Fruit Dubai

I wasn’t disappointed. First of all I was enchanted by heaps of my beloved dates. I used them in various recipes recently, so you surely realized that I treat dates as the main source of sweetness. Dates are for athletes! They contain an exceptional amount of (72 g in 100 g) simple sugars that are absorbed quickly. So, they are an excellent snack before and after a workout because they help to replenish glycogen. Dates supply us with potassium, which is quite significant when we sweat a lot during exercising. Moreover, they contain vitamins A , B and C as well as iron, phosphorus and magnesium.

Walking around the market I spotted a strange-looking “cucumber”. It was a bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.), which is mostly grown in tropical countries. Its healthful properties have been known for thousands of years. It was used to treat diabetes the most often and, what’s essential, pharmaceuticals containing it can only be eaten under control of a doctor as overusing can cause hypoglycemia. The fruits of Momordica contain vitamins A, C and lecithin helping to control our endocrine system. They reportedly help to treat alcoholism.

I was really glad when I saw lychees (Litchi chinensis), because I love them. It’s a pity that lychees are so perishable, they go bad so fast and they are available in our country only as preserves, for example as syrup in cans (then they keep their nutritional value). Lychees provide us with vitamin C, malic acid and other organic acids as well as natural simple sugars. They can be used to prepare sweet dishes, but also can be added to meats, salads and to make preserves.

The rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), which looks hairy, tastes almost as good as lychees. Unfortunately, it’s the same perishable. It’a great source of vitamin C. In Poland is hardly available, therefore I recommend to taste them while travelling abroad.

The fruit of the longan (Dimocarpus longan) is not as spectatular as lychees and rambutan. Yellow-brown balls look simple, but they are their cousins. “Dragon eye” as they are also called, they have an exquisite taste and provide a lot of vitamin C. They are refreshing as well.

I got interested in the mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) fruit. Its fruits can be as big as an orange, they have a purple skin and green bow. In China they are thought to be the king of fruit. I heard the opinion that it is the tastiest fruit of all tropical fruit. Eastern medicine benefits from its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic properties. The components of the mangosteen help to treat dermatological disorders.

I smiled when I saw the fruit of kumquat (Fortunella) – it looks like a cross of lemon with orange, and taste like that. It is extremely refreshing and can be eaten whole, skin and all. Of course, they are rich in vitamin C, low in calories and help to reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.

As you can see my visit to the market was dominated by fruit discoveries. But not only that, because I discovered one exotic vegetable – okra, known also as gumbo. Eating okra gives us plenty of folic acid and vitamin C. It can be prepared in many different ways, grilled as well. Its seeds are fatty and is made from them.

That’s all from the market in Dubai. In Poland we have a lot of great fruit and vegetables, but the world has also plenty to offer! If you can travel, take advantage of it to try them all. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide incredible flavor and aroma impressions and they are a source of health.

You can charge up your batteries in this way!