2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Marang (lat. Artocarpus odoratissimus) - a fruit plant, which is a prominent representative of the Mulberry family. Other names for this culture are tarap or madang.
Description
Marang is a medium-sized evergreen fruit tree related to jackfruit and the notorious breadfruit. Some trees are capable of reaching twenty-five meters in height, and their diameter can easily reach forty centimeters.
The width of the oblong marang leaves ranges from eleven to twenty-eight centimeters, and their length averages from sixteen to fifty centimeters.
The spherical or elongated marang fruits, growing up to twenty centimeters in length, are covered with a very thick rind, the surface of which boasts the presence of thorns hardening as the fruit ripens. The fruits themselves, as they ripen, change their color from green to yellowish-greenish. Ripe fruits hang from the trees and do not fall off. At the same time, the weight of wild fruits rarely exceeds five hundred grams, and cultivated specimens sometimes grow up to two and a half kilograms (although their average weight is one kilogram). The pulp of this fruit is white and has a very strong and very pleasant aroma, which could not but be reflected in the Latin name of the fruit (odoratissimus - the most fragrant).
Where grows
Marang came to us from Southeast Asia. And now it is actively cultivated in the south of the Philippines (on the islands of Mindoro, Mindanao and Basilan, as well as on the territory of the Sulu archipelago), in Malaysia (in particular, in the states of Sarawak and Sabah) and in Brunei.
Application
Most often, marang is eaten fresh. The cut fruits should be consumed as soon as possible, as they spoil at a truly lightning speed (for this, they are quite enough just a few hours). That is why they are practically not exported. But in local markets, it will not be difficult to acquire these fruits throughout the year.
Some people also readily eat marang seeds - when roasted, they are very similar to chestnuts.
Marang is very rich in useful biologically active substances. It contains especially many B vitamins, which are the best helpers for the full functioning of the nervous system and for normal fat and carbohydrate metabolism. The energy value of marang is also very high, thanks to which these fruits are a serious food aid in poor countries.
The high fiber content actively contributes to the normalization of intestinal microflora and getting rid of constipation - regular consumption of marang has a very beneficial effect on the activity of the entire digestive tract.
There is a lot of potassium with iron in juicy fruits, and, as you know, iron is vital for the human body for hematopoiesis. And potassium, which takes part in the water-electrolyte balance, is required for the full conduction of nerve impulses. These properties make marang very useful for hypertension and heart failure, especially if they are accompanied by persistent edema.
Contraindications
Marang is a very strong allergen, which means that allergy-prone people should be extremely careful. And with obesity or diabetes mellitus, this fruit is completely contraindicated, since it contains a lot of sugars.
Growing and caring
Marang is incredibly thermophilic, so it is realistic to meet it only within fifteen degrees south and north latitudes. If the thermometer drops below seven degrees, this culture often dies. That is why it is impossible to meet it at an altitude of more than eight hundred meters above sea level.
Marang will grow best in regions with heavy rainfall. The ripeness of the fruit is determined quite simply - if the fruit is hard, like an apple, this indicates that it is too early to pick it. If the fruit is already slightly amenable to squeezing, you need to give it another day or two so that it "reaches". But if the dents do not straighten when pressed, then it's time to urgently feast on this unusual fruit! True, if the marang will cause a feeling of voids inside, it is better to throw it away, as this suggests that the fruit is already hopelessly spoiled.
