What Is Star Apple? Health Benefits, Recipes & Side Effects

Star apples are unlike the regular apples you come across. This delicate, sweet tropical fruit is widely consumed in summers. It has a ‘starburst’ core and vibrant purple and juicy flesh. The benefits of the star apple can be attributed to its nutrients. It is rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, and polyphenols and may help lower blood sugar and promotes digestion and gut health. Keep reading to learn more about the fruit, understand how it may contribute to your health, and ways to consume it.

Know Your Ingredient: Apple Star

What Is It?
A nutrient-dense star-shaped fruit native to the Caribbean.

What Are Its Benefits?
Promotes heart, skin, gut, and bone health, eases stomach ulcers and inflammation, and helps manage diabetes.

Who Can Use It?
Anyone except those with latex allergies can consume it.

How Often?
It is safe to consume in moderation

Caution
It may affect kidney issues and neurological disorders. If you have latex allergy, this can trigger bodily reactions

What Is Star Apple?

Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito L.) is a tropical fruit native to the Caribbean and has now spread to Central American and South Asian countries. It is also known as cainito and caimito.

Nutritionist Lisa Richards says, “The tree grows quickly and produces fruit within just a few years, which is fast for any fruit. They are grown in the United States on farms in Florida, South Texas, and Hawaii as those climates are similar to its native location and can’t grow below 35°F.”

Star apples are available in two varieties: green and purple. They are named star apples because of their star-shaped core, which you can see once you cut a star apple sideways and remove the seeds.

Trivia

Other names for star apple include golden leaf tree, tar apple, and pomme de lait.

Star Apple Nutritional Information

A hundred grams of edible star apple contains the following nutrients (1):

Richards continues, “Like most fruits, it is consumed for its sweet taste and dense nutrition. The fiber content in star apple makes it a fruit great for heart and gut health. It is also rich in vitamin C, making star apple great for immune support and as an anemiaⁱ  A blood disorder resulting from inadequate healthy red blood cells in the blood to carry adequate oxygen to the body tissues. preventative.” Here are some ways star apples will benefit your health.

Potential Health Benefits Of Star Apples

1. Rich Source Of Antioxidants

Star apples are rich in polyphenolic antioxidants like catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin (2). They also contain vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant that also helps in boosting immunity. Antioxidant-rich foods can reduce the damage caused by harmful free radicals and reduce inflammation. This reduces the risk of many diseases.

2. May Protect Gut Health

Star apples are effective against pathogens (bacteria and fungi) responsible for food poisoning, including species of Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Candida, and Penicillium. Thus, consuming them may help improve gut health and reduce the risk of intestinal infections (3).

3. May Manage Diabetes

Star apples contain many beneficial bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoidsⁱ  A group of natural substances found in almost all fruits and veggies with anti-inflammatory and disease-fighting properties. , polyphenols, triterpenoidsⁱ  A diverse group of phytochemical compounds with pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. , and steroids. These compounds can inhibit the glucosidase enzyme, which turns carbohydrates into glucose and spikes blood sugar levels. Consuming star apples may help control blood sugar levels (4).

4. May Lower Blood Pressure

Star apples are widely used in traditional herbal medicine for hypertensionⁱ  A common condition involving high blood pressure, where the force of the blood flow against the artery walls is too high. management. The alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids in star apples can inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity (5). ACE constricts the blood vessels, which may raise blood pressure levels. Most hypertension drugs contain ACE inhibitors to manage hypertension.

5. May Promote Cardiovascular Health

Star apples are a good source of cardiac glycosides, used in folk medicine as heart tonics. Plant-derived cardiac glycosides can reduce blood pressure by removing salt (sodium) and water from the body. Therefore, star apples may help reduce the risk of heart problems and maintain cardiovascular health (3), (6).

6. May Reduce Inflammation

Star apples contain lupeol acetate, a bioactive compound that reduces inflammation. A study on rats showed that the fruit extract could reduce cell inflammation (7).

7. May Prevent Stomach Ulcers

Star apples contain bioactive antioxidants that may help prevent stomach ulcers. A rat study found that star apple juice and flour have gastroprotective properties(8).

8. May Have Anticancer Properties

A study found that polyphenolsⁱ  Naturally occurring organic compounds found largely in plant-based foods with disease-fighting properties. in star apple could inhibit the growth of cancerous cells (osteosarcoma) (9). Thus, star apple shows great promise as an anti-cancer agent. However, further studies are required to establish its potential for cancer treatment.

9. Promotes Skin Health

Star apple is rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and polyphenols, which help reduce free radical damage. An antioxidant-rich diet is crucial to reduce sun damage, wrinkles, and inflammation and maintain overall skin health (10).

