A delicious tropical fruit with the name rambutan has taken over the market recently.Rambutan fruit, with bright red skin and sweet white-colored flesh, grows on a medium-sized tree called Nephelium lappaceum. The fruit is akin to the lychee and is known to have a single inedible seed inside.Rambutan fruit grows in evergreen trees in clusters and has hairs on its colorful exterior. The word rambutan itself means hairs which actually refers to the spiky hairs on the body of the fruit. The spikes however are fleshy and pliable and not as sharp as they seem to be. Tasty white flesh is seen under the skin and can be eaten fresh. Rambutan fruit is grown in tropical countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillippines, and Australia. Although ripe rambutan fruit is red in color, the variants found in Malaysia are yellow in color and also smaller in size. The taste is similar to grapes, however, you can also taste the acidity and sweetness of strawberries. The smell and flavor are both pleasant. The rambutan fruit has nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, and copper. The fruit also has some potassium, iron, and calcium. You will find these beautiful fruits in many Asian markets all over the world. In North America, you can easily find fresh rambutan fruits in Asian food stores and Asian markets in the produce section.To find a healthy rambutan fruit, look out for red ripe ones. Green rambutans are raw and won’t give you the flavor you desire. However, red with some orange or yellow is acceptable. Over-ripe ones will show black spots or hairs. To store rambutan fruits, cover them in a paper towel and put the rambutans in a plastic bag that is perforated. It is important that high humidity is selected in the refrigerator. There are many rambutan recipes that are used daily all over the world in dessert recipes as well as recipes of salads, drinks, and juices.Rambutans are fruits that are native to Southeast Asia. They grow in a tall tree with a height of around 80 ft (27 m). Rambutans thrive in Indonesia and Malaysia where the climate is tropical. The history of the name rambutan is that the name is taken from a Malay word that means hair. The appearance can be considered similar to a sea urchin too. Rambutans have many health benefits from better digestion to weight loss and also fight against infections. We will learn more about the fruit in the coming paragraphs.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about how to use hair oil and how to use an abacus here on Kidadl?What does a rambutan look like?The fruit rambutan looks a lot like lychee and tastes like a grape. It is a unique-looking fruit with a lot of health benefits.Rambutan is one of the most common fruits in Southeast Asia and the red color of the fruit will surely turn your head. It stands apart in a crowded fruit shop. Rambutan looks like a small grape with hard skin, like lychee, and thin spines. The thin spines look like hair-like protrusions. The hairy structure can easily be pulled out by hand. There are two types of rambutans: yellow and red. Both the related breeds have hairy structures and are medium in size. However, they ripen at different times of the year. The yellow variant of the bright fruit has arils that are white, sweet, and juicy. However, the red rambutans have dry flesh with a subtle sweet flavor.There may be green spots or black ones which will tell us if the fruit is raw or over-ripe.Tips to open the hairy outer layer are to break the hard covering and peel the spiny surface to find the flesh. There are different sizes of seeds found inside the flesh but do not eat rambutan seeds. The seeds are inedible. You can open rambutan with your hands and squeeze to pop out the flesh of the fruit.When it comes to rambutan vs lychee, there is not much difference. Both fruits look similar except for the hairy structure on the outer skin. They are in the same family.Health Benefits Of RambutanThere are a lot of health benefits of eating rambutans.The fruit rambutan is full of antioxidants which may help in making cancer symptoms less severe. Rambutans also boost immunity against other diseases like Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Fresh rambutans are known to have vitamins. Vitamin C is the hero in this fresh fruit. You can also find vitamin A and E and together all the vitamins help in maintaining eye health. Vitamin C also strengthens the immune system. Vitamin B helps in bone growth. The high antioxidants present in the fruit’s juices reduce the number of free radicals that accumulate in blood vessels. The fat content is low and they are an excellent source of dietary fiber. It is the best kind of fruit for people who are trying to lose weight. Rambutan also contains a lot of sugar that provides energy. Complex carbohydrates present in rambutan also give you endurance and reduce fatigue. The fruit also contains potassium that helps in boosting energy.The fruit also contains nutrients like iron and manganese that give your body the extra edge required. The fiber in the fruit helps in bowel movements.How To Eat A RambutanYou can get rambutan fresh, canned, or in the form of jam or juice from the store.First, look at the color of the spikes and you will know if the fruit is ripe. The more red the skin of the fruit is, the riper the fruit will be. Removing the skin before eating is important. Use a knife to slice the middle of the outer skin. Then squeeze from the other sides to reveal the white fresh sweet fruit inside. The flesh inside contains a large seed in the middle that is not to be eaten.There are various recipes available in the world that use this fruit as food for dessert dishes, salads, curries, and puddings. Part of the lychee family, the fruit from the trees of Nephelium lappaceum is very versatile and a favorite for many. However, do not use the peel for eating along with the seed.There are many rambutan benefits along with the soft, creamy, and chewy flesh inside. However, many people believe the seed inside is toxic.Here are some ways you can use the fruit and the fiber inside: ice cream, smoothies of different kinds for better health, and coolers.There is always a looming question, are rambutans dangerous, and can they kill you? The answer is not simple as the flesh of the fruit is pretty safe to have but the seed and the peel might be poisonous if eaten raw or in large quantities. There are benefits too that can help your stomach in times of distress. Dysentry is such a disease that can destroy your bowel movements and drain you of all energy. Eating rambutan skin in these circumstances will kill the harmful bacteria and help relieve the irritation as the skin has anti-parasitic properties. There have been cases of rambutan seed making people very sick and if taken on an empty stomach can cause serious troubles for you. It is important to know about the benefits and drawbacks of the things you eat before something bad happens to your body. Rambutans also rot faster as, once they are picked from the tree, they stop ripening and just rot.What does a rambutan taste like?This is a mysterious fruit with the look of one fruit and the taste of another.These unique-looking fruits have a taste of the combination of both sweet and sour. The taste can be similar to a lychee, grape, or longan. However, the fruit is not that sweet. The flesh is chewy and there will be a little resistance on the first bite, however, below that is a creamy, beautiful texture, loaded with flavors. Discard the seed you find inside because that can be toxic and also won’t taste good.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘How to eat rambutan’, then why not take a look at ‘How to make a waterfall’ or ‘How to tell if silver is real’.
A delicious tropical fruit with the name rambutan has taken over the market recently.
