Sugar-apple

About Sugar-apple (Qua na)

Sugar-apple is among the most nutritious fruits in Vietnam. Originated from the American tropical area, sugar-apple tree is now popularly planted in many countries including Viet Nam. In Northern Vietnam, sugar-apple is called Na while it is called Mang cau ta in the Southern area. There are many types of sugar-apples planted in Vietnam:

• Na dai: Easy to peel, sweet and tougher, not easy to crush thus longer lasting.
• Na bo: Sweet, but more difficult to peel, highly starchy and shorter lasting.
• Na tim: Similar to na dai sugar-apple but with purple skin.
• Queen sugar-apple (Na nu hoang): An imported variety planted in Dong Nai, few seeds and the weight of more than 1 kg per sugar-apple.
• Forest sugar-apple (Na rung or Na day): Planted in the forest, the weight of 3-4 kg per sugar-apple, often used as a medicine for healing.

How to eat Sugar-apple

Not only very tasty, sugar-apple is very rich in vitamin C, vitamin B, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and so on. Eating sugar-apple the right way can bring unimaginable benefits to your health.

How to eat

The most popular way to absorb natural nutrients is to enjoy fresh sugar-apple. You just need to clean the sugar-apple with water, let it dry, or use a soft cloth to dry the skin. After peeling the skin, you eat the white flesh inside and remove the seeds.

Cautions

• Do not eat unripe sugar-apple: Digestive disorder and constipation may happen if you eat unripe sugar-apple due to the high tannin
• Do not chew sugar-apple seeds: If you unexpectedly swallow them, it will be okay since seeds have a thick and hard shell and can not be digested by stomach, but chewing them will cause gastrointestinal poisoning.
• Eat a proper volume: Eating too much sugar-apple will make your skin breakout, cause constipation or iron accession. Eating 1 to 2 sugar-apple per day is a proper amount for you.
• Limit sugar-apple for people with diabetes: With a high sugar content, just 100-150g per day is recommended for those having diabetes to avoid high blood sugar.

Where are Sugar-apple grown in Vietnam

Thanks to the good adaptation, sugar-apple is planted in every region in Vietnam from the North to the South. In which, Lang Son is the province having the biggest amount of sugar-apple harvested in Vietnam. Here is also the land of Dong Banh tough sugar-apple (Na dai Dong Banh) – one of the most favorite sugar-apple types of consumers.

Besides, there are many other areas planting sugar-apples like Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh or Lien Khe, Hai Phong (starchy sugar-apple or na bo), Dong Nai (queen sugar-apple), Thanh Hoa (purple-skinned sugar-apple) and Son La, Lang Son, Bac Giang (forest sugar-apple).

What are the benefits of Sugar-apple

In addition to the good flavor and sweet taste, sugar-apple brings huge benefits to you. Containing vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants and many nutrients such as protein, iron or potassium, sugar-apple is used as a valuable remedy. Sugar-apple is good for pregnant women, prevents heart attacks, stabilizes blood pressure, prevents cancer, and improves digestion.

In addition, sugar-apple also enhances your beauty, nourishes and regenerates skin, hair, boosts your mood, and prevent depression.

Food made from Sugar-apple

Sugar-apple smoothie is a popular drink you can find in many coffee shops or juice stalls in Vietnam. After being peeled and seeded, sugar-apple is mixed with fresh milk, condensed milk, ice and pureed, becoming a perfect smoothie in the summertime that you should not miss out.