We all know that tamarind has a fleshy, juicy, acidulous pulp. It’s mature when the flesh is brown or red in color. However, there are many ways in which tamarind or parts of it can be used for several purposes.
• Tamarind pulp is edible. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is considered by many to be too sour, but it’s often used as a component of savory dishes, as a pickling agent or as a means of making certain poisonous yams in Ghana that are safe for human consumption.
• The tamarind can boast elevated quantities of minerals (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and selenium) and is an excellent source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, K, and J.
• Tamarind exhibits laxative effects due to its high quantities of malic acid, tartaric acid, and potassium bitartrate.
• Different parts of tamarind are recognized for their various medicinal properties. For example, a study has reported that the seed, leaf, leaf veins, fruit pulp and skin extracts of tamarind possessed high phenolic content and antioxidant activities.
• Tamarind lumber is used to make furniture, carvings, turned objects, chopping blocks, and other small specialty wood items.
• In some Asian countries, tamarinds are used as a bonsai species.
• In Brazil, filtered tamarind pulp appears as an ingredient in condiments for red meat or poultry and in creamy fillings for cakes and puddings.
