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Have you heard of—or ever tried—a tamarind?
If not, you HAVE to hear more about the benefits of this amazing fruit I’ve recently discovered!
The tamarind is mostly indigenous to Central America, and when you drink its pulp it is D-E-L-I-S-H! This super fruit has powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and immune boosting effects…. plus tons of fiber.
As most ancient foods do, tamarind has a long history of medicinal uses.
The benefits of tamarind have been well-studied over the years, and can benefit the eyes, skin, digestive system, and immune system. Some studies show that it can even help improve cardiovascular and respiratory health, and potentially prevent cancer.
And the best part? It actually tastes amazing! This fruit is high in sugar, so you just drink the juice of the pulp and no additional sweeteners need to be added.
It’s also quite high in fiber which is how it helps to lower “bad” HDL cholesterol.
It is a powerful anti-inflammatory to go along with strong antioxidant benefits. What does this mean? The tamarind fruit fights the damaging free radicals that build up and destroy our DNA over time.
I like that! So much so that I spent time looking for different ways to use tamarind while traveling in Costa Rica. Throughout Mexico, families make popsicles out of the pulp for a refreshing and super nutritious snack. I even found Tamarind flavored margaritas (Yes!) at one restaurant.
Unless you live in Central America, it isn’t easy to find tamarind pulp. A few U.S. based juice companies are now making it available. But beware of added sugars or preservatives. All you need is the pulp and water – like this one of me on vacation drinking tamarind “juice” – just pulp and ice water.
The words “sweet and refreshing” don’t even begin to describe this simple treat.
What’s a tamarind-addict to do back in the reality of northeastern city living? My favorite juice company for tamarind juice is Pura Fruta (https://www.purafruta.com/) – cold-pressed, pure pulp, nothing else!
