The extremely tasty and unique in appearance rambutan fruit is one of the first places in Thailand in popularity among local residents and tourists. Throughout Southeast Asia, rambutan is considered one of the most popular and healthy fruits. This dessert and exotic fruit is distinguished by its low calorie content - only 80 kcal per 100 grams, juicy and bright color, tasty pulp and unusual red-green fluffy skin.

The size of the rambutan fruit is approximately the same as a regular chicken egg. The color is very provocative - bright, rich and juicy red with green hairs. At first glance, rambutan looks like a red and fluffy ball. The length of the hairs rarely exceeds 5 centimeters.

The pulp inside the rambutan resembles a jelly-like, but rather dense and juicy consistency. The shade of the pulp may vary depending on the ripeness of the fruit - white, pink and beige. The seed inside the rambutan is small, oblong in shape and light brown in color, not suitable for consumption and even slightly toxic. The shape of the fruit itself is round or oblong.

Rambutan season in Thailand

In Thailand, the rambutan season begins in early May and ends in the second half of June. Over the years, there has been an improvement in the cultivation and selection of the plant due to the careful work of gardeners and breeders in Southeast Asia. Previously, the fruit could only be harvested in May.

In the wild, the rambutan fruit grows on trees whose height reaches 20 meters, which is not convenient for harvesting. Breeders from Thailand were able to develop a new crop of trees whose height does not exceed 5 meters. In one season, up to 20 kg of fruits can be collected from one tree, which grow in small clusters on branches.

Rambutan fruit is available for sale from the beginning of May to the second half of September. The cost per kilogram of fruit ranges from 20 baht in Thai markets to 40 baht in large supermarket chains during the ripening season. In winter, the price increases significantly and can reach 400 baht per kilogram.

Smell and taste of rambutan

The taste of the pulp differs depending on the variety of rambutan. It can be pronounced sweet or sour. The fruit is very juicy due to its high water content - per 100 grams of fruit there is about 70-75 grams of water. This is why rambutan is so popular in hot weather to quench thirst.

An ordinary fruit, uncut, does not smell of anything. The pulp inside smells like sweet blue grapes, familiar to Russian tourists.

In many supermarkets you can find canned rambutans, which are made in combination with pineapple pieces. Do not forget that the taste and beneficial properties of rambutan in this case do not change for the better.

How is rambutan different from lychee?

Firstly, the difference is in the growing season of the fruit. The lychee season lasts only from April to June, and rambutan can be found on store shelves right up until the end of September. Lychee tastes more like a grape sweet concoction.

Rambutan is an unusual fruit that can be seen on trees of the same name in many countries in Southeast Asia. The tropical edible fruit has a pleasant sweet and sour taste and delicate pulp. You can enjoy it while traveling through Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, India, and Sri Lanka. Nowadays, the exotic crop is successfully grown in Central America.

In our homeland, rambutan is popular and loved just like apples in our country. In Russian supermarkets, the exotic fruit can be found extremely rarely and at an exorbitant price. However, you should not buy them from us. Fresh rambutans are stored for no longer than a week, so they are picked green in order to have time to get to the buyer and preserve their presentation. It is not difficult to guess that the taste of such fruits does not correspond to those that can be tasted in Asian countries.

• Show all

  Botanical description

  Under natural conditions, evergreen rambutan trees reach 25 m and form a spreading crown strewn with pinnate leathery leaves. The name of the tropical plant comes from the Indonesian word rambut, which means “hair”. This is fully justified by the appearance of the fruit.

  The ripe fruit is protected by a dense peel with many hard, hooked “hairs” similar to the spines of an edible chestnut. The fruits are small in size and do not exceed 4-6 cm in diameter. The exotic tree bears fruit in clusters of up to 30 fruits each, which from the beginning of formation until ripening gradually change color from green to deep red or orange.

  Under the skin of exotic fruits lies juicy white or pinkish pulp, which has a pleasant aroma and taste. Inside the gelatinous pulp there is a dark brown seed up to 3 cm long, which is edible only when fried.

  

  How to eat rambutan?

  The taste of rambutan is reminiscent of a combination of sweet white grapes and strawberries, mixed with raspberry notes. Looking at an exotic fruit, you can’t immediately guess how to eat it. The main task is to separate the peel from the pulp. It's very easy to do this:

  • Cut the outer shell of the fruit with a sharp knife or press with your hands to create a crack.
  • Divide the peel into two halves and remove. In ripe rambutan, the peel easily comes away from the pulp and is removed without effort, while in unripe fruit it is difficult to separate.
  • Remove the pit from the peeled white pulp - in its raw form it contains bitterness and toxins and can ruin the whole tasting experience.

