Sapota
The name ‘sapota’ might not be familiar to most of us. Sapota is another name for the fruit better known as ‘chikoo’. When we say sapota, we are basically referring to the tropical evergreen tree that bears this fruit. Sapota is a delicious calorie-rich fruit belonging to the category of fruits like mango, banana and jack fruit. Its other names are nose berry, sapodilla plum, chickoo sapote etc.
The sapota fruit has its origin in the rain forests of Central America, particularly in Mexico and Belize but it is easily available in India. The fruit is a round or oval-shaped berry measuring around 10 centimeters in diameter and weighing 150 grams. It has 2-5 big, black, shiny bean-like seeds in the centre. The unripe fruit has a hard surface and white pulp due to its high content of latex. The latex content reduces as the fruit ripens and its flesh acquires a brown color. It has a smooth and grainy texture with a sweet and musky flavor. It is rich in calories and its sweet flavor can be attributed to the presence of simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that replenish energy and revitalize the body.
Health Benefits Of Sapota/Chickoo:
Sapota is one of those fruits which are great for health besides being extremely delicious, thanks to the wide array of nutrients contained in this fruit. The tasty flesh of this fruit is easily digestible and replenishes our body by providing energy due to its high content of glucose. As already said, this fruit is rich in vitamins, minerals and tannins. Due its sugary taste, it is widely used in shakes. The various health benefits of sapota are given below:
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1. Good for the Eyes: Sapota contains a high amount of Vitamin A. According to research, Vitamin A helps in improving vision even during old age. Thus, in order to get or maintain good vision, you must try eating sapota fruit.
2. Source of Energy: Sapota is rich in glucose which provides instant energy to the body. Athletes require loads of energy and hence, are recommended to eat sapota fruit.
3. Anti-inflammatory Agent: The high content of tannins makes sapota or chikoo an important anti-inflammatory agent. In other words, it helps in improving the condition of the digestive tract through prevention of diseases like esophagitis, enteritis, irritable bowel syndrome and gastritis. It also reduces inflammation by reducing any swelling and pain.
4. Prevention of Certain Cancers: The Vitamins A and B help in maintaining the health of the mucus lining of the body and the texture of the skin. The antioxidants, dietary fiber and nutrients found in sapota provide protection against cancer and tightly bind the carcinogens (toxins) to protect the mucus membrane of the colon. Vitamin A provides protection from lung and oral cavity cancers.
5. Healthy Bones: Additional amounts of calcium, phosphorus and iron are required by bones to increase their endurance. Being rich in calcium, iron and phosphorus, sapota fruit greatly helps in enhancing and strengthening the bones.
6. Relief from Constipation: Sapota fruit provides a high amount of dietary fiber (5.6/100g). Thus, it is regarded as an excellent bulk laxative. The fiber content provides relief from constipation. It supports the colons’ membrane and makes it resistant to infections.
7. Benefits during Pregnancy: Having a high dose of carbohydrates and essential nutrients, sapota is extremely beneficial for pregnant and lactating mothers. It helps in reducing weakness and other symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea and dizziness.
8. Haemostatic Properties: The sapota herb is known for its haemostatic properties i.e. stopping blood loss. Thus, this herb is beneficial in reducing bleeding in case of piles and injuries. The ground seeds can be applied as a paste for alleviating stings and insect bites.
9. Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial Properties: Due to the presence of polyphenolic antioxidants, sapota is found to have several anti-viral, anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial properties. The antioxidants prevent bacteria from entering into the human body. Vitamin C destroys the harmful free radicals whereas potassium, iron and folate, niacin and pantothenic acid facilitate proper functioning of the digestive system.
10. Anti-diarrheal: Sapota is regarded as an anti-diarrheal due to its purgative properties. A decoction made by boiling this fruit in water can cure diarrhea. It also helps in the alleviation of piles and dysentery.
11. Mental Health: Being a potent sedative, sapota fruit helps to calm the nerves and alleviate stress. Thus, it is advisable for individuals suffering from insomnia, anxiety and depression.
12. Cold and Cough: Sapota fruit is effective in keeping congestion and chronic coughs at bay by removing the phlegm and mucus from the nasal passage and respiratory tract. Thus, it helps in the alleviation of cold and coughs.
