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The lanzones comes from the Mahogany family, reaching 30 meters (98 ft) in height and 75 centimeters (30 in) in diameter. For best growth, it needs acidic soil and partial shade without floods. It can be grown in the same agroforest as durian as well as among the wood-producing trees.

Langsat or Lanzones are trees from the Mahogany family, scientifically known as Lansium parasiticum. Langsat is a plant that bears small edible fruits. These fruits are similar to potatoes on their outer appearance and inside they have a white flesh containing inedible, bitter seeds. Langsat originated in the Southeast Asian regions.

The larger size variety of langsat is known as Duku. Langsat grows in clusters and is widely cultivated in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Sumatra. In India, it grows in the southern hills of Nilgiri from April to September.

These fruits have a tangy, sour and sweet combination of flavors, and tastes a lot like grapes. Some people find its taste similar to that of pomelo. Its aril is juicy and translucent when ripe. Once ripe, the taste of langsat is really refreshing and exotic. Only the fresh langsat tastes the best because if kept for days after plucking, it may lose its taste and become bland.

Langsat is a nutritionally rich fruit containing many vital elements like proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber in abundance. It is rich in vitamin A, thiamine and riboflavin, which are necessary for many body functions.

·                   Riboflavin Enhances RBC Formation: Langsat is rich in vitamins like riboflavin and thiamine. Riboflavin is important for the production of red blood cells and overall body growth. Consuming langsat enhances the production of RBCs in the blood and also helps in the break down of carbohydrates to provide energy to the body.

·                   Vitamin A Maintains Proper Body Function: Vitamin A is an essential co-factor for many vital body functions. It is necessary for maintaining healthy skin, eyes, teeth and tissues. Langsat being high in vitamin A, keeps eyes, skin, skeletal tissues and mucous membranes healthy.

Antioxidants Prevent and Protect from Cell Damages: Langsat contains many powerful antioxidants that fight the free radical damages to cells. Oxidative damage to cells may lead to the formation of tumors and cancers; langsat contains limonoids, which are anti-cancerous in nature and protects the body from many cancer-causing elements.

·                   Seeds are Proven Anti-Malarial: Many studies are in progress to prove the ability of its seeds as potential anti-malarial therapeutic. Also, its skin and leaves are shown to possess anti-pathogenic nature against Plasmodium falciparum, a malaria-causing parasite. They contain such chemical compounds that interrupt the life cycle of the pathogen and kill them.

·                   Its Bark and Skin Cures Diarrhea: Langsat fruit helps in curing digestive tract problems. It being rich in fiber is good for gut health. The bark of the tree, when made into astringent has been proven to exhibit anti-spasmodic properties and can be efficiently used to treat dysentery and diarrhea. Also, the peel of langsat fruit contains oleoresin that helps in curing diarrhea and its symptoms.

·                   Cures Fever: Langsat fruit is helpful in treating fever and cold. It contains vitamin C, which helps in reducing flu and cold symptoms. Crushed seeds of langsat help lower the body temperature.

·                   Treat Inflammation: The bark and seed resins of langsat helps in reducing inflammation. The bark resin can be used to treat gastrointestinal colic, swellings, ulcers and flatulence. The powder from the bark can also be applied to scorpion stings to cure its allergic reaction and inflammation.

·                   Burning the peel of langsat keeps mosquitoes at bay and emits aromatic fragrance. 

Eliminate Skin Problems: The rind of langsat is used to treat various skin problems like rashes, acne, itching etc. Rubbing its rind over the affected area can reduce the redness, inflammation and itching.

The langsat fruit is mainly eaten fresh and raw and can also be made into candies while Duku is good for making pickles. It can be bottled into juices and syrups or cooked along with some other fruits and vegetables.

Every 100 gms of Langsat contain:

Health Benefits of Langsat

The langsat does not last longer than 4 days once picked from the trees while the duku does last a bit longer. For this reason, you won’t find lanzones on any other markets than the local ones. However, with some wax and antifungal treatment and refrigerating it can last almost 10 days. On the other side, the duku is a bit more resistant so you may find it in Hong Kong and Singapore as well.  One can buy langsat pretty much throughout Asia and also Hawaii and Costa Rica, but only when there is the season for them.

It also contains numerous health benefits for our body's health. It contains vitamins A, B, C, thiamine, niacin, fiber, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, ascorbic acid, and other beneficial nutrients. It contains minerals such as iron, manganese, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and calcium.

The lanzones season in Malaya generally bears twice a year. First one is in June and July, then and again in December and January. In Vietnam, the main season for lanzones or Bon Bon that is how they call them is from August to late October. In India, the lanzones are on the market from April to September.

Lanzones or langsat has many health benefits. It composes of good amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Its simple sugars – fructose and sucrose, boosts energy and helps to revitalize the body with electrolytes. Worth mentioning is also that it doesn’t have saturated fats or cholesterol.

Dietary fiber helps to maintain normal digestion, helps maintain bowel health, lowers cholesterol level, Helps control blood sugar levels and preventing from cardiovascular disease and all cancers.

The lanzones are rich with potassium and calcium which are essential for maintaining teeth and skeletal health. These minerals are also important at maintaining heart health and blood pressure.

Vitamin A is required for several vital functions in the body and its deficiency can lead to an impaired response to infection. However, lanzones are abundant in Vitamin A, which is important for maintaining eye health, skeletal tissues, protecting skin and mucous membranes.

The lanzones are a good source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, and folates. It is especially rich in riboflavin known as vitamin B2. B complex help with the processing of carbohydrates into energy. B complex also helps to keep your nervous system functioning properly and is crucial to the normal function of the brain. On the other hand, vitamins B also lay a role in the production of blood cells and helps to create DNA.

As we said before, langsat fruit meat has a lot of fiber, which helps with gut health. At the same time, the peel of lanzones contains oleoresin and resin that help in curing diarrhea and its symptoms. The bark of the tree can be made into astringent and has been proven to exhibit anti-spasmodic properties. That is a very efficient way to treat dysentery and diarrhea.

The lanzones can help with skin problems. The rind can be used to treat various skin problems like acne, rashes, inflammatory, itching… Rubbing lanzones rind on the affected area can reduce the redness, itching and swollen skin. But only if it is pesticide free and be ready for some serious stickiness!

Burning the dried peel of lanzones can be used as an effective natural mosquito repellent. On the other hand, it’s astringent bark and leaves decoction is taken as a treatment for dysentery and malaria. Pulverized seed can be used as a febrifuge (lowering fewer) and vermifuge (removes parasitic worms), which can also help with malaria. However, the meat of lanzones fruit by itself also lowers the temperature.

The bark is poulticed on scorpion stings, which is kind of ironic because the langsat is the perfect hiding spot for scorpions. Every year a few people get stung by a scorpion while handling them. Make sure you hold the stalk of the bunch and shake well before handling with it.

www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/top-9-health-benefits-of-langsat-fruit.htm