  

  Fresh rambutan is eaten like regular fruit and added to ice cream, yoghurt, salads, smoothies and summer soups. Sweet and sour fruits are no less good in processed form: they are used in jams, compotes, savory sauces and desserts.

  To enjoy the exquisite taste of exotic fruits, you need to know how to choose them. A ripe fruit has a bright red or orange color, and there are no extraneous cracks, cuts, spots or “bruises” on the surface of the peel.

  

  Composition and calorie content

  Rambutan not only quenches thirst and hunger well, but also has a large amount of useful substances that improve the functioning of almost all human organs and systems. Inside the small fruit there is a storehouse of vitamins, micro- and macroelements:

  • vitamins A, B₁, B₂, B₃, B₅, B₆, B₉, B₁₂, C;
  • calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, potassium, sodium, phosphorus;
  • natural acids – oleic, arachidonic, nicotinic, folic;
  • oils and dietary fiber.

  The calorie content of rambutan is low - 100 g of fresh product contains 82 kcal. It can be safely used by those who want to lose weight or watch their figure.

  

  Beneficial properties and harm

  Eating rambutan fruits has a beneficial effect on the human body:

  • the content of red and white blood cells in the blood increases;
  • oxygen saturation of blood and tissues improves;
  • the functioning of the digestive system is restored;
  • the body's defenses are strengthened and immunity is increased;
  • kidney function is normalized, toxin removal is facilitated;
  • bones and teeth are strengthened;
  • the risk of developing cancer is reduced;
  • blood pressure and sugar levels stabilize;
  • the risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies is reduced;
  • metabolism and enzyme production are normalized;
  • the condition of the skin and hair improves.

  

  Rambutan has virtually no contraindications. However, when trying it for the first time, you should not immediately consume a large amount of fruits. It’s enough to eat 2-3 pieces and watch your body’s reaction. If negative symptoms do not appear during the day - swelling of the skin, rashes, diarrhea - you can safely continue to enjoy the pleasant taste of the “hairy” fruit. If signs of individual intolerance appear, you should stop further consuming the exotic fruit.

  Growing at home

  Houseplant lovers who are interested in growing exotic crops can experiment with rambutan seeds. According to reviews from many gardeners, the seeds germinate well and over time turn into a small fruit-bearing tree.

  There are two ways to plant rambutan at home:

  • Place a layer of expanded clay in a pot with drainage holes and add loose, fertile soil. Moisten the soil and place the seed in it to a depth of 6-7 cm. Make sure that the soil in the pot is constantly moist, but do not allow it to sour. Cover the pot with an inverted glass jar or a transparent plastic container of a suitable size to create greenhouse conditions. Ventilate the mini-greenhouse daily, removing the cap for 10-15 minutes.
  • Wrap the bone in a damp cloth, place it in an airtight plastic container or a thick plastic bag and place it in a warm place. After about 2 weeks, when the hard shell bursts and the first root appears, plant the rambutan seed in a pot and observe its development. As it grows, transplant it into a larger pot.

Unusual for us, but definitely worthy of attention, the exotic fruit rambutan is an accessible and widespread fruit for residents of many countries in Southeast Asia, almost like apples in our country. What rambutan is, how it is eaten and how it is useful is our topic today.

The most interesting thing about rambutan, of course, is its appearance; this is truly exotic. Round fruits the size of a plum, protected by a thick skin with many hairs, like an edible chestnut. The skin color of rambutan can be red-orange, red or just orange, but the flesh is always white.

Rabmutan fruit - what is it?

Rambutan is an evergreen tree from the Saputov family that grows mainly in Southeast Asia. It reaches a height of 25 meters, its leaves are oval, the flowers are very small, and the fruits with a diameter of 4-6 centimeters are covered with dense hairs. It is because of these hairs that they got their name, because “rambut” means “hair” in Indonesian.

So, rambutan fruits grow in clusters and change color as they ripen - at first they are green, then yellow, and already ripe fruits acquire a rather intense, attractive red color.

The peel is easy to remove, it is not prickly, as it may seem from the photographs, the flesh is white, juicy, and in the center it has a small dark brown bone.

In consistency and appearance, the pulp of rambutan is very similar to the pulp of the lychee fruit, however, their tastes are different. Rambutan has a sweet taste with a slight sourness and a pleasant aroma.

Calorie content. The pulp of one bambutan fruit has about 60 calories. This is quite a bit, considering that it is rich in fructose, vitamins and minerals.

Today, rambutan is cultivated in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia and India, Central America and the Caribbean.

