Meet ice apple, a superfood for weight loss

Plenty of superfoods are available for weight loss. One such superfood is ice apple or Tadgola, which resembles litchi fruit in texture and taste like a slightly sweet tender coconut. Ice apple is a superfood that is a perfect blend of essential vitamins, minerals, and sugar for your body. If weight loss is on your mind or if you’re struggling with slow weight loss, ice apple can help. Here, you will find out how to eat an Ice apple for weight loss and why it’s beneficial.

Health Shots got in touch with Dr Swathi Reddy (PT), Consultant Physiotherapist and certified diet counsellor and MIAP, Motherhood Hospitals, Bengaluru, to find weight loss benefits of ice apple.

What is an ice apple?

Ice apples are translucent, fleshy, and pale fruits that are widely found in India’s coastal regions, particularly in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, throughout the summer season. Ice apple, also known as Tadgola in Marathi and Hindi, and Nungu in Tamil, is a fruit of the sugar palm tree that acts as a coolant and is thus a favourite summer fruit, particularly in South India.

What’s so great about an ice apple?

Ice apples are excellent for your health. They contain critical nutrients such as calcium phytonutrients and carbohydrates, in addition to acting as a coolant. It is also a low-calorie fruit that is high in fibre, protein, and vitamins A, C, E, and K, making it ideal for weight loss. And there’s more. Tadgola also includes iron, zinc, phosphorus, and potassium, all of which are beneficial to your health and weight loss.

Do ice apples help in weight loss?

Dr Reddy says, “Ice apples can be beneficial if you are trying to shed a few kilos off. The water in the fruit helps to maintain the feeling of fullness and helps you avoid consuming unnecessary food. They are also very low in calories which makes them ideal for weight loss. Their richness in dietary fibre aids in smoothing digestive processes, which is very essential of you are trying to lose weight.”

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Other health benefits of Ice apples

1. As a water dense fruit, Ice apples help in preventing dehydration and regulate your body temperature.

2. They are also packed with nutrients like fibres, proteins and vitamins which are essential for the strengthening of the immune system.

3 Ice apples are also an effective natural remedy to solve digestive problems like constipation, bloating and nausea.

4. This is helpful, especially for pregnant women, as stomach pains and cramps are common in pregnancy.

5. The addition of ice apples in your diet eases minor digestive problems and also reduces the feeling of nausea which is common in pregnancy.

6. Furthermore, it is very nutritious and can improve the quality of breast milk in feeding mothers.

How and when to consume ice apples

The best practice would be to consume the ice apple fresh as it is a highly perishable fruit. An overripe ice apple can cause stomach ache. You can also consume it as a smoothie by blending the ice apple in some thick milk and water. Add some soaked sabja seeds and sugar. You can chill this in the refrigerator and serve says Dr Reddy.