Baccaurea motleyana is a species of fruit tree that grows wild in parts of Southeast Asia and is cultivated for its fruit in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Peninsular Malaysia. Its common names include rambai and rambi, and in the Thai language mafai-farang. In the Bengali language the fruit is known as bugi as local language in Narsingdi like lotka, lotkon or bugi in bengali locally (লটকা/লটকন/বুগি), in the Assamese language it is known as leteku (লেটেকু). This is a tree generally growing to 9 to 12 meters in height with a short trunk and a broad crown. The evergreen leaves are shiny green on the upper surface and greenish-brown and hairy underneath. Each leaf is up to 33 centimeters long and 15 wide. The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers growing on separate individuals. Both types of flowers are fragrant and have yellow sepals. The staminate racemes are up to 15 centimeters long and the pistillate inflorescences may reach 75 centimeters in length. The fruits are each 2 to 5 centimeters long and about two wide and grow in strands. Each fruit has velvety pinkish, yellow, or brown skin which wrinkles at ripening and is filled with a whitish pulp containing 3 to 5 seeds. The pulp is sweet to acid in taste. They may be eaten raw or cooked or made into jam or wine. The tree is also used for shade and low-quality wood.
| Rambai Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Rambai |
| Scientific Name: | Baccaurea motleyana |
| Origin | Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo |
| Colors | Greenish-yellow to whitish-yellow when ripe |
| Shapes | Globose to ellipsoid, 2.5–4 cm, 3-seeded indehiscent berries |
| Flesh colors | Whitish |
| Taste | Sweet to acid |
| Calories | 148.5 Kcal./cup |
| Major nutrients | Vitamin C (27.50%) Iron (12.38%) Phosphorus (6.29%) Protein (6.16%) Calcium (4.40%) |
| Health benefits | Overcoming dehydration, Prevent cancer, Cures Red eye, Source of energy for the body, Cure some skin diseases, Maintain blood sugar levels, Nutrition of pregnant women postpartum, Helps the digestive system, Healthy digestive organs |
Baccaurea motleyana commonly known as Rambai is a medium-sized tree of genus Baccaurea Lour and Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) the same family as related fruits like lang-khae and mafai. The plant is native to Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, West-, South- and East-Kalimantan) and Moluccas. Some of the common names of the plant are Common Rambai, mafia-farang, ramai, lam-khae, raa-maa tee-ku, pekan, ulup-lavai, bua trai, pekang, ramie, duo mai mu nai guo, menteng, sekoyun, pahae, rambeh, buah jentik and asam lambun. Rambai fruit is a kind of fruit that will bear fruit in considerable amounts. This fruit also contains nutrients with benefits and good health benefits. The fruit is similar to duku fruit.
Plant Description
Rambai is an evergreen, sub-canopy, dioecious, much-branched tree that grows about 8–14 m (26–46 ft.) tall and a trunk diameter of up 40cm, with a low, round, bushy crown. The plant is found growing in lowland primary and secondary, tropical rain forests, or open scrub vegetation and rarely riparian forest. The plant grows on alluvial soils, yellow clay, and sand or limestone soils. The plant has yellowish-brown, scaly to flaky bark and terete and densely hairy branchlets. The evergreen leaves are shiny green on the upper surface and greenish-brown and hairy underneath. Each leaf is up to 33 centimeters long and 15 cm wide. The twigs, petioles, and lower sides of the leaves are velvety.
Flower & Fruit
The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers growing on separate individuals. Both types of flowers are fragrant and have yellow sepals. The staminate racemes are up to 15 centimeters long and the pistillate inflorescences may reach 75 centimeters in length. The fruits are each 2 to 5 centimeters long and about two cm wide and grow in strands. The pericarp is 0.5–1.5 mm thick; column about 18–23 mm long, straight. Each fruit is greenish-yellow when young turning to whitish-yellow when ripe, it wrinkles at ripening and is filled with a whitish pulp containing about 3 to 5 seeds. Seeds are ellipsoid; laterally flattened, brown, 13–20 by 9–15 mm. Arillode is translucent, white to rarely purple. The pulp is sweet to acid in taste. They may be eaten raw or cooked or made into jam or wine. The tree is also used for shade and low-quality wood.
History
The Gambia is a native of Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. It is widely cultivated throughout Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali, and has found its way to neighboring countries like Thailand and the Philippines. It is cultivated in tropical areas elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Northern Australia, and Yunnan in China. It belongs to the Phyllanthaceae family. But nowadays it is cultivated throughout the world because of its amazing taste and health-promoting benefits.
