Benefits of Tamarillo fruits

1. Tamarillo or tree tomato is a small ovalshaped fruit. It is closely related to other Solanaceae family vegetables and fruits such as tomato, eggplant, tomatillo, groundcherry, and chili peppers. Tree tomatoes are thought to originate in the semitropical high altitude Andes forests of Brazil and Peru. They are cultivated at the commercial scale in large orchards in northern parts of New Zealand and exported to USA, Australia, Japan and European co .....

Description

2. The Tamarillo belongs to the solanaceaes family. This fruit is oval shaped, it is 79cm long and 100 to 150gr in weight. The crust is smooth, thin and red. The exterior part of the pulp is firm and fleshy. In the centre, the fruit has a soft and jelly like texture with small edible seeds. The crust is a little bitter but the pulp has a pleasant bittersweet flavour. .....

History

3. The tamarillo was first introduced to New Zealand from Asia in the late 1800s. Only yellow and purple fruited strains were produced from the original introductions, but the red type was developed by an Auckland nursery during the 1920s from seed sourced from South America. Other red strains, developed independently, appeared soon afterwards. Since then, continued reselection of these original red strains by growers has led to the large highqualit .....

Tamarillo fruit features

4. Tamarillo fruit features oval shape with smooth shiny skin and can be of different colors depending up on the cultivar type. Red tamarillos are more common than orangeyellow varieties. Fully grown fruit feature an egg shape, measuring about 68 cm in length and 46 cm wide and weighs about 100 g. inside, cut section appears similar to that of in plumtomatoes. The flesh is juicy, deep in color, sweet yet tangy, flavorful, filled with numerous small .....

Tamarillo is a shrub or small size tree

5. Tamarillo is a shrub or small size tree reaching about 515 feet in height with hairy stems and branches. Its evergreen leaves arebroader than in tomato. Well grown plant bears small fleshy palepink attractive flowers in the first year of plantation. However, fruiting is discouraged until the plant reaches second or third year. .....

Very low calorie fruits

6. Tamarillos are one of the very low calorie fruits. 100 g of fresh fruit contain just 31 calories. They contain slightly more calories, fat, and protein than tomatoes. (100 g tomato has 18 calories). Nevertheless, they have good amounts of health benefiting plant nutrients such as dietary fiber (3.3 mg or 9% of RDA), minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins. .....

Acidic flavor

7. Acidic flavor (sourness) oftree tomatoes mainly comes from citric acid. The other important acid in them is malic acid. Its flowers are pinky white through to lavender, and the fruits may be purplered, orange, yellow and some have stripes running down their skins. The sweetest are the yellow and orange ones, and when you slice them open they have black seeds inside, so they resemble passion fruit and have been mistaken for an eggshaped persimmon. .....

The ORAC value

8. The ORAC value (antioxidant strength) of 100 g fresh tamarillos is 1659 TE (Trolex equivalents). Their antioxidant value largely derived from polyphenolic, flavonol and anthocyanidin compounds. Some of these phytochemicals include chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, and anthocyanin pigments such as cyanidin glycosides, especially concentrated in their skin. Scientificstudies suggest that chlorogenic acid help lower blood sugar levels in typeII diabetes .....

Vitamin A

9. Yellow and gold variety tamarillo contains more vitamin A and carotenes than red varieties. However, red variety has more anthocyanin pigments. In addition, yellow tamarillos are a good source of carotenes, and xanthins. These compounds are known to possess antioxidant properties and, together with vitamin A, are essential for visual health. Further, vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natur .....

Source of B complex vitamins

10. Tree tomato is the average source of Bcomplex vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B6). Together, these vitamins help as cofactors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body. Tamarillo fruits are oval and egg shaped with smooth skin. Cut section appears very much like tomatoes, with little water and more pulp. More than 85% of its weight I made of flesh and seeds. A fruit may conta .....

Very good source of electrolyte

11. They are indeed very good source of electrolyte, potassium. 100 g fresh fruit has 321 mg or 7% of this mineral. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus, counters the bad influences of sodium. In addition, the fruit contains a small amount of minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and iron. .....

