The Real Star Fruit

Have you ever seen this fruit before? It is called the Star fruit. Some people have referred to Agbalumo as the Star fruit, however, this is the real Star fruit while Agbalumo is the Star Apple fruit. Another name for this Star fruit is Carambola.

Like other fruits, it contains its own dose of antioxidants and bioactive compounds that may prevent diseases in our bodies. It also contains a lot of vitamin C.

It is grown in the tropics as well as sub-tropic regions of the world. Star fruit is a more popular fruit in South east Asia and commercially cultivated in India, China, Florida to mention a few countries and it is often used to produce fruit drinks and made into jam.

I have not seen much literature on Star fruit in Nigeria on internet research platforms but they grow here because I got this fruit from a tree at FIIRO, Lagos. I also saw a Star fruit tree on Alfred Rewane road (formerly Kingsway road) just by NNPC filling station with lots of green fruits waiting to ripen. While its not an indigenous fruit, I found it worthy of my attention because of its ability to grow here and its is also a tree that fruits a lot and thus would be beneficial. It however is a delicate fruit and it can deteriorate easily.

The flesh of Star fruits is a bit tart and sour in taste but they are so much nicer when they are very ripe just like the green apple. It is also very juicy and can be messy.

One of the concerns about this fruit is its interaction with drugs. Just like the grape fruit, it can significantly increase the effect of the dose of some prescribed drugs. Also, there are some studies that indicate that people with kidney problems should stay clear of the fruit. So, if you ever come across it, please do not eat them when you are taking some drugs or if you have a challenge with your Kidney.

Now, I really love it because it has a lovely shape; a perfect star shape. Don’t they just look so good? If it was grown here in large quantities, I think that children, in particular, would like this fruit for its shape and because they need lots of Vitamin C too, it should be a great addition to their fruit intake.