Nutritional value of Rambai Fruit
Calories 148.5 K cal.
| Proximity | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 148.5 Kcal | N/D |
| Protein | 3.08 g | 6.16% |
| Minerals | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium, Ca | 44 mg | 4.40% |
| Iron, Fe | 0.99 mg | 12.38% |
| Phosphorus, P | 44 mg | 6.29% |
| Vitamins | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Water-soluble Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) | 0.014 mg | 1.17% |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) | 24.75 mg | 27.50% |
| Fat-soluble Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A, RAE | 30 µg | 4.29% |
Above mentioned Percent Daily Values (%DVs) are based on 2,000 calorie diet intake. Daily values (DVs) may be different depending upon your daily calorie needs. Mentioned values are recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are not rxharun.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average age of 19 to 50 years and weigh 194 lbs. Source: http://rfcarchives.org.au
Health benefits of Rambai
In addition to a healthy snack, fruit Rambai proved to contain numerous nutrients. Although the size is small, you cannot merman efficacy for the body. The fruit consists of water, protein, saccharose, fiber, some vitamins, and other minerals. On average all the compounds contained in this fruit will nourish your body. Let us discuss further the benefits and efficacy of Zambia for the health of the body.
1. Prevent cancer
Rambai fruit can also be a fruit used to prevent cancer. This disease should be a disease that should be avoided early. For that, you can eat fruit this one as a preventive cancer malignant. Include it in your regular diet as a preventive measure against cancer.
2. Overcoming dehydration
Rambai fruit consists of a lot of water content for overcoming dehydration. In addition to water, you can also try to consume this fruit for thirst release. In addition to fresh, you will get good nutrition from the nutritional content in it.
3. Cures Red eye
Red eyes are actually an indication of eye disorders caused by many factors, ranging from itching until there are objects that enter into it. It turns out that the efficacy of Zambia is also useful for this. Blend some of this fruit and then take the juice to drip into the red-eye.
4. Helps the digestive system
Fiber content found abundantly in rambai fruit helps in the proper functioning of the digestive system. It is a fruit with high enough fiber content. Fiber is a good nutrient for the processing of food in the digestive organs more smoothly.
5. Maintain blood sugar levels
Rambai fruit is quite beneficial for keeping blood sugar levels under control. This fruit does not contain excessive sugar content, so it will not raise blood sugar levels in your body.
6. Healthy digestive organs
Rambai fruit helps to maintain healthy organs. This fruit will improve the working function of digestive organs such as the intestine and stomach. A healthy digestive organ will make your digestive system healthy too.
7. Nutrition of pregnant women postpartum
Mothers who have given birth after pregnancy need plenty of nutrients to restore their health. One fruit that can be a source of healthy food for pregnant women is fruit rambai. This fruit will provide extra energy and energy for pregnant women after childbirth.
8. Cure some skin diseases
For outer disease, rambai is considered very powerful. This fruit is able to cure several skin diseases such as itching, panu, scabies, and also ringworm. The trick is very simple, just puree this fruit then paste it on the skin of the sick.
9. Source of energy for the body
Rambai is a fruit to increases the source of energy in the body. The fruit consists of enough amounts of vitamins, minerals, and proteins that will become energy when consumed by the body. You will remain active throughout the day if you include it in your regular diet.
Traditional uses and benefits of rambai fruit
- Squeezed cambium and inner bark have been used as a remedy for eye inflammation.
- Bark has been used as an ingredient of a concoction of many ingredients and administered internally after childbirth in protective medicaments.
- Bark can also be made into lotions and is very effective as it was claimed to cure many types of skin problems such as rashes, ringworm, and so on.
- Rambai barks are also used as an ingredient for spices and are boiled for drinking by mothers after childbirth in protective medicaments.
Culinary Uses
- Rambai is mostly grown for its fruit.
- Arillode is sweet to acid sweet, eaten raw or made into jams and conserves.
- Juice of any variety may be used to make drinks by sweetening and diluting according to taste and served over ice.
- Fruit may be fermented and processed into wine.
- Sweet fruit is made into conserves or fermented into liquor.
- Ripe fruits are eaten out of hand or made into jellies and jams.
- Pulp is used to make desserts and fruit wine.
- Occasionally the fruits are used to prepare chutneys and pickles.
Other facts
- Its timber is of low quality but is used for posts.
- The bark is rich in tannins and yields a mordant for dyes.
- Black dammar oozes from the bark.
- The tree is also planted as an ornamental and shade tree.
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