Selection

12. Tamarillo season begins in New Zealand from May until October. Choose welldeveloped, bright, uniform colored, ripe and ready to eat fruits. Tamarillos available in several attractive colors of orange, goldenyellow, deep red, maroon, etc. Look for healthy stalk. Avoid small, shriveled, damaged and bruised fruits. .....

Storage

13. Ripe fruits stay well for up to 57 days and inside the refrigerator for up to 10 days. tamarillo offer excellent antioxidant activity and reduces risk of degenerative diseases like cataracts, cancer, heart diseases, Parkinsons diseases, Alzheimers, diabetes and others. Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and other phytonutrients have been attributed for antioxidant property of tree tomatoes. .....

Preparation and serving methods

14. Raw ripe fruits can be eaten with peel. However, its skin is bitter in taste (largely because of cyanidin anthocyanin pigments), and many may want to avoid eating it. At home, wash in cold water and mop dry using soft cloth. Remove the stalk. In general, the fruit is cut in halfway, and its sweet, juicy flesh scooped out using a teaspoon. Its skin may be peeled and discarded in the similar fashion as in tomatoes. Rinse the fruit in hotwater for 2 .....

Safety profile

15. Tamarillo fruit intolerance is a rare event and may occur because ofcross allergic situations to other Solanaceae commoners like eggplant, tomato, tomatillo etc. Phytonutrients in tamarillo are mainly Phenolics, Anthocyanin, Carotenoid and Flavonoid. Together they make tamarillo high in antioxidant activity. The color of the fruit differs according to phytochemicals present. Red variety offer more anthocyanins while yellow variety is rich in caro .....

Interesting fact

16. Tamarillos were referred to as tree tomatoes. However, on 31 January 1967, after almost unanimous agreement amongst growers and with the consent of what was then the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, the fruits commercial name was officially changed from tree tomato to tamarillo. .....

Nutritional benefits

17. The tamarillo is an extremely nutritious fruit, containing good quantities of several important vitamins .....

Site selection

18. The tamarillo is a subtropical shrub and is extremely frost intolerant so its growth is restricted to areas where frosts are infrequent and only slight.The plant prefers a light, welldrained soil. It is highly intolerant of excess soil moisture and rapidly succumbs when the soil is waterlogged. On the other hand, its large soft leaves and shallow rooting system causes it to react unfavourably to drought conditions .....

Pruning period

19. Pruning can commence in early spring (August onwards) once the danger of frosts has passed and the majority of the previous crop has been harvested. This will vary from district to district, and from site to site within a district. It may continue through November and even into December. However, most blocks are pruned by the end of October. .....

Importance of pruning

20. Tamarillos produce their fruit on the current seasons growth. If trees are left unpruned, the new fruiting wood gradually extends from the ends of the branches and the laterals, leaving the centre of the tree more or less barren. Frequently the weight of the fruit produced on the ends of long, weak, spindly branches or laterals causes them to break. Pruning in early spring or not pruning at all normally results in early maturity. Pruning that is .....

Major pests and diseases

21. The major diseases of tamarillos include the tamarillo mosaic virus, powdery mildew, and sooty mould. The major pests are whitefly, aphids and green vegetable bug. Antioxidant property of this fruit is underutilized, as antioxidants are abundantly present in peel and flesh of tamarillos. Studies have found that peel had higher activity due to phenols and flavonoids, whereas peel has higher activity due to anthocyanins and carotenoids. .....

Tamarillo mosaic virus

22. The disease symptoms of TaMV are a dark pale mosaic mottling on the leaf and fruit skin as well as unsightly irregular blotches that are a darker red than the normal skin colour. No symptoms appear inside the fruit and eating quality is not affected. On golden tamarillos, the darker red blotch is most unsightly because of the paler background colour typical of this class of fruit. .....

Where to find Tamarillo in India

23. The only parts of the globe that produce this fruit on a large scale are South America and New Zealand. Tree tomatoes are not a popular fruit in India, thus making them difficult .....