10. Contributes To Bone Health

Although present in small amounts, these minerals are important for maintaining strong teeth and healthy bones. These minerals also assist in repairing and restoring bones (11).

Calcium absorption is assisted by vitamin C, an antioxidant that prevents oxidative damage to our bones. Vitamin C also promotes collagen formation, an important protein for maintaining bone structure (12).

These benefits of the star apple are amazing. But do the leaves of the fruit have any specific benefits of their own? Let us find out.

Benefits Of Star Apple Leaves

Research suggests that star apple leaves have glucose-lowering effects that may benefit those with diabetes (1). This may be possible due to the presence of active compounds, like alkaloids, in them that may positively influence certain endocrine disorders like diabetes (13). The leaves are also rich in ethanolic extract and may help reduce the recovery time when applied topically on wounds (1). Anecdotal evidence also suggests that star apple leaves may help provide relief from stomach discomfort, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rashes, and skin infections.

Chef Jessica Randhawa says, “Star apples are full of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, but I love them for their super sweet taste like a ripe persimmon crossed with a very ripe grape.” Below, we have shared tips and recipes for consuming this delectable fruit.

How To Add Star Apple To Your Diet: Popular Recipes

You can consume raw star apples. Cut around the fruit and twist to halve it (just like cutting avocados). Scoop the flesh and enjoy! You can also prepare sweet treats and desserts with star apples. Scroll down and get inspired by the star apple recipes below.

1. Star Apple Ice Cream

What You Need

• 1 cup star apple (deseeded and mashed)
• ¼ cup banana (mashed)
• 500 g heavy whipping cream
• 250 mL condensed milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
• Salt, as needed

How To Prepare

1. Beat heavy cream in a bowl until soft peaks form (mixer works best).
2. Add all ingredients and combine.
3. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or until solid. Enjoy!

2. Star Apple Smoothie

What You Need

• 1 banana (sliced)
• 1½ cups star apples
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon almonds (sliced)
• 1 teaspoon flax seeds

How To Prepare

Blend all ingredients until you get a smooth mixture. Enjoy!

3. Star Apple Salad

What You Need

• 1 cup diced star apple
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• A drizzle of lime juice

How To Prepare

1. Dice the star apple into small cubes.
2. Dice the cucumber into similar-sized pieces.
3. Chop the mint leaves finely.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the diced star apple, cucumber, and mint.
5. Drizzle the lime juice over the salad and toss gently to coat the ingredients evenly.

Star apples perish fast due to their sugar and water content. You can follow these tips to store them properly and enjoy them for several days.

Tips To Store Star Apples

Star apples can be stored for a few days if preserved properly. You can store whole fruits in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Refrigerate chopped fruit in airtight plastic bags, and they will stay for a week. Chef Jessica adds, “Ripe star apple is best stored in a refrigerator, but unripened star apple should be left on the counter to ripen and then stored in the fridge once ripe.”

Fun Fact

Star apples cling to their trees tightly, rarely falling on their own, and have to be harvested by hand. Jamaicans term this as a stingy characteristic and, hence, use it as a name they call stingy people.

Side Effects Of Star Apples

The star apple peel contains natural latex, which is a potential allergen. If you are allergic to natural rubber latex, you may avoid the fruit. While star apple allergies are rare, eating them may trigger symptoms of the latex-fruit syndrome, which include runny nose, hives, itching, wheezing, and breathlessness. Although the data about the allergens that trigger the syndrome is unclear, seek medical advice if you experience the symptoms (3), (14).

Infographic: 10 Ways Star Apple Benefits Your Health

Star apple is a sweet and citrusy fruit with many names and nutrients. It is a popular local medicinal plant in the Caribbean. Check out the infographic below for a brief recap on its top health benefits that can improve your overall well-being.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Is star apple good for the kidney?

Possibly. Star apple is rich in antioxidants that may help reduce oxidative stress. Studies have shown that these antioxidants may help improve kidney function (15).

Is star apple good for acid reflux?

Possibly. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the calcium, potassium, and magnesium in star apples may help relieve acid reflux symptoms due to their ability to counteract excess stomach acid.

Can star apples cause constipation?

Possibly. Anecdotal evidence suggests that star apples, if consumed in excess, may cause constipation and other related gastrointestinal troubles.

Are star apples poisonous?

No. It is, however, advisable not to consume the star apple skin or seeds, as both are inedible.

Learn the art of making star apple ice cream in this video. Explore the step-by-step process and savor the unique, creamy sweetness at home.