FINALLY...............

I can say I have finished the planting of all my fruits and berries. My recent delivery from Daleys completed my list of required foods.

Four trees  and a good watering later:

2 Ice Cream Bean Trees: Large attractive trees with spreading branches and lovely white and yellow pompom type flowers. The pods look similar to a tamarind pod. Surrounding the inedible black seeds is a thick white juicy pulp that tastes very much like vanilla icecream. The tree has the added advantage of being nitrogen fixing and is a good choice as a fast growing shade tree.

According to Garcia-Barriga (1975), nearly all Colombian species of the Ice Cream Bean are used in popular medicine. Decoctions of the leaves and bark are used as astringent in diarrhoea, as a lotion for arthritis and rheumatism.

The root decoction is used for diarrhoea or dysentery, considered more effective if mixed with the rind of pomegranate. Bark and fruit are used for dropsy and irritations of the raucous lining of the intestines. Cuna Indians used the plant as a nervine for headaches (Duke, 1975).

Nutritionally the benefits found are:

100 g, 118 calories

63.3% moisture

10.7 g protein

0.7 g fat

24.0 g total carbohydrate

1.6 g fiber

1.3 g ash

Pulp contains per 100 g

60 calories

83.0% moisture

1.0 g protein

0.1 g fat

15.5 g total carbohydrate

1.2 g fiber

0.4 g ash.

Dried seeds contain per 100 g

339 calories

12.6% moisture

18.9 g protein

2.1 g fat

62.9 g total carbohydrate

3.4 g fiber

3.5 g ash.

Seeds of the genus Inga are reported to contain trypsin inhibitors and chymotrypsin inhibitors.

The Sapodilla: Heavy cropper of small-medium sized fruit. Sapodillas are highly prized in Asia with their sweet brown sugar cinnamon flavoured fruit that look like potatoes.

Nutritionally it has the following values:
• Sapodilla is rich in dietary fiber, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps relieve constipation episodes and also helps protect the mucous membrane of the colon from cancer causing toxins by firmly binding to them.
• The fruit is rich in antioxidant poly-phenolic compound tannin. Tannins have shown to have potential antiviral, antibacterial and anti-parasitic effects. Tannins have many useful applications medicinally as anti-diarrheal, hemostatic, and anti-hemorrhoidal remedies.

• It contains good amounts of antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C and vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. So also, consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.

• Fresh ripen sapodilla are good source of minerals like potassium, copper, iron and vitamins like folate, niacin and pantothenic acid. These compounds are essential for optimal health as they involve in various metabolic processes in the body as cofactors for the enzymes.

Nutritive value per 100 g

Principle Nutritive value Percentage of RDA

Energy 83 Kcal 4%

Carbohydrates 19.9 g 15%

Protein 0.44 g <1%

Total Fat 1.10 g 3.5%

Cholesterol 0 g 0%

Dietary Fiber 5.3 g 14%

Vitamins

Folates 14 mcg 3.5%

Niacin 0.200 mg 1%

Pantothenic acid 0.252 mg 5%

Pyridoxine 0.037 mg 3%

Riboflavin 0.020 mg 1.5%

Thiamin 0.058 mg 5%

Vitamin C 14.7 mg 24.5%

Vitamin A 60 IU 2%

Electrolytes

Sodium 12 mg 1%

Potassium 193 mg 4%

Minerals

Calcium 21 mg 2%

Copper 0.086 mg 9%

Iron 0.80mg 10%

Magnesium 12mg 3%

Phosphorous 12 mg 2%

Zinc 0.10 mg 1%

Along with the two above I have added a Grumichama: The tropical equivalent of the cherry. The purplish-black fruit 2cm diameter are produced in clusters. Flesh white, melting and tasty. Mostly used for fresh eating, but also highly prized for jams, jellies and pies.

Nutritionally it adds up as follows:

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion

    Moisture 84g

      Protein 0.3g

       Fiber 0.6 g

Ash 0.43 g

Calcium 39.5 mg

Phosphorus 13.6 mg

Iron 0.45 mg

Carotene 0.039 mg

Thiamine 0.044 mg

Riboflavin 0.031 mg

Niacin 0.336 mg

Ascorbic Acid 18.8 mg

Carbohydrate 13.4 g

Fat 0.3 g

Vitamin A 67 IU

I have now about 65 fruit & berry plants, about 35 different varieties all together. Now I can concentrate on getting the vegetables set up in the wicking beds, the shade house for them and then move onto the front native garden. Slowly but surely we are getting there!
Hope your weekend is a good one!