Checking for Ripeness in Tamarillo

24. Ripe tree tomatoes appear in a variety of gorgeous colors from yellow to red to deep mauve. Dark stripes adorn some tamarillos as well. Only unripe tamarillos, however, are green and unyielding to the touch. When ripe, tamarillos remain firm but give slightly when pinched. The skin is glossy and velvety like a tomatos when ready for consumption. Smell the fruits: Like tomatoes, the best tamarillos have a fragrant, spicy aroma. Overripe tamarillos .....

Taste of Tamarillo

25. Tamarillo flesh tastes similar to cape gooseberries: sharp in its acidity, sweet, and bearing resemblance to tomatoes. The flavor is also mildly resinous with a subtle metallic aftertaste, and the fruit varies in its astringency. The vibrancy of the fruits flavor is reminiscent of passion fruits, with others noting hints of peach and orange. The seeds are a bit bitter, but perfectly edible with no negative impact on the overall taste. Tree tomato .....

Health Benefits of Tree

26. Tree tamarillo contain high levels of vitamin A, imperative for boosting eyesight, maintaining skin health, and supporting ideal red blood cell levels. The fruits high vitamin C content assists the body with immunity, bone health, and wound repair. tamarillo offer excellent antioxidant activity and reduces risk of degenerative diseases like cataracts, cancer, heart diseases, Parkinsons diseases, Alzheimers, diabetes and others. Vitamin A, Vitami .....

How to Open and Cut

27. Taramarillos require peeling before consumption. If the fruit is particularly small, cut in half and scoop out the flesh. The flesh of tamarillos retains its shape well, allowing for it to be cut into small slices or rings. Its possible to heat tamarillos by baking or grilling as well. If desiring to remove the mildly bitter skin, blanch by dropping the whole fruits in boiling water for no more than 30 seconds. Let the fruits sit for five minutes .....

Nutritional content

28. The Tamarillo helps to provide essential vitamins that the body needs such as the Vitamins A, C and provitamin A. It is an excellent calcium, iron and potassium source. It also contains phosphorus and magnesium. Tree tomato is the average source of Bcomplex vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B6). 100 g fresh fruit has 321 mg or 7% of this mineral. .....

Health benefits

29. The consumption of Tamarillos is recommended to control high blood pressure and to lower cholesterol. It is also used in diets for losing weight. tamarillo should be left to ripen at room temperature. Once ripened it should be stored in a perforated container and refrigerated. It will last for up to two weeks. Tamarillo can also be frozen whole or for better results, cook and puree tamarillo, add a little sugar before freezing. .....

Consumption

30. Tamarillo are suitable for raw consumption, by taking the skin off with a knife and cutting it into slices or cutting the fruit in half and eating the pulp with a spoon. The pulp can be covered with sugar or salt, depending on your taste, can also be consumed in fruit salads, juice, deserts, jam. .....

For smooth skin

31. Tamarillo fruits are oval and egg shaped with smooth skin. Cut section appears very much like tomatoes, with little water and more pulp. More than 85% of its weight I made of flesh and seeds. A fruit may contain over 130 black gelatinous seeds. Flesh is juicy, sweet and tangy in taste. The outer skin is tough and edible, but is astringent and acidic. Dark fleshed tamarillos are more acidic and stronger flavor than orange tamarillo. It is eaten ra .....

Good amount of protein

32. Tamarillos offers good amount of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. It is rich in carotenoid pigments .....

Tamarillo has antioxidant activity

33. Various diseases due to free radicals and oxidative stress. Free radicals damage our body cells and thus their functioning. Phytonutrients in tamarillo offer excellent antioxidant activity and reduces risk of degenerative diseases like cataracts, cancer, heart diseases, Parkinsons diseases, Alzheimers, diabetes and others. Vitamin A,Vitamin C, Vitamin E and other phytonutrientshave been attributed for antioxidant property of tree tomatoes. .....