13. Kidney Stones: The crushed seeds of this fruit act as a diuretic, thus helping to expel bladder and kidney stones. It provides protection against kidney diseases as well.
14. Aids in Weight Loss: Sapota fruit indirectly helps in weight loss and prevents obesity by regulating the secretion of gastric enzymes, thereby regulating metabolism.
15. As a Detoxifying Agent: Sapota acts as a diuretic and thus helps in removing waste materials from the body through frequent urination. It prevents edemas or water retention by maintaining the water concentration within the body.
16. Tooth Cavities: The high latex content of sapota fruit can be used as a crude filling for tooth cavities.
17. Other Health Benefits: Magnesium contained in sapota is beneficial for blood and blood vessels whereas potassium helps in regulating blood pressure and promoting healthy circulation. Folate and iron prevent anemia. Sapota helps in strengthening the intestines and in improving their performance. In short, eating sapota or chikoo fruit helps in developing body resistance against many infectious diseases.
For best results, the sapota fruit should be eaten ripe. But you can also choose to have the sapota juice if you please. Raw sapota fruits are extremely bitter due to high content of tannin and latex, and can cause mouth ulcers, itching sensation in the throat and difficulty in breathing.
Hair Benefits of Sapota/Chikoo:
As we all know, proper supply of nutrients to our body and proper absorption of these nutrients is inevitable for maintaining good hair health. Hair problems are a result of exposure to harmful chemicals, unhealthy lifestyle and inadequacy of certain essential nutrients in our diet. Being loaded with essential nutrients, sapota has enough to contribute towards healthy hair.
The benefits of sapota for hair are as follows.
The benefits of sapota for hair are as follows.
18. Oil extracted from sapota seeds helps in moisturizing and softening your hair, thus making it more manageable. It imparts sheen and is considered excellent for curly hair. It gets absorbed easily without leaving a greasy residue.
19. The sapota seed oil nourishes the scalp by alleviating irritated skin conditions and promotes healthy hair growth. This oil is considered to be effective in treating hair-fall caused by seborrheic dermatitis.
20. The seeds of sapota can be grounded to make a paste and mixed with castor oil. This mixture should be applied on scalp and washed off the next day. This makes your hair smooth and the problem of dandruff can also be controlled.
Skin Benefits of Sapota/Chikoo:
The wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in the sapota fruit makes it an amazing choice for healthy and glowing skin. Thus, this article will be incomplete without talking about the skin benefits of this tasty fruit.
21. Sapota fruit helps to make your skin glowing, thus reducing your requirement of skin care products to enhance your natural skin texture and complexion. The Vitamin E in this fruit moisturizes your skin, thus giving you healthy and beautiful skin. Hence, eating sapota fruit is good for the skin.
22. Sapota fruit is rich in antioxidants. Therefore, it acts as an anti-ageing agent by eradicating free radicals in the body which are responsible for enhancing the ageing process. It is also effective in reducing wrinkles.
23. The seed kernel oil of sapota is used as a skin ointment. The residue of this seed, after the extraction of oil, can be applied as a poultice on painful skin afflictions.
24. The milky sap of the sapota plant can be used to remove warts and fungal growth on the skin.
25. The combination of Vitamin A and C beautifies the skin by imparting it with a healthy glow.
Nutritional Value of Sapota:
Sapota fruit is a storehouse of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, glucose, tannins and calories. Ripened sapota is a great source of minerals like potassium, copper, iron and vitamins like folate, niacin and pantothenic acid. These compounds are vital for overall health because of their involvement in metabolic processes in the body as co-factors for different enzymes.
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
| Energy | 83 Kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 19.9 g | 15% |
| Protein | 0.44 g | <1% |
| Total Fat | 1.10 g | 3.5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.3 g | 14% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 14 µg | 3.5% |
| Niacin | 0.200 mg | 1% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.252 mg | 5% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.037 mg | 3% |
| Riboflavin | 0.020 mg | 1.5% |
| Thiamin | 0.058 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin A | 60 IU | 2% |
Sapota fruit is a great source of dietary fiber, which is a good laxative and protects the outer membrane of our colon from carcinogenic toxins. Sapota is known for its anti-oxidative properties due to the presence of naturally occurring polyphenols called tannins. These compounds help in neutralization of acids and in curing diarrhea, hemorrhoids and bleeding.
