Availability of Karonda in India

Today, the fruit grows throughout several regions including the Siwalik Hills, Bihar, West Bengal, the Western Ghats, Karnataka and the Nilgiri hills. It thrives in tropical and subtropical regions without heavy rainfall.

The drought-resistant nature of the plant enables the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Bihar to grow the fruit on a limited scale. In fact, the Bhil tribe in Rajasthan sells karonda leaves for use as rolling tobacco paper to beedi manufacturers. Many of these groups also value the plant for its medicinal qualities. In the Jashpur district, for instance, the tree’s roots kill the worms in the wounds of cattle, and the Munda tribe in Chota Nagpur uses the roots to treat rheumatism.

Fruit harvest is August through October, though unripe fruits get plucked at the start of May through June. More specifically, harvest in the north occurs during the summer months of May through July, and some trees in the south bloom and yield fruit sporadically year-round.

Where to find Karonda in India
Commercial growers of the fruit pledge most, if not all, of their batches to manufacturers interested in selling jam. When in season, they will not appear in large produce stores but may appear in the wicker baskets of small, local vendors.

Several individual homes grow the bush, particularly as a thorny fence to keep out unwanted pests (perhaps neighbors included).

Checking for Ripeness in Karonda

Karonda’s ripeness depends on its purpose. If intended for use as a vegetable, the fruits should be plucked while still under ripe, as apparent by the fruit’s greenish white color.

When fully ripe, the fruit bears no hint of white on its skin. These fruits are selected for canning, preserving and pickling. Some of the fruits turn red when fully ripe; others grow dark purple.

Taste of Karonda

The sweet nectar from the shrub’s flower has better taste than the karonda fruit itself. In its raw state, the fruit is sour and acidic with little sweetness. In its ripest state it becomes a bit sweeter, but only a few varieties become sweet enough to consume out of hand. However, karonda possesses several attributes that make it a highly desirable for culinary applications.

Nutritional Value of Karonda

According to an analysis published in the book, “Minor Fruit Crops of India,” C. carandas has the following composition:

91% Moisture
1.1% Protein
2.9% Fat
.6% Minerals
1.5% Fiber
2.9% Carbohydrate
.021% Calcium
.028% Phosphorous

An additional nutritional study published by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources provides the following nutritional information per 100g of edible fruit:

42.5kcal
.39-1.1g Protein (negligible)
2.5-4.63g Fat
.51-2.9g Carbs
.62-1.81g Fiber
21mg Calcium
28mg Phosphorous
1619IU Vitamin A

9-11mg Ascorbic Acid

Health Benefits of Karonda

Karonda has a lengthy history in Indian folk medicine. Tribes in the Western Ghats use the fruit as a blood sugar stabilizer and as a guard against liver damage. As further explained by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, various groups have utilized the fruit to remedy biliousness, anemia, parasites, worms, fungal infections, diarrhea, microbes, wounds, skin infections, fevers, and ear infections.

Karonda near Pune , Full of Vitamic C and Iron, this fruit make sure that the people living in Jungle adjacent area, get necessary supplements in adverse harsh summer heat. This plant is indigenous to India.

Raw karonde is used by locals as vegetable and making pickles.

Several scientists have studied the fruit as well:

— A 2007 study published in Ancient Science of Life found that the root bark has potent antihelmitic properties comparable to the drug, albendazole
–A 2009 study published in Der Pharmacia Lettre affirmed the root bark’s hemaprotective properties. In fact, its efficacy is equivalent to the liver drug, silymarin.
–A report in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Technology states karonda’s extracts show potent antimicrobial activity.
–A 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology shows that karonda root extract has potent wound healing abilities.
–According to another 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, karonda stem has cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities when tested against human leukemia cell lines.
–Another 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology affirms the traditional use among Indian healers of using karonda as a treatment for diabetes: methanol extracts of the fruit showed anti diabetic potential.

We @ Nisargshala, have a feast of this jungle treasure in the month of May every year.

The earth of India – Courtesy

The camping trip itinerary as follows

• Arrival at the camping site

• Introduction to the vicinity and surrounding

• Tea & Biscuits

• Walk along the bank of river

• Tent allocation

• BBQ preparation and lighting up the grill by 06:30 pm

• Enjoy BBQ till 08:00 pm

• A session on star gazing depending upon the sky clarity

• Dinner by 09:30  pm

• Go to sleep

• Tea & Biscuits at 07:00 am

• Breakfast by 08:00 am

• Leave camping site for Jungle Feast of Karonda and Nature connect activities.

• Back to camp site by 1:00 ppm in noon

• Lunch at by 01:30 pm

• Back home for the city by 02:00

An exclusive photo gallery of feast karonda near Pune

Cost – 1800 Rs per head