Zuriat Fruit: Ingredients, Benefits, And How To Consume It For Health

JAKARTA - There are many ways you can do to maintain a healthy body. One of them is by consuming zuriat fruit regularly.

This fruit is quite difficult to find in Indonesia, but very easy to find in Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, zuriat fruit is often used as souvenirs for pilgrims or Umrah pilgrims.

What Are Zuriat Fruits?

The zuriat fruit or can be called the doum palm, the doum fruit, and the African palm, is a fruit originating from the North African region and thrives along the Nile in Egypt and Sudan. However, this fruit is also widely sold in Saudi Arabia.

The fruit with the Latin name hyphaene thebaica L is much sought after by the Indonesian people because it is said to contain large amounts of nutrients and is beneficial for health.

There are three types of zuriat fruit that we can find in Middle Eastern countries, namely Medina zuriat fruit, Egyptian zuriat fruit, and Sudanese zuriat fruit.

The difference between the three types of zuriat fruit lies in their color. The fruit of Medina zuriat is dark brown in color, while the characteristics of Egyptian zuriat fruit and Sudanese zuriat fruit are light brown.

Content of Fruit Zuriat

Zuriat fruit has a distinctive taste and aroma, like gingerbread or slightly similar to brown sugar. In zuriat fruit there are carbohydrates and fiber in large enough quantities.

In addition, of course, there are also vitamins and minerals in doum fruit, such as vitamin B complex (vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12), potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

This fruit also contains phenolic compounds and flavonoids in large quantities, namely compounds that act as significant antioxidants and antibacterials.

Not only that, but African palms are also a source of essential amino acids such as phenylalanine, leucine, valine, and isoleucine. Amino acid content is mostly found in the fruit flesh.

Benefits of Zuriat Fruit for Health

Egyptian people often process zuriat fruit as a traditional drink. Because, zuriat fruit has many benefits for health, considering that there are lots of nutrients contained in this fruit.

The benefits for zuriat for health include:

1. Hypertension Medication

A number of studies show that zuriat fruit has activity to lower high blood pressure, aka anti-hypertension.

Hypertension is a disease that is very common in Indonesia. In the early stages of hypertension, symptoms may be found. However, this condition can lead to more serious health problems if not handled properly.

Based on the research results, zuriat fruit has high fiber content. Meanwhile, a high diet of fiber can help control blood pressure.

Zuriat fruit is also rich in antioxidants. Just like fiber, antioxidants are also believed to help reducing blood pressure. Therefore, zuriat fruit is very good if consumed by people with hypertension.

2. Lowering Cholesterol

The next benefits of zuriat fruit are to help lowering cholesterol in the blood. A study found that the content of phenol derivatives such as chlorogenic acid, tyrosol 3-OH, catechins, and E-vanilic acid was quite high. And cinnamic acid, alpha-coumaric acid, coumarin, and p-coumaric acid are also found.

Phenol-rich zuriate extract can actually help lower serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (Low-Density Lipoprotein), or better known as 'bad' cholesterol.

Lowering LDL cholesterol can help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which is the accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other substances in artery walls.

3. Overcoming Diabetes and its Complications

Palm Doum is believed to help in lowering blood sugar. As already mentioned above, zuriat fruit is a fruit with high fiber content.

Besides being able to lower blood pressure, a high diet of fiber is also said to reduce blood sugar levels.

Not only that, but zuriat fruit is also believed to prevent complications caused by diabetes, such as diabetic nephropathy, i.e., a kidney disease caused by poor blood sugar control in types 1 and 2 diabetes.

4. Lowering the Risk of Heart Disease

For those who want to avoid heart disease, zuriat fruit can be a solution. The reason is, this fruit is said to reduce cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes.

Seeing the properties of zuriat fruit that can overcome hypertension, cholesterol, and blood glucose, it can be said that this fruit has benefits to reduce the risk of heart disease.

5. Great for Muscles

As is known, the zuriat fruit contains essential amino acids in large quantities. This is certainly very beneficial for muscles.

The type of amino acid present in zuriat fruit is Valine, which is good for stimulating muscle growth and regeneration.

In addition, there is also the amino acid leucine, which plays a role in protein synthesis and muscle repair, and the amino acid isoleucine, which is also involved in muscle metabolism and is concentrated in muscle tissue.

6. Anti-inflammatory

The next benefits of zuriat fruit are to overcome inflammation, aka anti-inflammatory.

Based on the results of the study, there was a significant development in the condition of irritable bowel syndrome after treatment with zuriat fruit extract.

This is then attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of zuriat fruit which may be obtained from the various antioxidant substances contained in the flesh of the fruit.

7. Laxatives

Zuriat fruit can also be used as a laxative for someone who is experiencing constipation.

The high fiber content is believed to be used to facilitate bowel movements and is used to prevent constipation.

8. Prevent Complications due to Kidney Dysfunction

Decreased kidney function can cause a variety of other health problems. This is because the kidneys are important organs in the human body that function to filter blood, remove toxins from the body and help excrete them as urine.

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, zuriat fruit can help reduce complications caused by decreased kidney function.

A study showed that animals given cyclosporine plus zuriate extract showed more significant changes than those given cyclosporine alone.

9. Improve Endurance

The next benefit that can be taken from consuming zuriat fruit is to help improving endurance.

This is because the zuriat fruit contains large amounts of antioxidants, amino acids, and vitamin B complex. These three compounds play an important role in maintaining the immune system.