Sapota is also rich in antioxidant vitamins like Vitamin C and A. Vitamin C provides resistance against infection and prevents the formation of harmful free radicals whereas, Vitamin A helps in the promotion of vision and protection from lung and oral cavity cancers. The high content of Vitamin B prevents stress and fatigue and Vitamin E is beneficial for the skin.
Last but not the least; sapota is a great source of protein which is vital for the growth of our body. Being rich in glucose, it is an energy-giving food.
Health benefits of sapodilla
- Sapodilla is rich calories, 100 g provides 83 calories. In addition, it is a very good source of dietary fiber (5.6 g/100g), which makes it an excellent bulk laxative. The fiber content helps relieve constipation episodes and help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from cancer-causing toxins by firmly binding to them.
- The fruit is rich in antioxidant poly-phenolic compound tannin. Tannins are a complex family of naturally-occurring polyphenols that neutralize acids by precipitating proteins. Research studies found that tannins have shown to have potential anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-bacterial, and anti-parasitic effects. Hence, these compounds have many useful medicinal applications such as anti-diarrheal, hemostatic (stops bleeding) and as a remedy for hemorrhoids.
- Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of tannins helps limit conditions like erosive gastritis, reflux-esophagitis, enteritis, and irritating bowel disorders. Some other fruits that are rich in tannins includpomegranate, persimmon, grapes...etc.
- Sapote contains a good amount of antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C (24.5% of recommended daily intake per 100 g of fruit) and vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A has been known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. So also, consumption of foods containing in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
- Fresh ripen sapodilla is a good source of minerals like potassium, copper, iron and vitamins like folate, niacin and pantothenic acid. These compounds are essential for optimal health as they involve in various metabolic processes in the body as cofactors for the enzymes.
There are many cultivars of sapodilla are grown worldwide like:-
- Brown Sugar variety - Fruit is medium to small, 2 to 2-1/2 inches long, nearly round. Skin is light, scruffy brown. Flesh pale brown, fragrant, juicy, very sweet, and rich, texture slightly granular. Quality is very good.
- Prolific variety - the fruit is round-conical, 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches long and broad. Skin is scruffy, brown, becoming nearly smooth at maturity. Flesh is light-pinkish, mildly fragrant, texture smooth, flavor sweet, quality good. Tree bears early, consistently and heavily.
- Russel type- The fruit is large, round, 3 to 5 inches in diameter and length. Skin is scruffy brown with gray patches. Flesh is pinkish, mildly fragrant, texture somewhat granular. Flavor is rich and sweet.
- Tikal - A new seedling selection with excellent flavor. Elliptic in shape, light brown in color, smaller than Prolific. Ripe very early.
Generally, Chikoo is known by the people as chikoo. Most of the people are not familiar by the name of chikoo as “Sapota”. Chikoo is very yummy, sweet, delicate and calorie loaded fruit belongs to the category of mango, banana or jack. Chikoo is also famous as Noseberry, Mudapples, Sapodilla plum and Chickoo Sapota.
This brown colored fruit contain 2 to 5 black and shiny seeds in the middle portion. It promotes good health when eaten with skin. It can also be taken as milkshakes, juice or ice creams. Somewhere it is used to make syrup for medicinal purpose.
Earlier I was not used of eating chikoo, but when I know its nutritional benefits, immediately I started eating chikoo in its seasons and felt its all beneficial aspects on my own.
Benefits of Chikoo
I have mentioned below almost all the possible health benefits of the chikoo fruit for you:
- Chikoo fruit is very beneficial to your eyes as it is the good source of Vitamin A which naturally aids in improving your eye vision even in the old ages.
- It revitalizes the body through its high energy content like fructose and sucrose which supply instant energy.
- Chikoo fruit is very effective anti inflammatory agent because of its high tannins content. It helps in improving the health of digestive tract by preventing variety of inflammations like esophagitis, irritable bowel syndrome, enteritis and gastritis.
- Chikoo is very good source of antioxidants, dietary fibers and nutrients (Vitamins A and B) which helps in preventing certain types of cancers (lung cancer, oral cavity cancer and etc) in the body by binding the carcinogens. Its vitamins contents maintain the health of mucus linings in the body and so the skin texture.
- Chikoo makes your bones healthy and powerful as it contains minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron and etc required to maintain the bone endurance.
