Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Originally posted by (H)AnnA(H):
[qb] Evan,

Mi use to get dem out wullah cause mi tun dem pon di edge, kench it wid mi big fingah an pointing fingah an geet one lik wid di rackstone.

Dat mek di shell open at di seam an mi get out a nice wullah ammanz [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [/qb]

school ar deh fe me, anna, lol! it's all in the technique...

gosh, getting back some lovely memories of hunting almonds in Missa Daniels yard...*sigh&

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Originally posted by chubble:
[qb] Here are some interesting facts about Jamaican Food Local foods provide a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and other
nutrients good for the body and soul. Nutritionist Patricia Thompson says the
next time you go shopping, reach for Jamaican-grown produce because they
are the best.


IN OUR quest for healthier eating choices we are encouraged to eat
foods with less fat and sodium, more fibre, more complex carbohydrate and
lower in calories. The foods that are most promoted are usually imported
since more is known about them than about our local foods. We may therefore
seek out whole grain cereals and breads, fruits such as the American apple,
plum and grapes and vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower.


AMERICAN APPLE VS. GUAVA

Who has not heard the adage, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'?
This is probably because the American apple has fibre to facilitate gut
health and rid the body of waste. But do you know that one guava fruit has
four times the amount of fibre, slightly more potassium and 19 times the
amount of vitamin C as an American apple?


Likewise, it would take 15 American apples to supply the vitamin C
content of only one West Indian cherry. In comparison to a whole bunch of
grapes, one guava has 25 times more vitamin C, four times more fibre and about
the same potassium.


CRANBERRY JUICE VS. COCONUT JUICE


Cranberry juice has become very popular because of its benefits to
bladder health. But have you thought that similar benefits could be had from
coconut water at less than half the calories and with appreciably more
potassium? A glass of cranberry juice will provide 150 to 200 calories
while the same glass of coconut water contains only 50 calories while
giving 400 mg potassium compared to the 60mg for cranberry juice.


For those concerned about the sodium content of coconut water, be
assured that a single glass will provide only 60 mg sodium compared to the 700
mg in a V8 canned vegetable juice. Also, coconut water has no fat. The
fat of the coconut resides in the jelly and will thus be found in coconut
milk, but there is no cholesterol since the coconut is of plant origin and
cholesterol is found, only in foods of animal origin.


This means that butter will have cholesterol but coconut milk, like
the vegetable margarines, is free of cholesterol. Moreover, the
traditional way of cooking with coconut milk for flavour is better that using
margarine which is often substituted in porridge, rice and peas and soups. A
tablespoon of coconut milk has only 38 calories and 4g fat compared to
111 calories in the same amount of margarine and 11.5 g fat. Also, the fat
of coconut is healthier for the body than margarine fats.


OLIVE OIL VS. ACKEE AND PEAR

OLIVE OIL VS. ACKEE AND PEAR
Two other sources of fat that are often mislabeled are the Jamaican
ackee and the avocado pear. Neither has any cholesterol and the fat is
monounsaturated, the same type of fat that we pay so much for in the
olive oil.


BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER VS. CALLALOO


Admittedly, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, like other
vegetables will provide vitamin C, minerals, flavonoids and other
phytochemicals but they are no match for our local callaloo (amaranth)
in terms of calcium, iron or vitamin A.


Callaloo has more than four times the calcium; two or more times the
iron with more than twice the vitamin A as the American vegetables. The
whole grain cereals are indeed a good source of fibre but calorie for
calorie our provisions are equally beneficial.


The Irish potato, brown rice and whole kernel corn provide the least
fibre per serving. Those of better value are whole wheat bread, green banana
and sweet potato providing 1.5g per serving of about 70 calories.


ROLLED OATS VS. BREADFRUIT


Richer still is rolled oats at 1.96g but topping the list, you guessed
it, is our local breadfruit at 2.45 for a serving of two slices.
So next time you reach for the foreign goods on the shelf, don't
forget our local products are the best.


Patricia Thompson M.Sc. Registered Nutritionist, the Nutrition Centre,
Eden Gardens, Kingston [/qb]

excellent stuff, chubble! jamaican fruits rule!

aldoah me hear seh a true ackee dat nuff Jamaican man have prostate problem...something to do with the fat? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

time for another entry...the Paw Paw or, as the stoosh ppl say, the papaya...


when green, is renowned for its power to sawfen meat and aid digestion.

when ripe, is known for its perfumed sweetness. a friend of mine, when she finishes scooping out the paw paw, she rubs the skin over her face as a kind of astringent.

