Mamey Sapote, also known as Mamey fruit, is technically a berry species, though a huge one. It is ovoid, often pointed bluntly at the apex. It also has a persistent calyx at the base. Its resemblance is much like an avocado with a central pit.
The skin of this fruit is woody and thick with brown russet. The surface is somewhat scurfy and is almost 1-2 mm thick. The pulp of this mature fruit has low fiber content and has a texture that is finely granular, and soft and smooth. Mamey fruit has a unique flavor.
Its flavor is somewhat similar to almond and has a sweet taste more like a combination of pumpkin, chocolate, and almond. Many find its taste more akin to a mixture of avocado, sweet potato, and honey.
The central pit contained in the fruit is generally one, but it may also have up to four. The seed has a hard, shiny, and dark brown surface, along with a light brown colored scar on the side. In mamey fruits that are over mature, the seed may crack and sprout.
Nutritional Value
Mamey Sapote is a fruit which is a good source of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. Let’s say if you consume almost 175 grams of mamey sapote. This fruit amount offers 1.26 mg of vitamin B6, 40.2 mg of vitamin C, 9.5 gm of total dietary fiber, 56.18 grams of carbohydrate, 0.373 mg of copper, 3.69 mg of Vitamin E. This delicious berry has so much to offer. Not only for its delicious taste but since the fruit has high nutritional value, it is consumed all over the world. The fruit, when consumed, appropriately offers several health benefits.
Description/Taste
The fruit is large-sized and ovoid. The central pit of this fruit is quite large, and it is somewhat similar to an avocado. The flesh of this fruit is well protected with the help of its defensive shell. When the fruit is fully ripened, its flesh turns into a vibrant salmon color, and its texture goes soft and tasty with a melting quality.
With a distinctive flavor, people all over the world enjoy this delicate fruit. It has subacid undertones of pumpkin, banana, pear, and apricot. Inside the large central pit is the seed of this fruit, and it is believed to have the flavor and appearance of almonds. It shouldn’t be eaten raw.
The fruit is available sporadically, though people who love this fruit can look for it from spring to the fall.
Recent Facts
Mamey sapote is a common name given to the fruit. Formerly it is known as Pouteria sapota, whereas in Cuba, it is known as Mamey. There are at least thirteen varieties of this single fruit known to date. However, only a few superior-quality nuts are identified and selected by people to enjoy.
Applications
Mamey has a rough peel, and therefore, to utilize this fruit, the first step is to remove the hard peel from the flesh. The skin is cored in the apex end of this fruit, and it is often peeled in strips. The entire skin is required to be peeled off so that people can enjoy the fruit.
Ripened ones are eaten raw and fresh. The fruit is also a popular synonymous with Latin cuisine and is used as a winter fruit. The fruit is traditionally used to either make ice-creams or batidos.
Batidos are cold milkshakes prepared using milk, ice, nutmeg, vanilla, and Mamey fruit. When stewed, mamey fruit is also used to produce wine.
Many like to preserve it and use it for jamming. It is then used in several baked products such as tarts, pies, bread, cakes, etc. The fruit is sometimes added raw to the fresh salads prepared at home.
People who want to enhance the flavor of this fruit can choose to add several spices. The flavor of this fruit is enhanced by adding spices such as nutmeg, honey, ginger, cloves, and vanilla.
The seed of this fruit is boiled, smoked over a wood fire, with spices added and is used to flavor the mole. You can also use the fruit to make chocolate drinks for your kids. Add the nutritional value to the chocolate drink of your kids.
Benefits of consuming Mamey fruit
- Weight Management – Maney is a nutrient-dense fruit, which is hugely gratifying and also has fewer calories. It is a more straightforward way to manage weight and prevent adding those unwanted pounds to your body. It fills a person up considerably, and you will not feel hungry for a few hours.
- Enhanced Immune Function – Since Mamey consists of a considerable amount of Vitamin C, it helps the body to fight free radicals and eliminate them. Many instances trigger the immune response, and it results in inflammation. The immune system is strengthened by regular consumption of Vitamin C, and Mamey has a lot of it.
- Cholesterol level is reduced – According to a lot of research, copper helps reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in our body. It also helps to increase the level of beneficial cholesterol. When a person regularly consumes Mamey, the chances of cardiovascular diseases occurring in that person reduces. Chances of heart attacks, strokes, etc. are reduced.
- Gives a healthy glow to the skin – A lot of people have pale skin and dark circles due to iron deficiency. A healthy dose of food items that are rich in iron will help to provide a pinkish glow with your skin. This is possible when you consume Mamey fruit frequently.
The Bottom Line
The milky latex produced by mamey trees are exceptionally irritant to the eyes, and vesicant on the skin. Hence, it would help if you tried to stay away from it.it as much as possible. The leaves of this tree are also supposedly poisonous. You can consume the fruit fresh while ripe or can prepare a lot of dishes from it. With a delicious taste and high nutritional value, mamey has much more to offer.