Mangaluru: Never in my life that I have paid Rs 800 for a Kg of Jambul also known as Jamun, Java Plum, Black plum and Jambolan, until this (18 May) morning, when I purchased half-kg of this medicinal value fruit for Rs 400 from a street vendor selling them near St Theresa’s School, Bendore in the City. Due to its increased demand being a good source to cut down sugar, diabetes etc, has caused a steep hike in its price this year. The fruit that used to cost about Rs 250/kg-Rs 300 in 2019 and sold for about Rs 300-400/kg in 2021, this morning it is sold for Rs 700- Rs 800/kg. Hard to believe, but those who crave for this fruit known for its medicinal values, people are ready to shell out money, no matter how pricey they are.
This is the time of the year, I used to hear a man walking by our house yelling Jambul…jambul…jambul…with a bucket on his head full of Jamun aka jambul,- and many of the seniors in our area come rushing out of their homes to buy this fruit. Guess why?- they all have high sugar or diabetes. And since it is known that Jambul is a good fruit that can be eaten by people having such symptoms, this man sells lots of jambuls every time he comes through our lane. The prices last year varied between Rs 300-400 a kg, but still, this fruit sells like hot cakes when it is available. The locally grown jambul is sweet and tasty compared to the one’s from out of state and one thing is that not just the fruit but the entire tree is beneficial to our health. Pick the largest size of the fruit. They are the best in quality and sweetest.
Jambul is believed to be of special use in the treatment of diabetes. In the Unani and Ayurvedic system, it is used to treat digestive disorders including diarrhea. Extracts of the bark, seeds and leaves have been found to cause a marked prolonged decrease in blood sugar and glycosuria (sugar in urine). Several studies provide evidence that Jamun has hypoglycemic effects with up to 30 percent reduction in blood sugar reported in some studies. Seeds are rich in alkaloids which have hypoglycemic effects. Jamun, a very popular seasonal fruit being sold everywhere in India, has immense health benefits. It is understood with different names in different regions in India: these names are java plum, black plum, jambul and Indian blackberry.. and Nerale Hannu in Kannada. The botanical name of Jamun is Eugenia jambolana or Syzygium cumini L (myrtaceae family). It is usually planted as a roadside avenue tree. The tree bears fruit for 60 to 70 years and the fruits ripen between April and July.
As per Sathish Prabhu, proprietor, BSP Agrofresh, a leading distributor for jamuns in the city speaking to media said, “We are expecting the prices to drop in the coming weeks. The season generally begins in March, but this year, it was only a week ago that the fruit entered the market. Jamuns are generally bought from Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, between April and June. The fruit from Sawantwadi in Maharashtra used to hit the market first, but this time due to a poor crop there, we started receiving the fruit from the Karnataka-Maharashtra border only last week. Last year was a bumper crop, and this year the quantity is expected to increase in the coming days, with the fruit from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu expected to arrive,”.
“One of the factors for the high price of the fruit is that a limited quantity is arriving in the market. Right now, about 500-600 kg is sold per day, by about 20-30 vendors. There are days when about 3,000 kg is sold by about 80 vendors. Once the quantity arriving in the city increases, the price will drop. Out of 10 kg, a vendor gets to sell only 8 kg, because nearly 2 kg are eaten by customers in the guise of tasting,” adds Prabhu . Meanwhile, he requested people not to throw away the seeds of jamun and other fruits, but to plant them in available open places, as a step towards conservation.
Jamun Fruit is an oblong, ovoid, crimson black fruit. You might have consumed the jamun fruit raw and its pulp would have left an unusual dark purple tinge on your tongue for several hours. It will also leave a grainy feeling on your tongue. The juice of ripe fruit is used for preparing sauces as well as beverages. You may preserve the fruit by drying and adding salt and you may use it as a digestive powder. Please do not consume unripe jamun fruits.
The presence of oxalic acids, tannic acids, gallic acid and certain alkaloids makes one feel such an astringency taste. According to nutritionists, fruit is rich in carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. It comprises glucose and fructose as principal sugars. The fruit is also rich in minerals such as manganese, zinc, iron, calcium, sodium and potassium.
Jamun is recommended for Kapha and pitta doshas. The ripe Jamun fruit is well recognized as a liver stimulant, digestive, carminative and coolant. Their hypoglycemic (lowering blood sugar) property is well recognized in Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine in India.
The fresh seeds of Jamun fruit (avoid dried seeds) have more varied uses than any other part of the tree. The seeds reduce blood sugar levels and glycosuria in diabetic patients. The seed is also used in various alternative healing methods in Unani.
The fruit juice is used in diarrhoea and dysentery and its effectiveness is noted when the patient passes blood-mixed stool. The leaves provide the best remedy for ulcerative colitis. The leaves and bark are used for gingivitis and controlling blood pressure. The decoction of the Jamun bark is also used as a tonic. You may straight away use the ash of the Jamun leaves as your tooth powders and is a very effective remedy for spongy gums. Its regular use strengthens the teeth by checking bleeding and gum infections. The Jamun powder also controls the frequency of your urine.
Something You Must Also Know:
Overeating ripe Jamun can cause hyperacidity and retention of gas in the abdomen. (To counter these conditions half teaspoonfuls of the roasted jeera powder and a pinch of black salt should be taken with warm water). Eat Jamun after meals. Buying jamun from roadsides may be risky as the fruit may be contaminated by lead and heavy metals from exhaust fumes. Always sprinkle rock salt before consuming Jamun. If you feel uneasy after eating Jamun, drink buttermilk to which some salt has been added or eat dried ginger or amla. Do not drink milk after eating Jamun.