Maintaining the immune system is very important to do so that the body is not susceptible to disease or exposure of various dangerous pathogens (parasite microorganisms).

10. Improve Energy

B Complex Vitamin present in zuriat fruit can convert carbohydrates into glucose which in turn produce energy during activities or exercise.

If the body is deficient in B complex vitamin, the energy production process cannot run optimally, so that a person becomes tired quickly and reduces vitality during activities.

11. Helping the Metabolic Process

Besides being able to increase energy, zuriat fruit can also help metabolic processes in the body. Its water-soluble B complex content can improve digestion and production of hydrochloric acid which functions to break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 are very important in maintaining digestive health. So that a lack of this vitamin will trigger severe digestive problems. One that often arises is constipation.

Benefits of Zuriat Fruit for Pregnancy Program

Besides being good for health, there are benefits of zuriat fruit that are best known to the Indonesian people, i.e., helping husbands and wives to prepare a pregnancy program.

Based on research conducted in Egypt, it shows that zuriat fruit contains antioxidants that are good for regenerating reproductive cells.

The benefits of zuriat fruit for pregnant woman are:

1. Increase Male Fertility

For men, zuriat fruit is believed to improve sperm quality. Research does show a significant increase in testosterone levels in animals test given zuriate fruit extract.

Another study showed that giving small doses of zuriate fruit extract can increase spermatogenesis, which is the formation of sperm in the testes.

2. Increase Female Fertility

Besides increasing male fertility, zuriat fruit is also believed to increase female fertility. This can not be separated from the high antioxidant content in zuriat fruit which is thought to be good for women's reproductive health and prevent the dangers of oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress itself is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

This condition can occur when free radicals in the body accumulate and cause damage to cells. Oxidative stress can reduce fertility levels in both men and women because it can affect sperm quality, egg maturation, fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy.

On the other hand, foods rich in antioxidants are proven to be good for regenerating body cells, including cells in the reproductive system.

Therefore, it can be said that reducing oxidative stress in the body can improve reproductive health and indirectly increase the chances of pregnancy.

Although there has been no further research on this, zuriat fruit has been shown to contain many nutrients that are beneficial to the body. So there's nothing wrong if you keep eating this fruit, as long as it's in reasonable amounts.

3. Strengthens the uterus

Not only it is believed to increase women's happiness, for those of you who have undergone a pregnancy program, but zuriat fruit is also believed to strengthen the walls of the uterus.

Medically, a strong uterus is known to be better prepared for pregnancy preparation because it can help maintain optimal fetal growth and development.

4. Smooth out Menstruation

One effort that can be done to get a baby is to smooth out the menstrual cycle.

The reason is, a regular menstrual cycle will make it easier to find out a woman's fertile period. Sexual activity during the fertile period is more likely to result in pregnancy.

Well, zuriat fruit is said to be very useful for women whose menstrual cycles are not smooth. Consuming boiled water of zuriat fruit helps to make menstruation more regular every month.

This is because doum palm can help improve blood circulation and balance hormones, thus helping the menstrual cycle.

How to Consume Zuriat Fruit for Health

Just to know, zuriat fruit has a round shape measuring 6x5 cm, yellow to brown in color. This fruit has a distinctive taste, like gingerbread or a little like brown sugar. No wonder the zuriat fruit is often referred to as a ginger-bread fruit.

Zuriat fruit is often used as a souvenir for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims because it can be easily found in Saudi Arabia.

If you are interested in consuming zuriat fruit for health, here are four easy ways to consume it:

1. Eaten Directly

You could say, zuriat fruit is a unique fruit, because this fruit cannot be consumed directly when it is ripe.

So, if you want to eat it straight away, make sure the zuriat fruit is still raw or young. Because ripe fruit is even more difficult to consume.

The ripe zuriat fruit is generally used as a mixture in cooking.

2. Boil the Zuriat Fruit Flesh

Besides consuming it directly, you can also boil zuriat fruit. How:

• Cut the zuriat fruit in half using a very sharp knife because the fruit is very tough.

• Take the white flesh, then cut it into small pieces

• Boil 3 cups of water and wait for the water to turn brown like tea.

• Add honey or rock sugar so that the cooking water is even better to drink

• Drink boiled water of zuriat fruit twice a day, every morning and night

For information, zuriat fruit that has been boiled can be used two to three times stew as long as the boiled water is still brown when used.

3. Boiled the skin and seeds

Not only the pulp, but the skin and seeds can also be consumed. The method is as follows:

• Peel the zuriat fruit, just take the skin and seeds

• Boil the zuriat fruit skin and seeds together using 5 degrees of water for 15 minutes or until they change color.

• Let stand for six hours

• Blend the skin and zuriat fruit without the seeds with the cooking water earlier

• Filter and drink regularly

If you and your partner are running a pregnancy program, it is advisable to consume it for 44 days. However, if less than that time period, your wife is already pregnant, then its use can be stopped.

4. Smoothed

The last way to consume zuriat fruit is by mashing it. The steps are as follows:

• Crush the zuriat fruit using a hammer

• Then mash until smooth.

• Mix the zuriat fruit that is already smooth into drinks such as tea and milk, or it can be an additional ingredient in the cake batter.

Those are the things related to zuriat fruit, starting from the content, benefits, and how to consume them. If you want to consume it by boiling, make sure you don't boil it too long because the nutrients can be lost. However, if you want to use it as a medicine, you should first consult your doctor.