Salak, the brown scaly which has many health benefits

Indonesian people may already be familiar with the salak fruit. Yes, this fruit, whose outer skin looks like snake scales, is indeed quite popular because it has a unique taste, which is sweet a little bit tart.

However, did you know that behind its unique taste, this fruit also has many health benefits? Come on, check out the various benefits of this fruit in the following review.

Characteristics of salak fruit

The shape of this fruit is like an egg with a rounded bottom and a tapered tip. This fruit also has scaly skin like a snake with a reddish brown or blackish brown color. Since the skin of the fruit is like the scales of a snake, it is sometimes referred to as "snake fruit" (snake fruit).

The flesh of the zalacca fruit is yellowish white, has a crunchy texture, and has a slightly sweet taste. On the inside of the pulp, there are brown seeds that are hard and inedible. While the surface of this fruit is covered with soft spines that are rather sharp. If you are not careful, you can injure your hand when you open it.

Fruit that has a Latin name Salacca zalacca it turns out to be classified in the palm-paleman tribe, akaArecaceae. No wonder the leaves of this fruit are like coconut. The difference is, this fruit leaf is in the form of a sword with a narrow leaf pitch and a thorny stalk.

Actually, the origin of this plant is not known with certainty. However, many experts suspect that the salak fruit originated in Southeast Asia. Apart from Indonesia, this fruit is also widely cultivated in Thailand, Malaysia, and Philippines.

Types of barking

This fruit has different varieties in each region. Not only the type, but the size and taste are also different. In Indonesia, one of the most popular varieties of salak is salak pondoh.

This chocolate from Sleman is already very well known because of its unquestionable quality. This type of snake fruit has a sweet, striped flesh. The texture of the meat is also crunchy and has a pleasant aroma.

Another variety that is no less delicious than the salak pondoh is the honey salak. Both of them come from Sleman, the flesh of this snake fruit is softer and thicker. The texture of the flesh is crispy and soft when crushed. Meanwhile, in terms of taste, this fruit is sweet like honey. In particular, this fruit can bear fruit throughout the year regardless of the season.

In addition, barking sugar from Bali is also one of the varieties of barking which has many fans. When ripe, this fruit has a sweet taste and the flesh is not too thick. The fruit size also tends to be smaller than the other variants. In the fruit, there are usually 2-3 tillers in the form of pulp.

The content of substances and nutrients in zalacca

Apart from its unique taste and shape, it turns out that the benefits of this fruit for health are quite a lot, you know. By consuming 100 grams of salak fruit, you can get the following nutrients:

3.9 mg iron
0.2 mg Vitamin B2
8.4 mg Vitamin C
12.1 g Carbohydrates
38 mg Calcium
18 mg Phosphorus
0.8 g Protein
0.4 g total fat
0.3 mg of total dietary fiber

Various benefits of salak fruit

Here are the various benefits of salak fruit which is a pity to miss:

1. Smooth digestion

Many people believe that this fruit can cause constipation, aka constipation. In fact, this assumption is just a myth that cannot be proven.

Conversely, eating this fruit can actually help smooth and nourish your digestive system. So, don't be afraid to eat this fruit. a nutrition and exercise expert Jansen Ongko, M.Sc., RD., also said so. In fact, Jansen recommends eating this fruit along with the husk.

The reason is, both the flesh and the epidermis contain solid nutrients consisting of fiber, calcium, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and beta carotene. All these nutrients are good for your digestive system.

For example, the fiber in this fruit can help speed up the process of removing waste products, toxins, and other substances that are not needed by your body. As a result, this fruit can help you avoid constipation. In addition, the tannin content in this fruit also has a natural antimicrobial effect in the intestines so that it can be used as a natural diarrhea medicine. Tannins can also help with other digestive disorders.

2. Increase immunity

This nutrient-dense scaly fruit is also able to help improve overall body health. The abundant content of polyphenol and flavonoid compounds in this fruit can help fight cell and tissue damage.

Then, this fruit also contains beta carotene. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that is good for preventing cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even cancer.

One study conducted by UGM FK students also found a similar thing. In this study, it is known that the fruit extract of salak pondoh aka Salacca zalacca which is added with ethanol as a solvent can increase the immunity of rats previously infected with bacteria.

Unfortunately, this research is still limited to animals. As a result, further preclinical tests are needed to ensure the benefits of this fruit in boosting the body's immune system.

3. Maintain a balanced body weight

If you are tired of eating bananas or avocados for a diet snack, why not try snacking on salak? The fiber and antioxidant content in this fruit is also good for dietary intake.

Yes. The fiber in this fruit can keep you feeling full longer, so you will eat less. This is certainly good news for people who want to lose weight.

Not only that, this fruit is also rich in calcium and carbohydrates. This makes salak a suitable snack to support your body's energy needs while undergoing a diet program.

Even so, make sure you don't consume this fruit in excess. Remember, although it is beneficial, anything that is consumed in excess is certainly not good for your body. So, consume this fruit in moderation. In order for your diet program to have optimal results, don't forget to also meet the nutritional intake of various other types of fruit.

4. Helps brighten skin

You crave white and smooth skin? Instead of using fake whitening creams on the market, you can use natural products. One of them is the salak fruit.

