Tamarind is a fruit that tastes sweet and sour and has a lot of health benefits. It can be used to improve your digestion and combats both, constipation and diarrhea well. It is extremely good for your heart as it lowers your LDL cholesterol and also acts as a blood thinner. It is good for circulation and can lower your overall blood pressure. It can improve your nerve and muscle function. It is very good for weight loss and is a good remedy for diabetes as it can control your sugar levels. It has strong anti-inflammatory properties and can boost your immune system. It can also protect you from common microbial and fungal infections.

Benefits of Tamarind

Here are some of the incredible health benefits of this wonderful plant: 

 1. It’s good for the heart

 

Source: Getty images

Tamarind is extremely good for the heart. This is because the dietary fiber present in the tamarind can help reduce the cholesterol in your body. It takes away all the excess LDL cholesterol that’s stuck in your veins and arteries and prevents your heart from getting overworked or developing chronic cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, tamarind contains vitamin C which is an excellent antioxidant. Free radicals are a natural by-product of cellular metabolism and are linked with heart disease. 

READ ALSO: Heart Disease Is Reversible

2. It’s good for circulation

Tamarind is also very good at stimulating blood circulation. It is extremely rich in iron and having just one serving of tamarind can provide you with at least 10% of the recommended daily dosage needed. Iron is extremely good for your blood. It ensures that you have enough red blood cells in your body, which helps all your organs and muscles function well. Having enough iron in your system can help you fight against anemia and all the symptoms that come with it such as headaches, weakness, fatigue, cognitive disorders, and stomach issues. (READ MORE: HOW TO IMPROVE CIRCULATION)

3. It promotes weight loss

 

These days, the world is absolutely obsessed with weight loss. With the internet and all the information on it being so easily accessible, more and more people spend their time learning about the different health problems that can come with obesity or being overweight. This is why everyone wants to lose some of the that extra weight. As a result, there are many diets and medications available in the market to aid you. However, they can be extremely harmful for your body as you can either end up causing a nutrient deficiency or taking medications that will ultimately harm your system. This is why turning to natural cures is the best idea. Tamarind is known to promote weight loss. This is because it is rich in hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is known to inhibit an enzyme in the body that stores all the fat. It can also help you suppress your appetite as it increases the amount of serotonin in your system.

 ALSO: 10 Best Detox Drinks for Weight Loss

4. It is good for diabetics

 Tamarind is a good remedy for diabetes. It basically stops carbohydrates from being absorbed by your system. Carbohydrates, when digested, start turning into sugar or fat, which is what diabetics need to be vary of. Thus, tamarind can help you monitor and control the glucose levels in your blood, keeping your diabetes in check. (Read more: Home Remedies To Use For Diabetes)

 

5. It has anti-inflammatory properties

Tamarind, when used in the form of essential oils, is filled with a ton of anti-inflammatory properties. It can help reduce pain in the joints, arthritis pain, gout, and even rheumatic conditions. It can even help you reduce irritation in the eyes. It can help you with infections of the eyes such as conjunctivitis or pink eye. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, tamarind is often included in many herbal remedies for inflammation. (Read more: 4 Natural Inflammation Fighters)

7. It helps with nerve function

 

Another advantage of having tamarind is that it can help with your nerve function. This is because tamarind is extremely reach in vitamin B complex and contains a lot of thiamine. Thiamine is a vital nutrient for your body. It helps stimulate nerve function and can also improve your muscle development. It helps you to remain active, have strong reflexes, and have general strength for a long time. 

7. It helps against infections 

Tamarind also has antimicrobial properties which means that it can help protect you against microbial and fungal infections. It has antiseptic properties and can therefore reduce the number of parasites in your body. Furthermore, tamarind is also a good cure for intestinal worms, especially in small children. It is excellent for your overall health. (READ ALSO: Home remedies for syphilis)

8. It boosts immunity

 

Tamarind contains high amounts of vitamin C, which is a known antioxidant. Antioxidants help by eliminating the free radicals present in your system. This leaves your immune system free to take care of other infections and diseases and therefore boosts your overall immunity. Free radicals can also sometimes lead to certain types of cancer, so having tamarind can help you protect yourself from that as well. (How To Boost Your Immune System)

Uses of Tamarind

 

Credit: Shutterstock / DeawSS

Apart from being used in herbal medications for all its health benefits, tamarind has a ton of other great uses. The raw fruit can be dried and ground into a spice that can be used to season your food. Tamarind can be made into jams and sauces. In some parts of the world, tamarind is processed and dried and turned into a candy. It is used in Indian and Asian cooking frequently and is also commonly used in soups and salads to add an extra flavor. Many street foods in India are also flavored with tamarind sauce or chutney. Tamarind can also be used as an essential oil.

RELATED:  Health Benefits Of Coconut Husks

Side-Effects & Allergies of Tamarind

 

Since tamarind has so many benefits and is organic in nature, many people forget that it can also have certain side effects. Tamarind is essential a blood thinner and lowers your blood pressure. While this is great for your heart and cardiac health, it might prove to be a little dangerous in the event of an accident or injury as you may end up losing a lot of blood. Therefore, if you are already taking any medication to thin your blood, you need to be careful about the amount of tamarind you’re eating. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything new to your diet or lifestyle as you never know how it can affect you.

 

The scientific name of tamarind is tamarindusindica and it is a part of the Fabaceae family. The tamarind tree is native to Africa, particularly tropical regions such as Sudan, however, its cultivation occurs all over the world. It is believed that it made its way to Asia only 5,000 years ago, and travelled to America only 500 years ago.

 

 How to eat Tamarind

Break off a piece of the pulp with your fingers and eat around the seeds. The flesh of the tamarind is tart. It’s more sour when the fruit is slightly unripe and becomes sweeter as the pod ages. Nibble the flesh from around the seeds, much like when you’re eating a cherry or a grape with seeds that you don’t want to chew.

 

Keep damp paper towels nearby, since eating tamarind this way can be sticky.

Thank you for reading, we will be back with more health tips.👍💪

FOR THE MEANTIME, READ MORE ON 👇👇

HOME REMEDIES

NUTRITION AND DIET

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH

FITNESS

DISEASES