Tamarillo for healthy heart

35. Potassium is nutrient present in ample quantity in tree tomato which helps control heart rate and blood pressure. It balances out harmful effects of sodium on heart. It offers magnesium and other minerals which are required for proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. High dietary fiber in tamarillo helps inhibit absorption of bad cholesterols in body. With its antioxidant activity it protects heart from oxidative stress and reduces risk .....

Tamarillos reduces risk of kidney stones

36. Citric acid are considered helpful in avoiding development and growth of kidney stone. It offers protective benefits by excreting out excess calcium and uric acid from the body. Acidic flavor of Tamarillos is due to presence of citric acid present. Adding tree tomato in diet reduces risk of kidney stones. However, no direct scientific evidence is available on benefits of tamarillos over kidney stones. .....

Tamarillos in preventing cancer

37. Rich phytonutrients present in tree tomato fruit help reduce risk of cancer by offering antioxidant properties. Anthocyanins have been established for their anticancer properties. Similarly lycopene in lab studies have showed to inhibit growth of cancer cells. As an antioxidant food, consuming tamarillos help in protecting body cells from oxidative stress and turning cancerous. .....

Skin benefits of tamarillos

38. Vitamin A, vitamin C and Vitamin E offered by tamarillos for building blocks of our skin. Thus regular dose of tamarillos ensure that your body is not starved of these nutrients and your skin is healthy. These vitamins along with other anthocyanins, phenols and flavonoids protect skin from oxidative stress. It can help prevent aging of skin due to pollution and UV light. Extracts of tamarillo have been employed in various skin formulations for th .....

Tamarillo for diabetes

39. Benefits of tamarillo over diabetes. Preliminary assessment suggests that chlorogenic acid present in tamarillo can lower blood sugar in type II diabetes. Further with its excellent antioxidant properties, it can reduces oxidative stress on body organs especially pancreas and liver which can lead to diabetes. .....

Antimicrobial Tamarillo

40. Tamarillo was found to offer broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. This activity was result of protein which inhibits action of enzyme invertase. Study found its protective action over wide range ofplant pathogens. With its antioxidant activity, it would offer benefits in prevention of infection in humans. .....

Benefits of tamarillo seed oil

41. Tamarillo seed oil is potential source of essential fatty acids and has applications in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry. Analysis of fatty acids present in tamarillo seeds show that it contains more than 70% of linoleic acid and 15% of oleic acid. High quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acid in tamarillo seed oil mainly from linoleic acid and linolenic acid has potential benefits to body. PUFA are also helpful for skin and heart. The c .....

Other benefits of Tamarillo

42. With its Vitamin C content, it can offer benefits in treating colds, sore throats and other respiratory disorders. It help in improving immunity of body and protects from various infections. Tamarillo can replace tomato in almost any recipe. Use peeled tamarillos for tomato sauce, salsas, curries; baked or grilled like vegetables. A tamarillo salad can be made by marinating the fruit in a vinaigrette for about 2 hours. This fruit is a great accom .....

Side effects of tamarillo

43. While it is widely used as food ingredient, tamarillo fruit in rare events may cause serious allergy and respiratory problems in people prone to allergy from other plants in its family like tomato, eggplant and tomatillo. tamarillo is inedible and needs to be pilled with a knife. If you are going to cook this fruit, first blanch it in boiling water then shock in ice water, to make the skins easier to remove. Be careful with tamarillo juice as it .....

Healthy way of eating tamarillo

44. The fruit is often given temperature shock .....

Tamarillo shake

45. Tamarillo shake made from blending the cut fruit flesh in milk, sugar and ice is considered refreshing beverage in South America. Tamarillo sauce is used as replacement to tomato sauce. It can be used in almost all recipes where tomatos are used. With its high pectin content, it makes good ketchup, jam or chutney.Tamarillo chutneyfrom New Zealand are popular these days. Use it in your green vegan salads or in sandwich or other desserts.Tamarillo .....

