally common in both the
urban and rural areas, particularly around Southern Nigeria.
This fruit is an exotic fruit which has a chewable edible
skin that ranges in colour from green to orange, depending on the stage of
ripeness. The tender, sweet inner flesh is off-white with seeds, making the
inner to look like a star-shaped fruit. This obviously shows where it got the
nickname ‘star apple’ and it has close to 4 or 6 seeds in it. The beautiful
fruit can be gotten mostly everywhere in Nigeria towards the end of November
till later in March when it would have gone out of season.
It has an acidic taste when they eat that. When the
African star apple falls to the ground it means that it is ripe already with a
dark orange colour and will have a very sweet taste.
It is pale yellow with pink coloured endocarp and
relished by children and adults when in season. Its fully ripe fruit becomes
available from December through April. The pink-coloured pulp and the whitish
cover of the brown-coloured seeds of the fruit are consumed, while the empty
pale yellow pericarp is often discarded by some people. The plant often grows
to a height of 35m though it may be smaller. It has in recent times become a
crop of commercial value in Nigeria. The fruit has been found to have high
content of ascorbic acid with 1000 to 3,330 mg of ascorbic acid per 100gm of
edible fruit or about 100 times that of oranges and 10 times of that of guava
or cashew.
The fruits are not usually harvested from the trees; they
are left to drop naturally to the forest floor, from where they are picked. The
fruit pulp is used in table jelly manufacture and also useful in the formation
of soft drink in beverage industry. Although, research work had been carried
out on the nutritive value of pulp, storage of the fruits and physical
properties of the seeds of African star apple but there is dearth of
information on the physicochemical properties of the components of the fruit.
This forest tree species that provides non-timber forest
products of immense domestic importance to rural and urban dwellers in West
Africa, with great export potentials. The fruit pulp is widely consumed and
thus plays an important role for food security. Apart from serving as a
delicacy and alternative source of food during the “hungry season” (i.e.,
november to april in Nigeria, when farm crops are planted), it also provides an
alternative source of income and rural employment through the collection and
sale of the fruits. This tree is commonly found in village squares, within
family compounds and traditional farms, which is an evidence of its integration
into the social and economic life of the people. The species has been noted to
be of great nutritional, social, medicinal and traditional importance. However,
the huge economic importance and the increasing demand as well as price for the
fruit has led to an intense exploitation pressure, which has resulted in its
stocks diminishing at an alarming rate. Consequently, Chrysophyllum albidum,
along with other important fruit tree species like Irvingia gabonensis and
Treculia africana, has been classified as a highly endangered or threatened
tree species.
Just like every other fruit offered by nature, it has
some wonderful health benefits. From the
prevention of mouth gum disease to the tackling of toothache as well as sore
throat, the benefit of consuming Udara fruit goes on and on. The milky juice that comes out of it when
squeezed or sucked is not only satisfying like the chewable skin, it comes with
some wonderful health benefits, which are highlighted below.
Benefits of Udara Fruit
High Vitamin C Content: Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic
acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. Unlike most mammals and other animals, humans
do not have the ability to make ascorbic acid and must obtain vitamin C from
their diet. Udara fruit presents a good source for vitamin C.
Weight Management: Chrysophyllum fruit is an excellent
source of dietary fibre. As a result, consuming this fruit helps to increase
satiety thus reducing food cravings and maintaining a balanced weight. It's a
low calorie fruit, udara contains just 67 calories. This makes this fruit very
good for those who want to loose weight because consume more and get less
calories intake. It is also a good snacking fruit which can be used to stop
hunger pangs.
Good for expecting mothers: The acidic taste of udara
help prevents the urge of vomiting during pregnancy (when experiencing morning
sickness). However, they should consult their doctors on ante-natal diet. Pregnant women crave for udara because it has
sour taste that holds the mouth, hits the palate and stops one from throwing up
or spitting. It helps in improving blood flow to the placenta which carries
food from the mother to the baby.
Beverage Production: udara fruit pulp is normally used in
the beverage industry for manufacturing beverages, spirits, soft drinks, wine,
juice, jams and smoothies.
Aids Easy Food Digestion: The high dietary fiber content
of the udara fruit helps in food digestion thereby preventing constipation and
bloating.
Natural Anti-Oxidant: Antioxidants are substances that
may protect cells against the effects of free radicals — molecules produced
when body breaks down food or is exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation. What
this means is that by consumption of udara give body a better chance of
fighting and avoiding heart disease, cancer etc.
Prevents Heart Disease: Frequent consumption of the fruit
can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol thereby preventing or managing heart
diseases. it is a very good recommendation for patients with heart problems.
Also making it good for diabetic patient.
Used well in folk medicine: The sweet and sour taste of udara
acts as a natural remedy for common issues such as constipation, toothache, sore
throat, and indigestion. Herbal practitioners are also known to use the bark of
the tree to treat yellow fever and malaria, while the leaves are useful for
treating wounds, stomachache, and diarrhea.
The leaves are used as emollients and for the treatment
of skin eruptions. The leaf decoction is administered for diarrhea and for
stomachache. The fruit pulp is taken by pregnant women to prevent nausea.
Constituents — udara is a good source of fibre, vitamins
and minerals, including potassium, calcium, vitamins A and C and folic acid.
Tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, proteins, carbohydates and resins are the
phytochemicals that have been reported in udara. Methanolic extract of the
cotyledons from the seeds of udara have led to the isolation of eleagnine,
tetrahydro- 2 -methylharman and skatole. Anthraquinone and cardiac glycosides
are also present in the leaves.
Pharmacological Studies — The methanol extract of the
seeds and roots exhibited antihistaminic activity and potentiated the effects
of antihistamine agents. The extracts also produced hypotension with
simultaneous depression in respiration when administered to cats. The methanol
extract of the seeds was found to possess strong molluscicidal activity against
schistosomiasis-transmitting snails.
There are over 80 species of Chrysophyllum for example,
Chrysophyllum albidum, Chrysophyllum cainito, Chrysophyllum oliviforme,
Chrysophyllum roxburghii, Chrysophyllum imperiale, Chrysophyllum viridifolium,
Chrysophyllum eximium, Chrysophyllum contumacense, Chrysophyllum delphinense,
Chrysophyllum durifructum, Chrysophyllum fenerivense, Chrysophyllum
novoguineense, Chrysophyllum ogowense, Chrysophyllum marginatum, Chrysophyllum
mexicanum, Chrysophyllum masoalense, Chrysophyllum muerense, Chrysophyllum
cuneifolium, Chrysophyllum euryphyllum, Chrysophyllum acreanum, Chrysophyllum
africanum, Chrysophyllum akusae ~ to list but a few.
The next time you wanna write anything about an African fruit, seek the opinion of the very African who grows and uses it. Not some description from some Scottish botanist George Don
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