- Chikoo fruit is dietary fibers (works as laxative) rich fruit thus aids in relieving constipation. It nourishes the colon’s membrane by making it resistant to the infections.
- Chikoo fruit has haemostatic property means assists in stopping blood loss during piles or other injuries. The paste of its seeds can be applied on the areas of insect bites to get instant relief.
- It also has the anti-parasitic, anti viral and anti bacterial property as it has the polyphenolic antioxidants which prevent the bacteria to grow or enter into the human body.
- Chikoo is rich in Vitamin C which rejuvenates the body by destroying free radicals and boosting the immunity.
- The other content like potassium, folate, iron, niacin and pantothenic acid assist in appropriate working of digestive system.
- Chikoo fruit works as a great anti diarrheal home remedy because of its purgative property. It also provides relief from the piles and dysentery.
- Chikoo plays a great role in improving the mental health because of being an effective sedative. It calms down the nerves and ease stress. It is proved as the most beneficial fruit for the person suffering from the depression, insomnia or anxiety.
- Eating chikoo helps to get relief from the severe cold and chronic cough by eliminating the phlegm and mucus from nasal and respiratory tract.
- The seeds of the chikoo fruit work as a diuretic and helps in removing the bladder and kidney stones. It provides protection against other kidney diseases as well.
- Eating chikoo regularly controls the gastric enzymes secretions and metabolism process and thus assists in weight loss and prevents obesity.
- It works as a good detoxifying agent and diuretic which helps in eliminating the body waste materials through frequent urination. It maintains the body water concentration thus prevents the occurrence of edemas (water retention) in the body.
- It helps in curing the tooth cavities as its high latex content is used to fill the tooth cavities.
- The magnesium content of the chikoo makes the blood vessels healthy and potassium content helps in regulating the blood pressure and blood circulation.
- The folate and iron contents of it prevent the occurrence of anemia.
- A paste prepared by mixing the chikoo flowers and chikoo fruits provides relief as well as prevents the pulmonary problems.
- Chikoo fruit also works as an antispasmodic as it provides relief from pains and muscle spasms.
Benefits of Chikoo during Pregnancy:
It is considered as the high energetic fruit for the pregnant and lactating mother because of its high carbohydrates and nutrients contents. It reduces the weakness in pregnant women by offering instant energy and provides relief from the pregnancy symptoms like nausea and dizziness.
Benefits of Chikoo for Hair:
Eating chikoo regularly provide all the essential nutrients required to maintain the healthy hair. The oil extracts from the chikoo seeds moisturizes and softens the hair by nourishing the scalp and relieving the skin irritation. It is also effective in treating the seborrheic dermatitis. The paste of chikoo seeds and castor oil is applied on the scalp to get rid of the dandruff.
Benefits of Chikoo for Skin:
Because of the high contents of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants of chikoo, it makes the skin healthy and glowing by maintaining the natural texture and complexion of the skin. Its Vitamin E content moisturizes the skin and thus makes beautiful. The antioxidants property of chikoo works against the early ageing by fighting with the wrinkles and free radicals (which enhances the ageing process). The seed kernel oil of chikoo works as the best skin ointment. The milky juice of chikoo plant is very effective in removing the skin warts and fungal growth.
Benefits of Chikoo Milkshake:
As chikoo milkshake is prepared by mixing with milk, it has increased its energy, vitamins and minerals levels. It is very tasty and delicious shake when prepared using appropriate amount of both.
Benefits of Chikoo Juice
Chikoo juice is also very energetic and full of all the nutrients provides instant energy by fighting fatigue and weakness.
Benefits of Chikoo for Infants/Babies/Kids
It can be given to the new age group kids, infants and babies and can be started from 6 to 8 months of age. Some of the benefits for kids are:
- It is the good source of vitamins which is very necessary for the infants and toddlers for their physical and mental growth. It boosts the immune system, proper eyesight, brain development, lipid metabolism, increase hemoglobin level, proper cell division and helps in carrying out many other activities.
- It is the good source of minerals like iron, folates, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, phosphorous, selenium and etc which are very essential for facilitating various body functions including proper bone growth.
- It supplies them lots of antioxidants to fight with the free radicals of metabolism.
- It has antimicrobial property thus prevents from many infections.
- It is very useful in curing their diarrhea and dysentery problems.