Recently, a study found that the Bongkok salak extract, which is widely grown and cultivated in Sumedang Regency, West Java, is known to have potential as a natural skin lightening agent. This is because this fruit contains flavonoids which play a role in skin depigmentation.

The researchers also reported that the cream containing the ethanol extract of the fruit was effective in lowering the melanin index of human skin after being used for 28 days. This research was conducted by the Department of Pharmacognomy and Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia and published in the Pharmaconosy Journal in 2017.

Unfortunately, further research with a wider scope is still needed to ensure that this fruit is useful in lightening the skin.

5. Maintain heart health

In fact, this fruit is also good for maintaining cardiovascular health. The reason is, this fruit consists of potassium, antioxidants and minerals that function to regulate the health of the heart and blood vessels.

One of the functions of potassium is to help transmit nerve impulses that affect the heart rate. Adequate potassium intake is very important for those of you who have high blood pressure, heart failure, or heart rate problems.

6. Increase bone density and strength

This fruit also contains important minerals such as iron and calcium. Both of these minerals are good for maintaining bone density and strength and strengthening muscles and joints.

Not only that, iron and calcium also play a role in regulating blood viscosity and improving nerve function throughout the body.

7. Repair damaged body tissue

Since the body cannot produce vitamin C, you need vitamin C from the food and drinks you consume. The good news, this fruit contains quite a lot of natural vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that offers a myriad of benefits to the body. Starting from repairing damaged body tissues, increasing the immune system, to warding off free radicals that can trigger various diseases.

Not only that, vitamin C is also important for triggering collagen production, which is a type of protein that keeps skin supple and soft and keeps your muscles supple.

Healthy recipes turn salak into delicious snacks

Apart from being consumed directly, there are many ways to enjoy salak fruit. Some of the following healthy recipes might be your inspiration in processing this scaly fruit.

1. Salak pudding

Materials used:

1 pack of gelatin tasteless
500 grams of ripe salak, remove the skin and seeds (you can choose any variant of salak according to your taste)
1 liter of boiled water
1 egg yolk
250 ml low-fat liquid milk
200 ml virgin coconut milk
4 tsp low calorie sugar

How to make

Wash this fruit thoroughly with running water.
Blend all this fruit and then strain the water and remove the pulp.
Boil the salak juice in a saucepan and add low calorie sugar. Stir and cook until it boils.
In a separate pan, cook plain gelatin, low-fat white milk, and coconut milk over low heat. Stir it up.
Mix the salak juice boiled water and stir again until everything is evenly mixed.
Add egg yolks. Stir and wait for it to boil.
Remove and pour the pudding mixture into the mold that has been provided. Let stand at room temperature until slightly hardened then put in the refrigerator.
Salak pudding is ready to be enjoyed.

2. Salak fruit ice

Materials needed

3 salak fruit, separate the seeds and cut into small pieces the flesh (you can use any type of salak according to your taste)
1/2 apple, diced
1/4 melon, diced
5 grains of longan, remove seeds
1 lime, squeeze and take the water
500 ml of water
2 pandan leaves
3 tablespoons low calorie sugar
Ice cubes as needed

How to make

Dissolve low calorie sugar with water and pandan leaves. Cook until it boils or sugar dissolves.
Enter fruits such as salak, longan, melon, and apples. Let stand until the fruit is wilted and the water is no longer hot.
Put in a serving glass and add ice cubes.
Salak fruit ice is ready to be enjoyed.

3. Bark chips

Materials needed

500 grams of ripe zalacca fruit (you can use any type of salak according to your taste)
2 tablespoons whiting water
2 liters of water
Low calorie sugar to taste
Salt to taste
Olive oil to taste

How to make

Separate the fruit with the skin and seeds. Split the bulb into two parts.
Soak the greeting with whiting water for at least 5 hours.
Wash the fruit thoroughly under running water and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Prepare a baking sheet and spray with olive oil so that the fruit does not stick to the oven. Arrange the fruit in a baking sheet and bake for 10-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Chips are ready to be enjoyed.

How to choose quality salak fruit

As mentioned above, besides being able to be used as a healthy snack, this fruit also contains various properties that are good for the body. However, if you are not careful in choosing it, this fruit can actually reduce your appetite.

So, therefore, so as not to be disappointed afterward, here are some guidelines for choosing quality snake fruit.

Choose an oval-shaped fruit with a tapered shoot.
Ripe snake fruit usually has a clean, shiny surface, and is blackish brown or brownish yellow in color.
Watch the bark scales carefully. Ideally, the older or ripe the bark is, the scales will appear large and not tight.
The surface of the ripe fruit skin is also generally smooth when touched because the coarse hairs have fallen off.
When kissed, salak which is old, aka ripe, has a distinctive sweet aroma.
The tapered end of the fruit generally feels soft (not mushy) when pressed.
Avoid choosing salak which when you press the tip it actually releases water. The reason is, it means that the bark you bought is rotten and no longer good.

In addition, when picked directly on the tree, usually ripe fruit can easily be separated from the stalk.

If you want salak fruit that has a long shelf-life, then picking the fruit is best done when the fruit is almost ripe. Meanwhile, fruit that is already ripe on the tree has a shorter shelf life. Even so, the fruit that is perfectly ripe on the tree is of the best quality.

So, you already know how to choose quality salak fruit? Make sure you apply the guidelines above correctly, yes.

Happy shopping and enjoy this delicious fruit!