Page 14 - ARUBA TODAY

A14 LOCAL
Tuesday 1 augusT 2017
Fruit Loose & Veggie Boost

sential for healthy immune contain very low calories
function. Season: year- and sugar, enabling good
round. bacterium to digest food
and excrete waste quickly
Kenepa which is effective in pre-
Ovoid green fruit that venting constipation. Sea-
grows in bunches on trees son: Sep-Oct.
up to 30m high. The fruit is
related to the lychee and Shimaruku
have tight, thin but rigid Maybe Aruba’s most popu-
skins. Inside the skin is the lar wild fruit tree. You may
tart, tangy, or sweet pulp have noticed cars at the
of the fruit covering a large side of the road and peo-
seed. ple picking those red ber-
The pulp is usually cream or ries. Well, that’s Shimaruku.
orange colored. Kenepa The local habit to stop for
strengthens the immune these delicious fruits goes
system, and prevents the from generation to gen-
reproduction of bacteria eration. Its fruit’s degree
and viruses in the body. This of sour depends on the
fruit is highly recommend- amount of rain it gets. Red
ed to treat lung infections Shimarukus tend to taste
and urinary tract infections. better than orange. The
It also helps to cure insom- fruit has super power: a true
nia and rejuvenates the vitamin bomb. Adults only
nervous system. Season: need to eat 3-4 of these
the fruit typically ripen dur- berries to meet their daily
ing the summer. recommended amount of
ORANJESTAD - Fresh fruits there are some pretty out-
make a tropical holiday’s of-space local species you
picture complete. Whether may never had heard of,
you see the mango’s hang- but really healthy and deli-
ing on the trees or the fresh cious.
fruit cocktail on the side
table of your pool bed, the Mispel
link is made: you are in the This is a fruit with a charac-
tropics. Aruba grows her ter (5-10 cm/2-4 inches).
own fruits and veggies and It does not ripe until it is

picked or falls off the tree. Vitamin C. Season: Rainy
Mispel is hard with a sand- Druif months (Oct-Jan).
paper like texture when There is no chance you
immature, soft and juicy did not bump into one of Tamarind
when ripe.
the sea grape trees while A delicious, sweet fruit that
spending your vacation on has a wide variety of uses
It’s technically a berry, but Aruba. The sea grape plant and applications, both for
contains a skin similar to is often used in ocean-side medicinal and culinary pur-
that of a kiwi. It’s grainy and landscaping in sandy soil poses. It is a medium-sized
sweet, with a light, musky right on the beach and it bushy tree with evergreen
flavor. The sap or gum from produces clusters of fruit leaves and fruit that devel-
the tree is also a source of that resemble grapes. Are ops in pods characterized
‘chicle’ the original ingredi- sea grapes edible? Yes, by long, brown shells. Inside
ent used to make chewing they are. Animals enjoy sea is a sticky, fleshy, juicy pulp,
gum. Rich in tannins, anti- grapes and humans can which is the Tamarind fruit.
oxidants shown to contain eat them as well, and they
anti-inflammatory com- are used to make jam. They Continued on Next Page
pounds, and vitamin C, es-