Health Benefits of Atis (Sugar Apple)

Photo credit: candytinguban.wordpress.com

Other Vernacular names:

• Chinese - Lin gin
• Dutch - Kaneelappel
• German - Rahmapfel
• Hindi - Raamaphal
• Japanese - Banreishi
• Laotian - Khieb
• Spanish - Anon
• Thai - Noina

This kind of tree is small and 3 to 5 meters in height. Leaves are oblong and 8 to 15 centimeters long. Flowers occur in the axils of the leaves with a length of 2.5 centimeters. The fruit is large and heart shaped while the outside is knobby polygonal tubercles. It is yellowish – green in color when ripe. The flesh is white, juicy and sweet to taste.



Medicinal Use:

Leaves, fruits and seeds – vermicidal and insecticidal

Unripe fruit – used for diarrhea, dysentery and dyspepsia

Bark – used as astringent & tonic

Leaves – can be used also as insecticide and anti-ovulatory, boiling leaves is good for rheumatic bathes

Crush fresh leaves – for fainting and hysteria (place over nose)

Juice from unripe fruit – for infected insect bites

Crushed seeds – make paste in water by applying to the scalp (can kill lice)

Studies shows:

Leaves – anti-oxidant, hypoglycaemic, anti-diabetic

Stem-Bark – anti-oxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory

Seeds – anti-diabetic and anti-cancer

Fruits – anti-microbial

Twigs – anti-ulcer