'Custard Apple Fruit' and Strawberry Smoothie- A tropical blend from the West Indies

                                             

Apple Custard, aka 'Soursop' is a strange little fruit that you could so easily overlook at the markets.  I did for years thinking that its name, Soursop ( to me) would be sour and what do I do with it!? Thankfully I have done my own research on it and surprisingly its name belies the sweet juicy flesh that lies within; the flesh is creamy and custard like.

                                                             

 Believed to originate from the West Indies and South America, it will come as no surprise to learn that these knobbly fruits have extensive health benefits. Used widely in cooking throughout the world now, the 'custard apples' also has medicinal properties as well; the leaf from the tree  is used to treat parsistic worms, as a poulticed. They can also be used to treat ulcers, boiles and absesses - check with a natural healer before attempting this.  The unripe  fruit is rich in tannin and  it was orginally used in tribal medicine against stomach ailments. However the bark is very astringent and boiling it to make a tonic to use as a remedy for diarrhea and dysentery.  

SEEDS - WARNING  Toxicity -The seeds are so hard that they may be swallowed whole with no ill effects but the kernels are very toxic.  I don't use them at all to be safe.

GENERAL HEALTH BENEFITS:

1. Custard apple is a storehouse of Vitamin C,  = high in anti-oxidant (Antioxidants are man-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. Antioxidants are found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables. They are also available as dietary supplements.-source Wikipedia).
2. HAIR SKIN EYES - Vitamin A present in the fruit helps to keep these healthy.
3. MAGNESUIM - good musle relaxant and protecting your heart from diseases..
4. DIGESTION - packed with  rich dietary fibre and copper  helps in digestion. Sun dried custard apple pulp can be crushed into powder and consumption of the powder with water will help heal diarrhea.(sourse Stylecraze.com).
5. BLOOD PRESSURE - rich in potassium and magnesium, custard apples have been shown to help keep the blood pressure from fluctuating. - eating these regularly will help. 
6. CHOESTEROL - Reduces Cholesterol,Custard apples contain high levels of niacin and dietary fiber, which help lower cholesterol levels effectively.

      HOW TO BUY AND STORE

Because Custard apples can be fragile when ripe  here are some tips when buying: 

•  Select mature fruit that are dull brownish  green in color. If green and hard, leave 4/5 days to ripen.
• Choose compact fruit with unblemished skin and tightly packed corpels, once these have separated, the fruit is past its best.
• Press gently to check that the fruit has a slight “give”.- like advocado
• Custard apples should be eaten as soon as possible after buying - unless hard and green ( see point 1)

                                                                

CUSTARD APPLE AND STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE:

1 Custard Apple - large and ripe - press to check

1 large banana - if frozen will make it more creamier

6-8 fresh strawberries - frozen ok if not in season

1/2 cup of natural yogurt - Greek yogurt if you want it more creamy 

1 tablespoon of honey - organic best if possible

Flax seeds, Chia seeds, Sunflower seeds - all optional 

1/2 cup of granola or rolled oates

1/2 cup of soya milk - almond or coconut can also be used

 PREPARATION:

 Spilt the custard apple open, and scoop out the flesh, separate the seeds out, a little fiddly but worth it :)

You should have about 1/2 cup  of pulp.     

                                                        

Put all the fruits and the oats in the blender and blend till smooth.  

                                                        

Now add the yogurt, milk and  seeds and blend well to mix.  Serve immediately. Do not keep this refrigerated as it will change  colour and change taste.

                                                   

The smoothie will be thick and creamy, if you prefer it to be thinner, add more milk. If you want a colder version, make it 1/4 cup of milk and add some ice cubes to your preference.  

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY AND HOPEFULLY UPVOTING - IF YOU ENJOY SMOOTHIES/JUICES/HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, THEN PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW ME - NEW FRIENDS ALWAYS WELCOMED AND COMMENTS WELCOMMED.