Tamarind helps with cholesterol, weight mgt

Tamarind is said to have medicinal and culinary uses and is beneficial in easing stomach discomfort, fevers, sore throat and sunstroke and aiding digestion.

It is a sour-sweet flavour fruit likened to lemons, apricots and dates, and is also used to make sweet syrup flavoring soft drinks.

It is popularly known as ‘icheku’ in Igbo, ‘tsamiya’ in Hausa and ‘awin’ in Yoruba.

According to the Vibrant Wellness Journal, studies show that tamarind might help fight cholesterol; a study showed that daily consumption of tamarind fruit (pod) decreased cholesterol by 50%.

It also helps in diabetes management; intake of tamarind increased the amount of insulin-producing cells and lowered blood sugar levels because of the high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids.

Tamarind pulp is also linked with healthy weight management: It decreases levels of fat in the liver and reduced levels of liver enzymes, which, when elevated, indicate stress on the liver. Tamarindsupplemented animals showed significant weight loss after 28 days in a study.

It also contains high amounts of thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and fiber.

When used in recipes– which usually call for a small amount– the fiber amount is small, but if you eat the fruit itself, it has over 20% of your daily recommended fiber intake per cup.