When Do Sugar Apples Ripen? A Detailed Guide to Their Ripening Time
The sugar apple is a tropical fruit, also known as the custard apple, cherimoya, or Buddha's head fruit. Its fruit is similar in size to a pomegranate, and the ripe fruit is pale greenish-yellow. Because of its distinctive shape, its surface is covered with polygonal, finger-sized soft wart-like protrusions. It is sweet and fragrant when eaten fresh, with an excellent flavor, and has extremely high edible value. Now let's take a look at when sugar apples ripen!
When do sugar apples ripen?
The sugar apple blooms from May to June and ripens from June to November. It originated in tropical America and was first introduced by the Dutch. According to a poem on the “custard apple” by Shen Guangwen of the Ming Dynasty, it can be proven that it was introduced no later than the period of the Ming Zheng regime, planted in the Tainan area, and then spread to central and southern Taiwan, China, though only on a small scale. It is also cultivated in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan, Fujian, and other places.
How do you pick the best sugar apple?
1. The color of a fresh sugar apple is generally not very vivid. If the head of the sugar apple is relatively pointed and the “nails” on the skin are densely packed, it means the sugar apple is not yet ripe; otherwise, it is a ripe sugar apple.
2. When buying, choose sugar apples with large fruit, large scale-like segments, and a round shape. If you will not eat them immediately after buying, choose ones that are slightly firmer. If the protrusions on the skin are worn, it does not greatly affect eating, because what you eat is the flesh inside. If you want to eat them right away, you can choose ones with small cracks and softer texture; this kind is a ripe sugar apple.
3. When choosing, you can first gently squeeze it in your hand. A good sugar apple should feel firm and elastic. If the cracked segments on the outer shell are flat and the suture line is obvious, the taste will definitely be very sweet.
The benefits and effects of sugar apple
1. Delaying skin aging: The custard apple is rich in vitamin C and has the effect of lowering blood sugar. It is one of the best antioxidant fruits and can effectively delay skin aging and whiten the skin.
2. Promoting bowel movements: The custard apple has a relatively high fiber content and can effectively promote intestinal peristalsis and expel accumulated stool from the intestines.
3. Lowering blood sugar: The custard apple has the effect of activating brain cells and lowering blood sugar, and is often used abroad to treat brain atrophy and diabetes. People with diabetes who regularly eat custard apple experience a clear auxiliary therapeutic dietary effect in reducing symptoms.
4. Anti-cancer: Since 1970, experts have conducted more than 20 studies on the custard apple. The results show that extracts of the custard apple can effectively fight malignant cells of 12 types of cancer, including colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. At the same time, the custard apple also has antifungal and antiparasitic effects. In addition, it can help regulate blood pressure and is also an antidepressant and a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
5. Promoting children's growth and development: The custard apple fruit is a food with very balanced nutrition, containing rich carbohydrates, protein, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, flavonoids, and crude fiber arginine. Acid can promote insulin production and secretion and enhance the immune function of cells. Lysine is an amino acid for the regeneration of brain nerve cells. Arginine can stimulate the pituitary gland to secrete growth hormone, can promote the synthesis of collagen tissue, and has a role in promoting children's growth.
6. Maintaining neuromuscular excitability: The custard apple fruit contains a variety of mineral elements. The contents of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc are all high, and potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium maintain a certain ratio, which can promote muscle contraction and maintain neuromuscular excitability.