How to eat rambutan

The rambutan peel must be removed before consumption as it is inedible. To do this, either cut it with a knife, or press it down a little with your hands, and after a crack appears, use your fingers to divide the peel in half and remove it. What remains is white pulp with a bone inside. When eaten raw, the seeds are toxic, but roasted ones can be eaten.

Basically, of course, rambutan is eaten fresh, but in many countries it is preserved in syrup, just like pineapple, sometimes together with other fruits, and made into desserts, jams and compotes.

It is believed that rambutans taste best if they are collected and eaten in the summer, from June to the end of August. In unripe fruits, the pulp sticks to the peel, and they are more sour, but still the taste is not bad.

A short video instruction on the topic “How to eat rambutan”

Beneficial and medicinal properties of rambutan

When it comes to beneficial properties, nature has not deprived this interesting fruit of its attention. In Southeast Asian countries it is highly valued for its large amount of vitamins, minerals, oils and natural acids.

Compound:

• Water – 78%
• Calories – 82 per 100 grams
• Proteins – 0.65 grams per 100 g.
• Fats – 0.21 grams per 100 g.
• Carbohydrates – 21 grams per 100 grams of pulp.

Minerals: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc.

Vitamins: C, A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid,

Rambutan is a good source of vitamin C and calcium, and it also contains a sufficient amount of niacin, a substance also known as vitamin PP, niacin or vitamin B3. Niacin is a very important organic compound for our body, which is involved in many processes in every cell, and modern medicine considers nicotinic acid a medicine.

A lack of niacin in the body can lead to the development of many serious diseases. This situation is especially dangerous for children who need all the vitamins and elements for normal development.

• Due to its high antioxidant content, regular consumption of 7-8 fruits per day will improve the body's resistance and ability to destroy cancer cells.

• Those who ate rambutan regularly for at least 2 weeks report a noticeable improvement in their skin condition.

• From its pulp, Thai women make face masks; they are sure that these masks rejuvenate the skin and make it beautiful.

• These fruits are recommended for those who need to restore the body's strength.

• Consumption of rambutan perfectly strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

• In Thailand, this fruit is included in diets for people with high blood pressure and diabetes.

• The combination of iron and copper with vitamin C improves absorption.

• Due to the content of phosphorus and enzymes, with regular consumption of rambutan they are almost cleaned, their work improves.

• It is a good source of plant calcium. There is not as much of this element in rambutan as in sesame seeds, but considering how capricious calcium is in digestibility, any source is good.

• And last but not least, it should be noted that rambutan is an excellent assistant for those who want to lose excess weight.

Oil is extracted from the seeds of the rambutan fruit, which is used in the manufacture of cosmetics, aromatic mixtures, and especially candles, as it emits a very pleasant aroma when heated.

Medicinal properties of rambutan

Fresh rambutan fruits are eaten for stomach upset, indigestion, diarrhea and even dysentery. They are believed to be able to soothe irritable bowels, improve digestion and overall well-being.

How to select and store rambutan

When choosing these exotic fruits, first of all pay attention to its color. Ripe rambutan has a bright red skin and non-prickly, green hairs at the tips. It is important that there are no cracks, cuts or dark areas on the fruit.

The hairs should not be dry; this fruit may be overripe, or has been lying on the counter for a long time and has begun to deteriorate.

Rambutan can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 7 days.

Despite its short shelf life, due to its newfound popularity, rambutan is exported in small quantities to different countries around the world. Here you can find these fruits only in some stores and at a fairly high price, because they are very protected during transportation.

It is best, of course, to eat rambutan in the countries where it is grown, because there it is the most delicious and costs a penny. Therefore, when going on vacation to Thailand, do not forget to make a list of all the purchases and local fruits you would like to try.

Contraindications and harm

Today, this fruit has no known contraindications, but allergy sufferers should always be careful, and in general, any exotic fruit should only be eaten in a small amount for the first time in order to make sure that there are no negative reactions to its composition.

Growing at home

Rambutan does not grow in our area, but the good news is that it can be grown quite successfully as a houseplant, and even harvest the fruits after a few years.

How to grow rambutan at home? It’s very simple, the planting technology is no different from planting flowers. The main thing is that the seed is good, from ripe fruit.

Before moving on to growing methods, you need to know some aspects:

1. The air temperature in the place where rambutan grows cannot fall below 10 degrees Celsius.
2. Caring for a rambutan tree is no different from caring for any other indoor plants.
3. Many people complain that rambutan first begins to grow rapidly, and then suddenly sneezes. The fact is that they love moist air, so some create special conditions for them, akin to greenhouse conditions.
4. The leaves need to be constantly sprayed with water, making sure that both the soil and the environment are moist.
5. At the age of 6-8 years, rambutan requires a tub of 60-70 liters as its roots develop strongly.
6. The first fruits are expected only at 6-8 years.

