Tamarind
Botanical
Name: Tamarindus
indica
Indian Name: Imli
Tamarind is a large, handsome, symmetrical spreading
tree. It has small compound leaves, yellowish
flowers with reddish streaks and fleshy, brown fruits. The seeds are dark
brown and shiny. The fleshy
fibrous pulp of the fruit is acidic. Tamarind was an important item of
diet of sailors in olden times as
its acid and sugar content helped them to offset their starchy diet. The
pulp contains tartaric and other
acids, sugars like invert a broken up starch, and pectin. The pectin present
in the pulp is of good quality.
The
whole plant has medicinal virtues. Its leaves are cooling and antibilious,
while the bark is an astringent, a tonic and reduces fever. The fruit
pulp is digestive, arrtiflatulent, cooling, laxative and antiseptic. Its
seeds are also astringent.
Scurvy
Tamarind pulp, being rich in vitamin C, is valuable
in preventing and curing scurvy. It is significant that tamarind does
not lose its antiscorbutic property on drying as in case of other fruits
and vegetables.
Common
Cold Tamarind pepper rasam, a clear soup is considered an effective
home remedy for colds in South India. It is prepared by boiling a very
dilute tamarind water in a teaspoon of hot ghee and half a teaspoon of
black pepper powder for a few minutes. This steaming hot rasam has a flushing
effect. As one takes it, the nose and eyes water and the nasal blockage
is cleared.
Fevers
'The pulp of tamarind fruit is useful in treating fevers.' It is generally
taken in 15 gram doses.
Digestive Disorders
Ripe fruit pulp is beneficial in the treatment of bilious vomiting, flatulence
and indigestion. It is also useful in constipation. An infusion of the
pulp prepared by softening it in water, is particularly useful for loss
of appetite and lack of inclination for food intake.
