Spondias Mombin : The Amazonian Fruit With a Host of Nutritional and Therapeutic Benefits

Spondias mombin or yellow mombin, also known as Hog plum is a species of tree and flowering plant in the Anacardiaceae family and is native to lowland moist forests of the Amazon in Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, and also Southern Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, and the West Indies. Some other popular names of this plant are Jamaica plum, Ambarella, Spanish plum, Thorny hog plum, Java plum, and Golden apple.

The mature Spondias mombin fruit has leathery skin and consists of thin layer of pulp. The seed of this fruit has a 31.5 % of oil content. These fruits appear from July to September. The Spondias mombin fruits have an acid-like taste and are edible. Because of their acidic nature, Spondias mombin fruits can cause tooth sensitivity when consumed in excess.

Spondias mombin has a wide range of medicinal applications and offers great health benefits. Some of the health benefits include their benefits against digestive tract issues, cough and cold, dysentery, diarrhea, and lower back pain. Read further to know more about the health benefits of Spondias mombin.

Spondias mombins or hog plums are extremely nutritious and comprise several essential compounds. A study has found that the seeds of the fruit are rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron.⁽¹⁾ These fruits are also loaded with vitamins, especially vitamin C.⁽²⁾ They also contain flavonoids, and some other phenolic compounds that are known to help them fight oxidative stress. Below you can see the nutrients present in Spondias mombin.

Carbohydrates: 13. 80 grams

Fats: 0. 62 grams

Protein: 1. 06 grams

Energy: 65. 4 grams

Dietary Fiber: 1. 87 grams

Sodium: 5.5 mg

Iron: 0. 33 mg

Potassium: 287 mg

Phosphorous: 32.7 mg

Manganese: 0. 03 mg

Magnesium: 15 mg

Calcium: 11 mg

Copper: 0.12 mg

Lutein: 634 μg

β -carotene: 314 μg

α-carotene: 340 μg

Zeinoxanthin: 550 μg

Β-cryptoxanthin: 1700 μg

Spondias mombin or Hog plums are known to possess some incredible therapeutic and health benefits for mankind.

1. It Is Great For Bone Health

   Spondias mombin is a fruit that is free from sodium, fat, and cholesterol and is an excellent source of vitamin K which aids in enhancing bone health. Vitamin K helps in the clotting of blood and also improves bone strength and also prevents them from experiencing bone fractures, or osteoporosis.

   Research even indicates that Spondias mombin is loaded with copper that benefits in maintaining bone health and improves the strength of other connective tissues in the body.

2. Improves Hemoglobin Production

   Spondias mombin is a wonderful source of minerals like iron, which aids in hemoglobin production and production of myoglobin and helps in transferring oxygen throughout the body. Iron is also important for the body and prevents anemia and other blood issues.

3. Improves Muscle Strength

   If you need to improve your muscle strength, add this amazing fruit to your daily diet. The fruit is loaded with a vitamin namely, Thiamine and this performs a lot of functions in the body. One of the functions is that it helps in muscle contraction and conduction of nerve signals. A deficiency of thiamine can cause symptoms like muscle weakness.

   Consuming Spondias mombin regularly can help in eliminating the chances of muscle contraction and weakness.

4. Treats Postpartum Hemorrhage

   One of the most essential health benefits of Spondias mombin is it helps in treating postpartum hemorrhage. This condition is experienced by many pregnant women in several parts of Africa.

   A study conducted in 2015 found that Spondias mombin might benefit you if you suffer from postpartum hemorrhage.⁽³⁾ This study was done on female rats and found that plum leaf extract had shown an antifibrinolytic property and helped in preventing excessive bleeding. Thus, it could be used to facilitate childbirth and prevent postpartum hemorrhage

5. Improves Digestive Health

   Hog plums or Spondias mombin are rich in dietary fiber and this plays a crucial role in maintaining your digestive health.

   The leaf of Spondias mombin is usually used to treat constipation because of its purgative properties.⁽⁴⁾ So, this can be used as a laxative. Simply wash the leaf, boil, and drink the recommended dose to get rid of constipation and other issues of the digestive system.

6. Serves As Diuretic And Febrifuge

   Spondias mombin is quite effective as a diuretic and febrifuge. The fruit, leaves, and stem extract of this fruit possess antimicrobial, anti-tyrosinase, cytotoxic, diuretic, and febrifuge abilities that benefit in treating specific diseases.⁽⁵⁾ The fruit could function as a substitute for fever medicines.

7. Treats Anemia

   Spondias mombin can help in eliminating anemia. The rich level of iron found in the fruit keeps the hemoglobin level maintained and thus prevents anemia.

8. Effective Against Tapeworms

   Another incredible health benefit of Spondias mombin is its excellent effectiveness against tapeworms.

   Nigeria is one of the most at-risk countries to experience outbreaks of tapeworms and some other worms too, especially in rural areas because of poor sanitation practices.

   Leaves of Spondias mombin or hog plums have been in use for ages for treating tapeworms.⁽⁶⁾ However, now many people have abandoned this method and replaced over with modern and more effective treatment methods.

9. Helps In Weight Control

   How amazing it feels when you know you can reduce your weight by eating Spondias mombin? The fruit consists of a lot of dietary fiber, and every 100 grams of the fruit offers 29 calories. Thus, Spondias mombin aids in weight loss or controlling your weight.

10. Protects Against Heart Disease

    Another amazing thing about Spondias mombin is that it can help in protecting your heart health. A study conducted in 2010 found that Spondias mombin or hog plums are packed with antioxidants and reduce overall cholesterol levels. Additionally, their effect on the heart was pretty similar to the heart medication named, ramipril.⁽⁷⁾ However, more research on humans is still required.

11. Treats Diarrhoea And Dysentery

    Spondias mombin can be eaten to cure diarrhea. Tea using its flowers can relieve you from stomach pain, and inflammation. Decoction of the young leaves of Spondias mombin is an excellent remedy for diarrhea and dysentery.⁽⁸⁾

    Additionally, the leaves and bark of the tree comprise many flavonoids, tannins, and saponins, which are effective enough to cure dysentery and also cough.

12. It Has Great Antiseptic Properties

    Spondias mombin is known for its excellent antiseptic properties. In Peru, the leaf juice is usually extracted and used as an antiseptic wash to clean wounds and prevent infections. Similarly, the leaf is also used for its antiseptic properties in Nigeria. It is also beneficial in treating some eye infections and also prevents sores, cuts, and burns.

13. Good For Common Wellness

    Leaves of this plant are used to treat sore throat, malaria, cough, and other common health problems. Spondias mombin is also used in making many antiseptic soaps and other herbal products.

14. Incredible Skin Health Benefits

    Spondias mombin helps in maintaining healthy skin, nails, and hair. This can help in reducing skin acne and also make your skin look bright. The presence of vitamin C in the fruit makes your skin bright. So, you should eat this regularly for healthy and radiant skin.

Spondias mombin comes with some of the most incredible health benefits and thus should be added to our daily diet for receiving nutritious and health benefits and also for overall well-being.

NOTE: Always consult with your doctor before using this as a remedy for any of your health conditions, since it cannot replace general medical treatments.

References: