Including specific nutrient-rich fruits and veggies in the diet is quite commonplace for health-conscious people nowadays. While eating fruits like papayas, bananas, apples, and oranges for breakfast or as snacks is quite common, not many people include black sapote in the list. It is a fruit of Mexican origin. In the local dialect, it is referred to as the chocolate pudding fruit. The color and texture of this tropical fruit are somewhat like chocolate. Shape-wise, it looks like a tomato. It is a nutrient-rich fruit and contains a fair amount of vitamin C.
Black sapote is a plant that thrives in a tropical climate. The place has to be sunny and the soil must be prepared well. The good thing is it can be grown without frequent watering. If you are thinking about the nutritional value of the exotic fruit, you are in for a surprise. A single fruit comes with 330mg of potassium, 19.5mg of calcium, 42 mg of phosphorus, and 25.5mg of magnesium. It contains no cholesterol and the vitamin C content is 27mg.
Eating black sapote can fetch you a number of health benefits. Since the fruit is laden with vitamin C, eating it can make your gums and skin healthy. Black sapote contains a lot of antioxidants and this helps stave off the ravages caused by free radicals. It is also useful to slow down the effects of aging. It serves as a good immunity booster, too.
The fruit contains a good amount of vitamin A and so eating it can improve your eyesight. Also, this fruit is rich in dietary fiber so eating it can boost your digestion to an extent. The fruit also serves as a natural laxative and helps resolve constipation.
It is imbued with minerals and so eating the fruit is useful to keep body organs in shape. The potassium and iron it contains help to keep blood pressure under control while the presence of minerals like calcium and phosphorus help in enhancing bone health. This can be useful for those coping with bone ailments or age-related bone density loss. In addition, the iron it contains can be useful for people coping with anemia.
The fruit contains natural sugar and so it offers instant energy. If you feel fatigued, munch on fruit to get an instant energy boost. As the fruit has zero cholesterol, it can be ideal for those who want to keep their hearts in good shape.
Ways to eat black sapote
You can consume this nutrient-rich and yummy tropical fruit in many ways.
- You can eat the ripe fruit directly for breakfast or as a snack.
- You can add slices when making smoothies and ice cream.
- You can use it to prepare fruit salads as well.
- You can use it to make juice and drink it.
Are there any side effects?
While black sapote contains a lot of nutrients and eating the fruit can fetch you several health benefits, you should not go overboard. If you are using any medication, it is necessary to find out if eating the fruit can affect the efficacy of the medication. This fruit is rich in carbohydrates and sugar and so those with diabetes should eat the fruit in moderation to avoid a spike in blood sugar levels.
Finally, if you are allergic to fruits in the same family, try eating a black sapote and watch for any allergic reaction to be on the safe side.