There are 2 options for growing rambutan at home:

1. The seed is first germinated. Wrap it in a piece of damp cloth, place it in a closed container and constantly make sure that the cloth does not dry out. After 10-15 days, the bone will crack and the first root tip will appear. Now take a pot of soil, on which drainage sprinkling is placed. The bone is placed in the ground 6-7 centimeters deep. Next, you need to make sure that the ground is wet all the time, and within a month the shoot will show itself. Now, if necessary, you will need to change the pot to a larger one.
2. The seeds are placed in moist soil without prior germination. This method is simpler; if the seed is good, then there is no reason why it will not sprout, so more practical people choose this option.

Rambutan fruit is certainly interesting and worthy of attention. It’s not for nothing that the sweet and juicy fruit has gained such popularity in Asia; if you have the opportunity, be sure to taste it and share your impressions.

• Pitahaya (dragon fruit) – how to eat, healthy…

Rambutan is a rather exotic fruit. What is the name alone worth? If you don’t yet know what it is, be sure to read the information below. After all, getting to know this exotic can be very useful.

The fruit has a very specific appearance. It is somewhat similar to a walnut, but not smooth, but covered with hairs that extend in different directions. But inside it has tender and juicy pulp and a bone no more than two centimeters in size.

The hairs are usually stiff and the skin is red or white. The fruit is most common in Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. It grows on a tree that can reach 25 meters in height.

What taste and smell does it have?

Do you want to know what rambutan tastes like before you buy the delicacy in the store? It can be very sweet or with some sourness.

The taste of ripe fruit will differ depending on the variety.

Until it is cut, the rambutan fruit does not emit any odor, but once you open it, you will notice an aroma somewhat reminiscent of blue grapes.

Chemical composition and calorie content of rambutan

In addition to its unusual and bright appearance, the fruit can boast of another advantage - a large amount of useful substances.

• It contains B vitamins.
• The pulp of the fruit also contains vitamin A, which has a positive effect on vision and skin condition.
• A large amount of vitamin C contained in exotic fruits protects against colds. Just 100 grams of pulp already contains seven percent of the daily requirement of ascorbic acid.

It also contains a lot of minerals: sodium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and manganese are present in abundance in the rambutan pulp.

This fruit is not as high in calories as a banana, but it cannot compare with an apple. In 100 grams of the edible part there are already 82 calories. Moreover, the fruit contains the most water and carbohydrates – 18 grams. Proteins and fats are practically absent - less than 0.5 grams for every hundred grams.

Rambutan: beneficial properties and contraindications

It is believed that the beneficial properties of rambutan are better preserved if you buy it directly from the branches.

Residents of Thailand are confident that they should consume at least five fruits per day, which will almost completely eliminate the risk of cancer.

There are no contraindications to consuming the fruit. Unless the digestive tract, which is not accustomed to it, which has never received such food before, may react unexpectedly, for example, with diarrhea or pain.

Allergies are also possible. To exclude it, you need to try a small piece of an exotic fruit and wait a while.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, the peel of the fruit is mainly used. But first they process it in a special way.

• The skin is crushed into small pieces.
• Place in a container of boiling water.
• Once half the liquid has evaporated, remove the peel pieces and squeeze them into another clean bowl.

What comes out is used as a healing drink.

You can also drink the decoction. To make it, not only the peel is used, but also roots, shoots and leaves. It is useful for nursing women as it stimulates lactation. In addition, it relieves headaches and helps wounds heal faster. Rinsing your mouth with this product will relieve abscesses, stomatitis and inflammation of the gums. It is recommended to take it twice a day.

Criteria for choosing ripe rambutan

It is very difficult to choose fresh and ripe fruit on our shelves. But if you set a goal, everything will work out. The main thing is to pay attention to some nuances.

• To tell if a fruit is fresh, be sure to look at its color. It should be bright red, rich with slightly greenish, but very elastic hairs.
• If the fruit in front of you is soft, its skin is dull, even slightly wrinkled, and the hairs are completely withered or fallen, and even yellow in color, then feel free to refuse the purchase. All these signs indicate that the rambutan is not fresh.

It is best to enjoy this fruit in the country where it is sold.

Because after a couple of days it begins to deteriorate and it is very difficult to bring it to our countries in its original form. You can store rambutan in the refrigerator, where it will “last” for about a week.

How to properly peel and eat fruit

You finally purchased such a curiosity, and now you look at it and think, how to eat rambutan and how to free it from the skin? First of all, carefully examine the fruit. It has a natural seam that divides it in half. In this area, pull the skin in different directions so that the halves separate but remain in your hands. This way you can easily open it and enjoy the juicy pulp.