Nutrient Value
Excellent source of vitamin A and C, and potassium. Papaya are high in ascorbic acid content (vitamin C) and the flesh is very high in Vitamin A. There are also small amounts of calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin present in papaya. It is low in calories and sodium and high in potassium.
Contains a digestive enzyme that is used to tenderize meat. Papain is an enzyme extracted from the papaya skin and is primarily used in the meat industry as a tenderizer. The papaya (Carica papaya) fruit is very rich in papain. The greener the fruit the more active is the papain. This protein-digesting (proteolytic) enzyme is very abundant in green, unripe fruits. This unique quality of papaya makes it an excellent natural meat tenderizer.

Source

and of course, we've heard of the myth of the paw paw tree. what was it again? if it grow too near de house it cut man nature? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]


green pawpaw growing on a tree. i think these ones grow to the giant size, rather than the little ones pictured above which i used to buy at HiLo for my breakfast...

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

arite afer and G2, tell me dis...is dis de macca fat or de pritty pole?

[aferan]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Miss MG, Nice try but nither prittle pole nor macafat. Never seen that palm.

Is that date? I have never seen the date palm.

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

hmm, the second tree is supposed to be the first tree from a different angle, but it could be a different tree.

you no notice seh de firs tree have spines along the trunk? or it too tall fe maccafat/pritty pole?

the trees are supposed to be the peach palm, peyjaba palm in some south/central american countries...

dates look different, more oblong, and a darker maroon red...

back to the drawing board

[SandiF]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

The Maccafat known as the "Macaw Palm" latin name Acrocomia Aculeata is different from the "Pritty/Prickly Pole" also known as Prickly Palm, latin name Aculeata Media tree.

The pic you posted Mountaingal looks like Prickly Pole, but mi not too certain. Here are a few pics of the Macaw (Maccafat) Palm tree.

[SandiF]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

For days I'm fighting with trying to remember the name of this fruit that grows on a viney wild plant. We used to see them often in Barbican... let me see if I can describe it...

It's a very pale green, almost yellowish in colour

it's very small, kinda like a pod, and the outer skin is prickly...

the inside is almost the same pale yellowish/greenish tinge, and it have some likkle seeds which you suck out. Actually, you just crack it and suck out the pulp and seed. Have a little tangy taste. I'll never forget one year about '78 or so, there was a major drought, we used run go dung a gully bottom where this wild fruit grows in abundance and feast on it ... great thirst quencher.

This is a wild fruit, grows on a vine...

[aferan]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Sandif, a sweetcut you a discribe yasso. Maybe Miss MG can find some pics.

There is also another fruit that look like sersie and have a pod with some red sweet bitterish seeds. The vine usually runs on fenses or walls. I think the name is verivine. I am not sure.

Another thing is that the macafat does not drop its nuts. Uniquely, the John Crow eats the skin of the macafat for whatever reasons and then spill the nuts to the ground minus the skins. This is the only fruit that this bird is known to eat.

Otherwise, adventurous young men climb the macafat tree and cut the ripe bunch from the base of the fronds. The fruits are protected at the upright base of the fronds so that they dont spill to the ground,

After sucking the bloods of cows and other animals, the rat bat eats the skin of the ripe prittle pole nut and then drop the little nuts on the ground.

For some unknown reasons we as kids went out to the cluster of Prittle pole trees an get juk.

[Q3210]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Hey aferan, a belated welcome on board the Board.
You, MG and Sandi are a wealth of knowledge on fruits/ trees Jamaica, even the rat bat too.
Thanks for the prittle pole explanation.
The illustrations are quite attractive and familuar to us who have at sometime or another seen them in reality.
The palm family has plentiful types, some we apparently dont have in Jamaica like the Date palm.
Paw Paw`s inner skin, MG is a soother and a good application for skin irritations and mild burns especially when cooled in the fridge.
Paw Paw/ Banana blended with a little strawberry syrup is a lovely drink.
Talk about syrup....You know how we have a special affinity to that..

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Originally posted by Q3210:
[qb] Hey aferan, a belated welcome on board the Board. [/qb]

but tap, Q - you no recognize afer? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] im is the same Jcans.com oldtimer under a new name...

[SandiF]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

aahhh... sweetcup for true afer.

[Q3210]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

When dem christen into a new name, how am I to know its the same old smaddy?
I dont know much about behind the scenes goings on.
Nice to see the enlightening posts.

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Originally posted by Q3210:
[qb] When dem christen into a new name, how am I to know its the same old smaddy?
I dont know much about behind the scenes goings on.
Nice to see the enlightening posts. [/qb]

you fe read de board more.... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] den you wouldaan know...
((Q))

that pawpaw/banana medley sounds delicious, though I'd probably leave out the syrup...

[mountaingal]

Re: Sweet! Jamaican fruits...

Originally posted by SandiF:
[qb] aahhh... sweetcup for true afer. [/qb]

Sandi - is it dis?

Passiflora malformis, aka sweetcup, aka, sweet calabash