- It also helps in curing common cough and cold and provides relief from the congestion.
Nutritional Value of Chikoo per 100 g
Energy: 83 Kcal
Fat: 1.10 g
Carbohydrates: 19.9 g
Protein: 0.44 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.3 g
Cholesterol: no
Vitamins:
Folates: 14 mcg
Vitamin A: 60 IU
Vitamin C: 14.7 mg
Vitamin E:
B Group Vitamins:
Niacin: 0.200 mg
Pantothenic acid: 0.252 mg
Pyridoxine: 0.037 mg
Riboflavin: 0.020 mg
Thiamin: 0.058 mg
Electrolytes:
Sodium: 12 mg
Potassium: 193 mg
Minerals:
Calcium: 21 mg
Copper: 0.086 mg
Iron: 0.80 mg
Magnesium: 12 mg
Phosphorous: 12 mg
Selenium: 0.6 mcg
Zinc: 0.10 mg
Lipids:
Saturated fatty acids: 0.33 g
Monounsaturated fatty acids: 0.89 g
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 0.02 g
How to Ripen the Raw Chikoo
Raw chikoo can be easily ripened by putting raw chikoo in the bag of rice which makes it ripe in just two days.
How to Eat Chikoo
- It can be eaten by peeling out the skin and removing the seeds.
- But it is healthiest when eating with skin. To remove the seeds easily, open the chikoo longitudinally and bisects.
Selection and Storage of Chikoo
Chikoo is easily available in the market in almost all the seasons. Select fresh, smooth skin, brown color, soft and well shaped chikoo from the market. Avoid buying wrinkled skin, spotted, bruised, hard, deformed or leaking chikoo from the market as they can be infected and cannot be stored for some days. You can also check the ripening of the fruit by gently pressing thumb on it.
It can be stored for some days at room temperature at home by keeping in the cool, dry and clean place. It can also be stored in the refrigerator at very low temperature for week long. However, it is good to consume within 3 to 4 days of buying.
Disadvantages, Side Effects and Precautions of Chikoo
Chikoo has lots of health benefits as it is the good source of health nutrients. However, over eating of it may lead to the seriousness to the health. Some of the disadvantages, side effects and precautions of chikoo are mentioned below:
- Eating raw chikoo may cause some problems like mouth irritation, itching in the throat, problems in breathing and ulcer in the mouth as it contains sour chemicals like latex and tannins.
- It is high in calories which may add some extra weight to the body if eaten more than the requirement.
- Overeating of it may cause abdominal discomfort and abdominal pain.
How Many Chikoo to Eat a Day
Eating chikoo within limit is very necessary to have good health and to be prevented from the symptoms of overeating. It is the good source of healthy nutrients, the requirements of which varies from person to person depending on the weight, age, sex and health status. However, 100 to 120 g of chikoo can be eaten a day to be really blessed with its nutrients. It is good to consult your doctor to know its daily limit according to your health status and body requirements of the nutrients.
22 Health Benefits Of Chiku Or Sapota
Chiku is a fruit that is very popular in India and the tropical regions. This tropical fruit grows on a tree that is called Sapota. But in many cases, chiku is also called sapota by the name of the tree that bears it. Sapota or chiku are sometimes also referred to as 'nose berries' though they have no connection to the berry family at all. Chiku is a healthy fruit that is also extremely delicious.
The health benefits of chiku often get ignored because it is seen as a very fattening fruit. If you are on a diet to lose weight, your dietitian will put you off some fruits like bananas, chiku and grapes. But health benefits of chiku far out weighs its calorie content. Besides, this healthy fruit is filled with natural sugars that can give you plenty of energy.
Chikus are literally a storehouse of nutrients. The plentiful health benefits of chikus come from the vast variety of its nutrient content. The flesh of the chikus is brown and juicy. Both the flesh and peel of this fruit can be easily eaten and digested by human beings. There are seeds at the centre of the chiku that need to be discarded. Even small babies who do not have teeth yet can enjoy the health benefits of chiku because it is such a soft and mushy fruit.
Here is a total head count of all the health benefits of chiku.
Instant Energy
Chiku has a very high amount of glucose in it. Having a single chiku can replenish all your body's sugars in a matter of minutes. That is why, this fruit is very good for pregnant women, and growing children who need that extra energy.
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