Tamarillo Muffins recipe

46. Preheat the oven to 200 .....

This Dutch eggplant juice from Indonesia

47. Take 100 grams each of dutch eggplant, red wind and plain yogurt each. Add condensed milk or honey as per flavor. Blend all ingredient into blender and puree. Pour in serving glass. Add more red wine or honey a per taste. The red fruit contain the most lycopene, which is found in watermelons and tomatoes, and gives them their red colour, while the yellow and orange ones typically contain the most betacarotene. Lycopene is associated with prostate .....

TAMARILLO TREE TOMATO CYPHOMANDRA BETACEA

48. The tamarillo or tree tomato originates in South America, probably in the Peruvian Andes, although this is not certain, as it is a cultivated plant and not found in the wild. It is called the tree tomato because of its fruit which do look like plum tomatoes. The tamarillo got this name when it was taken to New Zealand in 1891. The name is from the Spanish for yellow, amarillo and thet is for tomato. It is a member of the Solanaceae family so is a .....

Tamarillos can be eaten raw

49. Tamarillos can be eaten raw, scooped out of their skins, or cooked and used in stews and sauces; you can substitute them for tomatoes in hot chilli sauces. They can also be baked or grilled and can be sprinkled with sugar to make them taste sweeter. They are high in pectin, so are ideal for making jam and can also be pickled or used to make chutneys the red ones are generally best for this. They can be eaten with ice cream, or made into a compote .....

Tamarillos contain vitamins

50. Tamarillos contain vitamins A, C, and some of the Bcomplex vitamins, as well as the minerals phosphorous (a lot of phosphorous is in the seeds), calcium, iron, magnesium, and sodium. The anthocyanins contained in the darker tamarillos especially, are also found in cranberries, red cabbage, black grapes, blackberries, bilberries and blueberries and have potent antioxidant properties (as do the vitamins tamarillos contain), which help combat scaven .....

Its Gastronomical Uses and Storing

51. Tamarillo is not the best fruit to enjoy raw because it can be extremely acidic. However, when it is ripe it can be eaten with a sprinkling of salt or sugar and a little lime or lemon juice. Scoop out the pulp, with it many black seeds, and enjoy the flesh. The flavor of which could be compared to tomato, alkakengi, gooseberry, or plum. .....

Excellent source of antioxidants

52. The tree tomato is an excellent source of antioxidants because it contains a type of flavonoid known as anthocyanins. Furthermore, and more importantly it contains the carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene. Free radicals are the cause of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Moreover, numerous invitro studies have demonstrated that lycopene is particularly effective against prostate cancer. Lycopene, along with the other ca .....

Good source

53. Tamarillo is also a good source of vitamin C, as well as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and magnesium. One hundred grams of tamarillo fruit pulp has 2g of protien, 1.6g of fiber and about 50 calories. The group of flavonoids called anthocyanins are found in red or purple plant color pigments, known as phytochemicals. Aside from tamarillo, anthocyanins are also found in cranberries, blueberries and red cabbage. These flavonoids are antimic .....

Uses in Cooking

54. The pointy end of the fruit was scored with a cross so that when they were cooked it peeled back like a flower. They were poached with star anise and served with honeyed yoghurt. (Its funny how I remember all of this but forget who I was with and when it was!) I have served them like this many times since then, often with a sweet baked ricotta. They are also good stewed with other fruits and berries just scoop them out of their skin first. .....

Jam

55. They make a fabulous jam either by itself or with other fruit that sets really well beacause they are so high in pectin. The tree tomato is an excellent source of antioxidants because it contains a type of flavonoid known as anthocyanins. Furthermore, and more importantly it contains the carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene (vitamin A). .....

Flowers

56. Its flowers are pinky white through to lavender, and the fruits may be purplered, orange, yellow and some have stripes running down their skins. The sweetest are the yellow and orange ones, and when you slice them open they have black seeds inside, so they resemble passion fruit and have been mistaken for an eggshaped persimmon. The tree is fast growing and reaches peak production of fruit at four years old. The fruits hang from the branches and .....