Balimbing Filipino Star Fruit

Balimbing or Star Fruit

Balimbing or starfruit, is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola tree, a species of tropical trees native to the Philippines, Nepal, India, Malaysia,  Vietnam,  Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius,  Indonesia and Seychelles. These regions are found in these countries in the Southeast Asia, parts of East Asia, and South Pacific.

Balimbing is the Filipino language term for balimbing. Balimbing is a green fruit that has a fleshy texture. When it is sliced, it appears as star shaped, thus getting the name star fruit. Star fruit can be grown in non-indigenous areas that plant originally came from. It was being planted in the Caribbean and south America, Africa, and the southern United States. It is also called Carambola.

Ripe balimbing is perfect as snack or dessert. The taste is sweet and not much sour compared when it is ripe. The texture is also softer and juicier when ripe. It is considered as vegetable in the Hindu and Chinese culinary for unripe balimbing.

Balimbing Benefits

Although balimbing has been associated with politics of changing alliance based on power, it is contrary to the postive benifts of the star fruit. The shape of the fruit is star shape and have edgy sides that makes it move sideways when blown by wind which is analogous to changing allegiance of politicians in the Philippines near and after election.

Balimbing has antioxidants, and vitamin C. It has the mineral potassium and for body fluid electrolytes and it is low in sugar. Health conscious and workout enthusiast can enjoy the fruit more as it is a good source of fiber and electrolytes.

Other Balimbing Fruit Names

In the South East Asia region, balimbing is called belimbing in Indonesian and Malaysia, Saranate in Philippines along with the balimbing name, bilembines  in the Marianas, ma fueang in Thailand, maak fueang in Laos, plae speu in Cambodian, sungwarthi in Myanmar, and khế in Vietnamese.