You can also use a knife. To do this, make a cut in the skin along the entire circumference, but do not cut through it completely. Pull and remove it - you will be left with pulp, which you can bite off or eat all at once.

Please note that it is not recommended to consume the pit; it is quite bitter and not edible at all.

If you have visited an Asian country where rambutan grows and do not want to bother with cleaning it, you can look for already peeled fruits on sale. But do not forget that this way the fruit spoils faster and is inferior to the unpeeled fruit in terms of usefulness and, perhaps, even in taste.

Rambutan is very interesting. You can prepare various dishes from it, for example, make jam, syrup, sauce and even make ice cream. And the fruit seed is used to make oils, soaps and scented candles.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum, rambut, hair)- a tropical fruit tree of the Sapindaceae family. The fruits are the size of a hazelnut and grow in clusters of up to 30 pieces. They have red, burgundy or yellow skin. The shape is round, covered with 4-5 cm hairs. The pulp is sweet, tender, gelatinous, transparent white. The seed is edible and tastes like an acorn. The fruits contain phosphorus, vitamin C, protein, iron, calcium, niacin and carbohydrates. Indonesia is considered to be its homeland.

How to eat rambutan

The fruits are consumed both fresh and canned. Often used as ingredients for various dishes (fruit salads, etc.). Sometimes they replace lychee or longan. It is popular to use as a filling for pies, for making jams, sauces, compotes and ice cream. Gives a special taste to meat, fish and chicken.

Shelf life is quite short - about 7 days. Try to consume and cook immediately. This is especially true for fruits for export purchased outside of Southeast Asia.

To eat, make a shallow round cut in the middle of the fruit and remove the peel. For convenience, it is customary to remove only one half of it. The second serves for decorative purposes (beautiful table setting). For guests who do not know how to cut rambutan themselves, you can cut the peel along the fruit into petal-shaped sectors.

Calorie content and composition

In addition to the above, it is worth highlighting proteins, carbohydrates, protein, nicotinic acid, vitamins C, B1 and B2. The composition includes fibers that are beneficial for digestion. The seed is rich in fats and oils (about 40%), which include arachidonic and oleic acids.

Energy value: 82kcal per 100g of product.

Beneficial features

Rambutan has a beneficial effect on the skin and improves digestion. The fruit has nourishing and cleansing properties. Leaves, roots and bark are used medicinally. In its raw form, it is effective in the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery.

The pulp soothes the inflamed intestines and normalizes food digestion. Effective in lowering blood pressure.

The leaves of the tree are used to treat headaches. In Thailand, the method is very popular, but the exact process has not been studied.

Local residents believe that five rambutan fruits a day will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing many diseases, especially cancer.

Contraindications

The fruit has no specific contraindications, but it must be taken into account that it is exotic. The intestines and stomach can react differently to unfamiliar foods, so try small quantities. It is worth looking at the composition of the fruit to make sure there are no allergies or intolerance to the constituent substances. Otherwise there shouldn't be any problems.

What does rambutan taste like?

Rambutan is sweet and very juicy, has an unusual taste, rather a combination of the flavors of several berries in one fruit. Reminds me of lychees. It is important not to touch the bone while eating the pulp, it can spoil the taste. The seed itself tastes like acorns and chestnuts.

Price and selection

The average price during the season (April-October) is 30-40 baht per 1kg. In winter, the price can increase 10-15 times, while the quality of the fruit will be noticeably worse.

Ideally ripe fruits are red and burgundy in color, with yellow or green hairs. Thick to the touch. If the hairs are brown or the fruit is pressed through, then the rambutan is overripe and spoiled.

In Thailand, only good rambutans are usually sold; spoiled ones are rarely found.

Growing at home

The technology is no different from planting flowers. Seeds (pits) freed from pulp must be washed, wrapped in damp cotton wool and stored in a warm, closed place for 15-20 days. When they germinate, they can be transplanted into a pot to a depth of twice their own size.

The soil should always be moist. It begins to bear fruit after 5-6 years, in Russian conditions after 8-12. Critical temperature is +10 degrees or less. Suitable for growing in greenhouses or at home.

Rambutan has a special, unforgettable, very rich taste and is rich in useful minerals. If you are vacationing in an Asian country, don’t be lazy to try it, especially since the fruit is sold on every corner and costs mere pennies.

Memo:

• do not buy overripe fruits;
• separate the bone while eating;
• Rambutan is taste, pleasure and benefit.

Some photos of rambutan

Video on how to eat rambutan: