SCIENTIFIC NAME:
“AEGLE MARMELOS”
FAMILY:
“RUTACEAE”
INTRODUCTION:
Aegle marmelos, commonly known as bael or bel, also Bengal quince,
golden apples, wood apples. It is a tree native to Bangladesh and
India. It is present throughout south East Asia as a naturalized
species. The tree is considered to be sacred by HINDUS. Its fruit
are used in traditional medicine as a food throughout its range. The
bael fruit has smooth, woody shell with a green, gray or yellow
peel. It takes about 11 month to ripe on the trees and can reach the
size of a large grape fruit. The shell is so hard it must be cracked
with the hammer. It fibrous yellow pulp is very aromatic. It has
been described as tasting of marmalade.
Indian people
know bael patra purchare advise the best time to buy January to
march.
Nutritional
value:
Moisture – 61.5%
Protein- 1.8%
Fat-0.3%
Mineral-1.7%
Carbohydrate-31.8%
Fibre-2.9%
Total= 100%
·
Value /100g edible portion
Minerals and
vitamins
Calcium- 85mg
Phosphorus-50mg
Iron-0.6mg
Vit. C – 8mg
·
Small amount of vit. B complex
Calorific value –
137
USE OF Bael –
·
Once ripe, this fruit can be consumed raw.
·
It
can made in to sherbet a very popular summer drink in almost every
house hold
·
The
leaves and small shoots and eaten as salad green.
·
Besides medicinal use, the plants and its leaves and fruit are of
religious importance. For instance in Hinduism, the leaves of the
plant are being offered to gods as part of prayers.
·
It
is used in murrabba, jam , chutney.
Medicinal
properties of bael leaves:
·
ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY
·
ANTIDIARRHEAL ACTIVITY
·
ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY
·
ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY
·
ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY
HEALTH BENEFITS
OF BAEL FRUITS:
The health
benefits associated with this fruit are never ending.
·
It
is very good antioxidant which scavenges free.
·
Radical from body.
·
Control cholesterol
·
Relive constipation
·
Reduce skin rash
·
Purify blood
·
Control diabetes
·
Antimicrobial properties
·
Peptic ulcer
·
Piles , diarrhea
·
Ear
problem , dysentery
·
Diseases asthma
·
Jaundice is just a few of the numerous issues that can be tackled by
the juice of bael.
Harvesting:
The fruit at
first is cultured in a nursery and then fielded. Each plant varies
in size, shape, height and culture. Although the exterior is hard,
care should be taken while handling the fruit after
harvest.