Rambutan: a delicious fruit that benefits your health

 Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is a fruit native to Southeast Asia. It grows on trees up to 27 meters (80 feet) in height and grows best in tropical climates like Malaysia and Indonesia. Rambutan is a golf ball-sized fruit with hairy red red. It comes from the Malay name for hair because of its green and green husk. Apparent appearance

Rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum ) is a fruit native to Southeast Asia.

It grows on trees up to 27 meters (80 feet) in height and grows best in tropical climates like Malaysia and Indonesia.

Rambutan is derived from the Malay name for hair because the fruit the size of a golf ball has a hairy red and green skin. The apparent appearance is often compared to sea urchins .

The fruit is related to the lychee and the longan fruit and has a similar shape when peeled. The translucent white pulp tastes sweet yet creamy and contains seeds in the middle.

Rambutan is highly nutritious and can provide health benefits ranging from weight loss and improved digestion to increased resistance to infection.

Here are some of the main health benefits of rambutan and how to eat it.

Rich nutrients and antioxidants

Rambutan fruit is rich in many vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds.

Its pulp provides about 1.3-2 grams of total fiber per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). This is similar to what you can find in the same amount of apples, oranges or pears.

It's also rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that helps your body absorb iron more easily. This vitamin also acts as an antioxidant, protecting your body cells from damage. Eating 5-6 rambutan fruits can meet 50% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Rambutan also contains a large amount of copper, which plays a role in the proper growth and maintenance of various cells, including bone, brain, and heart cells.

It also provides small amounts of manganese, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Eating 3.5 ounces (100 grams) or about 4 fruits can meet 20% of your daily copper needs and 2-6% of your daily recommendations for other nutrients.

Rambutan shells and seeds are thought to be a rich source of nutrients, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds. Some people eat it, but it is currently not considered edible .

In fact, they appear to contain certain compounds that can be toxic to humans .

Roasting the seeds can reduce these effects, and individuals in some cultures seem to consume them this way. However, reliable information on proper roasting procedures is currently not available.

It may be safest to not eat the seeds at all until more is known.

Summary Rambutan is rich in fiber, vitamin C, and copper, and is low in other nutrients. The peel and seeds are also rich in nutrients, but are generally considered inedible.

Promotes healthy digestion

Rambutan may contribute to healthy digestion due to its fiber content.

About half of the fiber is insoluble, so it passes through the intestines undigested.

Insoluble fiber adds volume to the stool and speeds up bowel movement, reducing the likelihood of constipation.

The other half of the fiber is soluble. Soluble fiber provides food for beneficial gut bacteria. In turn, these friendly bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids such as acetates, propionates and butyrates to supply the cells of the intestine.

These short-chain fatty acids reduce inflammation and reduce irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis .

Summary Rambutan is a good source of water-soluble and insoluble fiber that can prevent constipation and improve symptoms of certain bowel diseases.

Can help with weight loss

Like most fruits, rambutan can prevent weight gain and promote weight loss over time .

It is relatively low in calories compared to the amount of fiber provided with approximately 75 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) and 1.3 to 2 grams of fiber.

This can help keep you full longer, reducing your chances of overeating and promoting weight loss over time .

Additionally, rambutan's water-soluble fiber can dissolve in water to form a gel-like substance in the gut that helps slow digestion and absorption of nutrients. It can also lead to decreased appetite and increased satiety.

Also, rambutan contains enough water to help keep you hydrated, preventing overeating and helping you lose weight. .

Summary Although rambutan is low in calories, it is rich in water and fiber. This combination can prevent overeating and keep you feeling full longer. Both can lead to weight loss over time.

May help fight infection

Rambutan fruit can contribute to a stronger immune system in several ways.

First of all, it is rich in vitamin C, which can promote the production of white blood cells your body needs to fight infection .

Getting too little vitamin C in your diet can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to infection .

Also, rambutan shells have been used to fight infections for centuries. Test-tube studies contain compounds that can protect your body from viral and bacterial infections.

However, some people eat the peel but are generally considered inedible.

Summary The various compounds found in rambutan pulp and skin can help strengthen the immune system and fight infection.

Other potential benefits

Rambutan may provide additional health benefits. Some of the best studied are:

• It can reduce the risk of cancer. Several cell and animal studies have found that compounds in rambutan may help prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells ( 30 , 31).
• Helps protect against heart disease: One animal study found extracts made from rambutan husks reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in diabetic rats ( 32 ).
• It can protect against diabetes. Cell and animal studies have shown that rambutan bark extract can increase insulin sensitivity and reduce fasting blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. 

While promising, these three additional benefits are usually related to the compounds found in rambutan shells or seeds. Both are generally not consumed by humans.

Also, most of these benefits have only been observed in cell and animal studies. More research is needed on humans.

Summary The compounds found in rambutan shells and seeds can provide protection against cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. However, more human research is needed.

Rambutan vs Lich and Longan Fruit

When peeled, rambutan fruit is very similar to lychee and yonggan fruit.

All three belong to the same family of sapinaceae (or soap strawberry), grow on trees native to South Asia, and have a translucent white flesh with a seed in the middle. Their nutritional profile is also very similar.

However, the appearance is different. Rambutan has the largest of the three and has a reddish green hairy shell.

The fruit is slightly smaller and has a rough, textured red crust, while the longan has a brown, smooth outer skin covered with tiny hairs.

Their flavors are also slightly different. Rambutan is often described as sweet and creamy, while the lychee berries provide a crisper and slightly less sweet taste. Longans are the least sweet of the three and are uniquely sour.

Summary The rambutan fruit is related to the lychee and yonggan fruit. Despite the different taste and appearance, the flesh is similar in color and nutritionally.

How to eat

Rambutan can be purchased fresh or canned, juice or jam.

Check the color of the spikes to make sure the fruit is well cooked. The redr it is, the more ripe the fruit will be.

It must be peeled before eating. To do this, thinly slice the center of the outer skin with a knife and squeeze it from the opposite side of the cut. White fruit should stick out.

The sweet, translucent pulp contains medium large seeds and is generally considered inedible. Seeds can be removed with a knife or spit out after eating.

Flesh can add a sweet taste to a variety of recipes, from salads and curries to puddings and ice cream.

Summary Rambutan can be consumed raw from fresh or canned fruit. Its pulp can be used to make juice or jam, and it can add sweetness to many recipes.

Potential danger

The pulp of rambutan fruit is considered safe for human consumption.

On the other hand, husks and seeds are generally considered inedible.

Currently, human studies are scarce, but animal studies have shown that skins can be toxic if consumed in very large amounts on a regular basis.

Especially when consumed raw, the seeds have anesthetic and analgesic effects, which can lead to symptoms such as drowsiness, coma, and even death .

Currently, roasting is the only way to counter the natural narcotic properties of raw seeds. However, there are no clear guidelines on how to best roast to be safe for human consumption.

It's best not to eat the seeds at all until your research says otherwise.

Summary The flesh of rambutan fruit is safe to eat. However, the husks and seeds can be toxic if eaten raw or if eaten very much.