Health benefits and side-effects of kokum

If you belong to either the southern part of India, or Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat or even Assam, it is most likely that you are aware of and have eaten dishes containing kokum fruit.

- Varsha Pappachan

If you belong to either the southern part of India, or Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat or even Assam, it is most likely that you are aware of and have eaten dishes containing kokum fruit. Scientifically known as Garcinia indica, Kokum offers culinary, pharmaceutical & industrial benefits. It has approximately 200 species found across Asia & Africa. In India, it is prevalent in the Western Ghats, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and also the north-east in the evergreen forests, riversides or wastelands. Kokum is an amazing fruit, providing numerous health benefits. It can be consumed as raw, in juice or sharbat form or in sun-dried or powdered form. It is lauded with extraordinary health and medicinal advantages.

In this article, let us explore the major health benefits of Kokum.

Kokum is rich in antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory substances. The presence of garcinol in Kokum enhances the immunity system of the body and protects it from any sort of cell damage. This minimizes the possibility of many diseases such as heart ailments, or cancer that is thwarted due to the anti-carcinogenic property of garcinol. This is because Kokum helps the body fight the free radicals which are responsible for these diseases.