In Indonesia itself, there are many different names depends on where the tropical almond is located. In Bugis, this is called “atapang”. Ketapas is the name of tropical almond for you who live at Timor. For people who stay at Minangkabau, they called it “katapieng”. In Nias, ketapang known as “katafia”. In Batak, this fruit called “hatapang”. In Papua, this almond is called with the name “kalis” by people there. And in Rote, you will call it “lisa”. Wah, there are so many names. The scientific name of ketapang or tropical almond is Terminalia catappa. This fruit comes from Southeast Asia.
Tropical Almond lives in the lowlands to a height of 500 meters with rainfall of 1,000 to 3,500 mm per year. Therefore, you can find this tree around the coast. Because the trees are shady and tall, tropical almonds can accompany you who want to sit underneath while enjoying the beauty of the beach. The fruit is cute because the size is small and round like eggs. When the young fruit is yellowish green but will turn into a purple-red when it ripe. A country with many tropical almond trees is Nigeria.
Nutrients of Tropical Almond
Ketapang or tropical almonds have many nutrients. According to research conducted by Ezeokonkwo and Dodson in 2004, these seeds of tropical almonds have so many proteins and also have amino acids such as leucine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, histidine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, methionine, lysine and tyrosine.
Moreover, Praveena’s research in 2004 showed that tropical almonds contain phytochemicals such as steroids, triterpenes, carbohydrates, triterpenoids saponins, alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and glycosides.
When dried, ketapang seeds will produce yellow oil, which rich in various fatty acids such as oleic acid (23.3%), palmitic acid (55.5%), linoleic acid, myristic acid, and stearic acid.
Furthermore, these tropical almond seeds have 16% sugar, 25% protein, and various types of amino acids. The skin of this almond tropical wood’s tissue contains 11% -23% tannins.
In the data owned by the USDA National Nutrient, the following nutrition is owned Tropical Almond per 100 g is :
Energy 575 Kcal
Carbohydarates 21.67 g
Protein 21.22 g
Total Fat 49.42 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Dietary Fiber 12.20 g
Folates 50 ug
Niacin 3.385 mg
Pantothenic acid 0.47 mg
Pyridoxine 0.143 mg
Riboflavin 1.014 mg
Thiamin 0.211 mg
Vitamin A 1 IU
Vitamin C 0 mg
Vitamin E 26 mg
Sodium 1 mg
Potassium 705 mg
Calcium 264 mg
Copper 0.996 mg
Iron 0.20 mg
Iron 3.72 mg
Magnesium 268 mg
Manganese 2.285 mg
Phosphorus 484 mg
Selenium 2.5 ug
Zinc 3.08 mg
Carotene b 1 ug
Crypto-xanthin 0 ug
Lutein-zeaxanthin 1 ug
See? There are so many nutrients that provide by Tropical Almond. Do you want to know more information about this tropical almond? In the list below, we will present you information about the various benefits that exist in tropical almonds. Please pay attention to the very useful data below :
1. Leaf use for herbal treatment
Some flavonoids such as kaempferol or quercetin, tannin content such as punicalin, punicalagin or tercatin, saponins and phytosterols that contained in the leaves can be used for herbal treatment. For example, the use of leaves from tropical almond trees to treat liver diseases is done in Taiwan.
For those of you who are suffering dysentery and diarrhea, you will get the benefit from this tropical almond if you use the leaves as ingredients to make herbal tea.
2. Benefits from fruits and seeds of tropical almond
According to a research conducted by a University abroad more precisely at the University of Toronto, Canada, North American Continent, show that if we consume fruits and seeds of tropical almonds, this will bring benefits to our body because it has the effect to lower cholesterol more than 30% because of the help from calcium.
Moreover, tropical almond seeds contain vitamin E which has a role to reduce the amount of C-reactive protein that can cause inflammation of the arteries that lead to increased risk of heart attack.
3. Hepatitis treatment
Research by Lin et al (1997), shows that this tropical almond has strong antipathetic effects including superoxide radical scavenger activity to treat hepatitis.
4. Treat skin disease like dermatitis
There are so many benefits that we can get from the leaves of this almond tropical tree. One of them is to treat skin diseases dermatitis which is skin becomes redness, pain and swelling also have small blisters caused by irritation due to external factors or due to the reaction when allergic.
6. Good for pregnant woman
Another health benefits of tropical almonds is the content of folic acid that helps to reduce the incidence that can be dangerous for the babies such as of birth defects in newborn babies is very needed by pregnant women. So, for those of you who are pregnant, we strongly recommend you to make tropical almonds as your snack from now on. Another suggestion, try Benefits of Peanuts during Pregnancy.
7. Good for your stomach
By eating the seeds of tropical almond fruit, you can get the benefits for your stomach because the oil that is in the seeds of tropical almond fruit efficacious to reduce inflammation of the abdominal cavity.
8. Natural Beauty Treatments
The outer shell of the almond tropical tree and the fruit is usually used for tanning the skin, as a natural dye, and also as ink. For those of you who suffer from leprosy, scabies or another skin diseases, you will get the benefit if you cooking using leaves from tropical almond trees.
9. Rich of Fiber
The fruit is very useful because not only tastes like almonds and although it tastes a bit sour but also contains fiber that is beneficial to your body.
10. Improve Overall Health
Research shows that the extraction of tropical almonds helps the body avoid various diseases such as constipation, respiratory disorders, impotence, diabetes, cough, heart problems, etc.
Medical experts recommend the people to start eating tropical almonds with other foods every day because of the many benefits that we can get from tropical almonds.
10. Anti-cancer
Most of the health benefits of tropical almonds we get from the leaves. not only the leaves are useful for the herbal treatment, evidently, that leaf contains a substance that can prevent cancer and have antioxidant content. This almond tropical extract can fight the strains of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine (CQ) -resistant (FcB1) and CQ-sensitive (HB3). There are another Ways How to Prevent Cancer Naturally With Foods and Habits . But, you can choose to try the tropical almond to prevent cancer.
11. Good for fish
For you who a lover of ornamental fish, especially betta fish, you will get the benefit from the leaves of tropical almond trees. These leaves contain 12 kinds of tannis that have the effect to improve health and extend the life of the fish. If you put these leaves in the aquarium, the pH content and the heavy metal content of water can go down. The leaves also work to fight some parasites and pathogenic bacteria. Another function of these leaves is to prevent the formation of mushrooms in fish eggs.
12. Utilization of wood
Wood from tropical almond trees that known as red-brown Terminalia has a red color like a brick color and also brown color. The wood is quite hard and has high water resistance but has a weakness because it is easy to enter or eaten by termites. This wood can be used to make a boat or the venir ( the thin sheet of wood) can be used as one the of the materials when you want to make a house.
Another benefit of tropical almond:
Besides that we get the benefit from tropical almonds for health, you can also use tropical almonds as oil, syrup and even milk. Sweet almond oil can be used to make soap and conditioning oil. Almond tropical oil is also used to make lip balm, lotion cream, and massage oil. Wow, the benefits of tropical almonds can be for beauty too, doesn’t it? The best time to eat tropical almonds is when your stomach is empty so we can absorb the nutrients. You also can try Benefits of Honey On An Empty Stomach.
Who likes milk? You must be like milk, do you? There are so many Health Benefits of Milk. Evidently, tropical almond can be converted into milk. In fact, this tropical almond milk does not contain cholesterol or lactose and can be used in many recipes. You want to try it?