Fruits Seen in Kerala

The God`s own country, Kerala Has many Attractions. you may be confused by the name God’s Own Country. It is the nick name given by the Travellers. Kerala is listed in the top 50 list of places that a person must see by many authorities. Surely this is a place blessed with great climate and wonderful travelling palces. This is a journey listing the common and rare fruits that you can see mostly only in Kerala.

Chakka (Jack fruit)

Plavu is a large evergreen spreading tree known for the largest tree borne fruit in the world. Jack fruit tree is mostly seen in the tropical lowlands and mainly in Kerala. This fruits is large and fleshy and are covered with thorny tubercles. Unripe fruits can also be cooked. The seeds may be boiled or baked. There are a number of varieties of jackfruits, the honey-jack (muttan varikka/thaen varikka) is considered the sweetest and the best in its Family. The flesh is starchy and fibrous and provides energy. Jack fruit tree is used in the treatment of various diseases such as vitiated vata, pitta, diarrhea, and skin disease, urinary retention and general weakness. The timber of the tree is used for making furniture as it is termite-proof. Almost of all the Parts can be Utilized. 

Kaitha (Pine Apple)

This fruit is seen in most of the parts of India Especially in Kerala. The peculiarity of this fruit is that it it contains small throwns. For eating this fruit you have to remove the outer layer containing throwns. This fruit has a taste of sour and sweetness also. This is good for digestion and it is mostly used as juice. This is cultivated large scale in many places in Kerala.

Manga (Mango)

Mango is known as  the king of fruits, is one of the most popular of the tropical fruit varieties. Mango has undergone considerable varietal differentiation. In India alone, over 100 named varieties are known. Apart from these, millions of seedling trees grow throughout the country, each of which has its own distinctive characteristics. A major portion of mango trees in Kerala are of seedling origin. Tender and mature but unripe mangoes are extensively used for making pickles. Ripe fruits are eaten as such. A variety of products are made out of this. They are canned mango slices, mango pulp, jam, juice, custard powder, ready to serve mango beverages, toffees etc are these.

Omaikka (Papaya)

The papaya is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya. It is a very large plant and has a single stem that grows to a height of around 5 to 10 meters tall. The leaves are seen only in the top of the trunk and are arranged in a attractive spiral manner. The ripe fruit is eaten whereas the unripe fruit of papaya is cooked and eaten. They are used to make curries, salads and stews. It has high amount of pectin in it that can be used to make jellies also. Some of the various uses of papaya are that it is used as a cooking aid, in medicine etc

Vazha (Banana)

Banana is also a main attraction of kerala. About 50-60 tonns of bananas is exported from Kerala every day. a lot of varieties are available in the market with different colours, sizes and taste. The popular varieties include palayankodan, sahasrapadali, ayiram poovan, poovan, nenthran, kumpillaannan, malayannan, thottannan, kadali, rasakadali (njaalipoovan), chenkadali (kappa), kaliyethan, chengali, aattunenthran, pachakkappa, robesta, matti, padatti, peyan, monthan, annan etc. The colours are yellow, purple and red. Ripe bananas are very sweet and they can be eaten whereas unripe can cooked. The banana plant’s trunk when peeled has a tender core which is edible when cooked. Similarly the flower is also used for delicious dishes. Banana leaves are often used as plates or disposable food containers where people consider it as a plate to have their food on this leaf. It is also an old Trtadition of kerala.Taking banana helps to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and breast cancer and renal cell carcinoma in women. 

Seethaappazham (Custard Apple)

This is another fruit that is common in Kerala villages and very tasty also. This fruit comes from the tree atha. This fruit is almost size compared to apple. It contains a lot of seeds coated with edible white portion .This fruit is very tasty and posses medicinal qualities. Now, It is disapperaring from the society 

Kasumanga (Cashew Fruit)

The cashew is a tree which is native to northeastern Brazil. It is plenty in Kerala. We Export it to other countries. They are grown mainly for the cashew nuts and cashew apples. While processing cashew we obtain the cashew nutshell liquid which is rich in anacardic acids. This can be used effectively against tooth problems as they are harmful to the gram-positive bacteria. They also act best against many other gram-positive bacteria. The cashew nut is a favourite snack of all and they are consumed as such or lightly salted or sugared

Njaval (Black Plum)

The fruit is known for its sweet, sour and astringent flavor. It is a large evergreen tree with white fragrant flowers and black fruit with pink juicy pulp. This fast growing tree lives for more than 100 years. The wood is strong and is water resistant. Because of this it is used in railway sleepers and to install motors in wells. This tree starts to flower in the months March to April every year. The The fruit is green and changes to a pink to shining black colour when it matures.. The seed has medicinal values and is used in ayurveda to control diseases like diabetes and also for digestive ailments. The leaves and bark are also useful for controlling blood pressure. Wine and vinegar are also made from the fruit. It is a high source of vitamin A and vitamin C.

Kodukappuli (Manila Tamarind)

An apple a day keeps a doctor away’ may be modified thus ‘A kodukappuli a day may indeed keep pain away’. This is an evergreen tree which grows very fast and has a crooked trunk with small branches that arise from the base of the leaves. The flowers are greenish white in colour, fragrant and it produces pod with an edible pulp. The liquid obtained by boiling the bark can be used for the curing frequent bowel movement. Decoctions of leaves are used for digestion problems and used as abortifacient. The hard timber is used for various purposes such as for construction, packing cases, making fences, cart building and agricultural tools etc.

Sheema nelli (Star gooseberry)

Indigenous fruit trees like Sheema nelli that does not require much care and attention is a boon to every households. The tree often bears fruit twice a year, the first during April to May and then during August-September also. Star gooseberry fruit is known to contain extremely high amounts of natural vitamin C which is an antioxidant with potent anti-ageing properties. It has only one seed in each fruit. The flowers are male, female or hermaphrodite and are small, pinkish in colour and appear in cluster.

Perakaya (Guava)

Guava trees are small shrubby evergreen trees, with a lot of strong bony like branches found in kerala. the main variety of guava cultivated and sold here is the apple guava. The fruits are fleshy and have a sweet taste. This fruit is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B3, vitamin B4. Natural propagation is by birds and small animals. Different parts of the tree have medicinal properties. The decoction of the leaves and bark of this tree are sued for treating various ailments such as diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting and sore throats, and also for regulating the menstrual cycles. The crushed leaves used when applied on wounds relieves pain.

Champakka ( Rose Apple)

It is one of the most commonly seen fruit in Kerala. It is white when it is not ripen. It turns rose and then red as it ripe. You can eat it even if it is not ripen, but it will be slightly sour. This fruit bearing tree grows a maximum of 6 - 7 meters. The fruit has seeds inside which is bitter in taste. Even though its juice is not common it is also very tasty.