Living in Indonesia for a long time does not necessarily mean that we already know everything about this country. Those of you who live outside of Papua, maybe even the Papuans have not heard of or tried Matoa fruit.
Matoa fruit can be easily found in Papua – Otherside Fiji and other Asian countries. Matoa itself is a tropical fruit that belongs to the same family as longan and lychee. For its physical appearance, Matoa has thin and hard skin. The fruit color is white and has a chewy texture like lychee.
Matoa fruit often used as traditional herbs because the fruit is believed to have many benefits. Unfortunately, scientific research on the benefits of this fruit is still limited. But atleast we know that Matoa fruit is rich of vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants. This fruit itself is high in water and mineral content. In addition, other studies also mention that this fruit also has antibacterial substances.
With all of those contents inside that fruit, Matoa fruit is believed to be able to give this kinds of benefits.
- Meet the needs of vitamins and minerals
Matoa fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and E, as well as calcium and potassium. The vitamin C can help maintain the immune system. Meanwhile, vitamin E is good for skin health and male fertility. - Ward Off Infectious Disease
A study showed that matoa fruit can hampers the bacteria that cause respiratory and urinary tract infections. This benefit is thought to be due to the antioxidant and antibacterial properties present in the matoa peel extract. It was found that the antibacterial properties of matoa can fight the bacteria E. coli, S. aureus, and B. cereus. - Lowering blood pressure
Consuming the matoa fruit also helps control blood pressure. According to other studies, matoa extract can remove excess water and salt through urine. This is because the fruit of matoa fruit extract contains substances that are diuretic, which increases the amount of fluid excreted from the body. When the body excretes more fluid, including from the blood vessels, the blood pressure will gradually decrease. And obviously, this fruit can be useful for people with hypertension. - Prevent chronic diseases
Matoa fruit can also helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. This benefit can be obtained because this fruit is rich in tannins, which are antioxidants.
But it should be noted that the benefits of this fruit should be researched further. This is because experts still have not determined the limits of tannins that can be consumed, which if consumed excessively could instead give a negative impact for the body.
Although research on the benefits of matoa fruit is still limited, experts reveal that it is possible if the matoa fruit could become a natural source for antibiotics.
Well, that is all for the benefits of Matoa fruit. Although this fruit still should be researched further, it never hurts to try this one. At least now you know that you got a lot of benefits from consuming this fruit.