Indigenous Fruits

An apple a day, it is said, keeps the doctor away. But, while the apple is an expensive fruit, it is important to understand that there are several indigenous fruits in the country as a whole and Assam and the Northeast in particular, which not only have cultural and religious significance but are also valued for their nutritional value. There are a whole lot of traditional and indigenous fruits in the village household backyard which provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support health and immunity for all members of the family. These fruits are deeply integrated into Indian life, from daily food to spiritual offerings, symbolising prosperity and health. Most of the traditional indigenous fruits are packed with essential vitamins, minerals (such as iron, calcium, and potassium), and fibre, which are all very important for digestion as well as overall health. Several of our traditional fruits contain phenolic compounds and flavonoids having antioxidant properties, thus helping to neutralise free radicals and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Several traditional and indigenous fruits, though underutilised or neglected, are also known to have great importance in boosting immunity.  The list of important traditional fruits of India is quite long and includes mango, banana, jamu and citrus. Taking a closer look at Assam, one finds several more such fruits, like Assam lemon, jackfruit, guava, papaya, and litchi. Among those with medicinal properties on the other hand are kordoi or carambola, leteku or Burmese grape, and Jalphai or olive, amlakhi or amla, hilikha or haritaki, amara, robab tenga or pomelo, and the unique sour fruits like thekera and mirika tenga. Unfortunately, most of the indigenous fruits of Assam have remained underutilised, with research organizations and experts failing to create a proper image of them.