Veggie Fact of the Day

New Veggie #45 - Star Fruit

The Star Fruit, also known as Carambola, and my New Veggie #45, is native to the Indian Sub-continent and the islands of the Indian ocean. It is now cultivated in multiple parts of the world and is also locally grown in parts of the United States. 

The fruit gets its shape from its unique shape - it resembles a perfect 5-point star when cut across its length. The texture is firm and crisp (like a pear or an apple) and the taste is quite tart when the fruit is green, with a gradual sweetening as it ripens to a yellow color. 

Star fruits are low in calories, and sugar and has no fat. A medium sized star fruit has almost 50% of the RDA of Vitamin V and it is also rich in Vitamins B3 (Niacin) and B9 (Folic Acid) and is loaded with copper and potassium. It is most often eaten raw. It is loaded with polyphenolic antioxidants and is even said to help fight the intense heat of the Indian summer with its cooling benefits.