Featured today on Fiber Focus Friday is a fruit unique in its shape and taste. It is a fruit so awesome that it makes the sun jealous and the moon nervous. Little children might cry at the sight (from fear or happiness), and adults underestimate its true potential as they take their first savory bite.
This food that has so captured your attention is the mighty starfruit! The Starfruit is lucky enough to be featured on Fiber Focus Friday, and now stands beside Apples, Almonds, Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, and Oatmeal as some of the most awesome high fiber foods.
As you may have become accustomed to if you have read any of the past Fiber Focus Friday articles, this post will be helping you to learn all there is to know about the starfruit!
As always, please comment with any questions or suggestions for future foods to be featured on Fiber Focus Friday!
The Starfruit Quick Fact Card
For a quick starfruit overview check out the card below.
Fiber Content of Starfruit
Starfruit has about 3.5 grams of fiber to one large fruit. This is less than other fiber rich fruits, but is still a decent amount, and there is definite reason to add this to your repertoire of awesome fiber snacks! If you aren’t sure how this stacks up to your prescribed daily amount check out my post on How Much Fiber You Need Per Day to point you in the right direction!
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Starfruit Health Benefits
- Starfruit is extremely low in calories and sugar since one large fruit only contains 5 grams of sugar and 38 calories! This makes the starfruit a great addition to any low calories and low sugar weight loss diet.
- Starfruit provides your immune system with a much needed boost by being high in Vitamin C at 35 mg per 1 large fruit. That is about 50% of your daily serving of vitamin C, but don’t be afraid to go overboard and eat more!
- Rich in antioxidants, this fruit will keep the doctor at bay!
- High in Vitamin B which can increase your energy levels and your metabolism!
- Starfruit is overflowing with potassium, which is an essential resource for your body.
Types of Starfruit
In truth, starfruit only has two major varieties. You can choose from either sweet or sour varieties when shopping for them. The sour ones mainly come from India and the sweet ones from china. The sweet varieties are generally smaller and greener even when ripe, and the sour types are the more common shade of yellow.
Regardless of which one you choose, star fruits are indeed a great choice for a high fiber diet.
Where Does Starfruit Come From?
It is believed that the first reported signs of starfruit came from Sri Lanka or the Moluccas islands of Indonesia. It then spread to Asia and has become a staple in the Asian diet. It has only recently been introduced to the Americas as of the last few centuries, and is grown in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Growing Starfruit
The starfruit is a tropical fruit, and thus does not do well in colder climates. As stated above, the areas where this fruit is most widely grown are some of the warmest in the US. If you living in one of these areas, or want to try and brave the occasional frost of a colder climate, it is indeed possible to grow your own starfruit!
How awesome would it be to have a starfruit tree in your very own backyard! How about that for a conversation piece!?
Anyways, good luck if you try this!
Fun Facts About Starfruit
- To some people the starfruit is also known as carambola.
- Starfruit is ready to harvest when it first starts to turn from green to yellow.
- It does indeed resemble the shape of a star!
- The star fruit tree used to be called the “cucumber tree” by early English travelers.
- The fruit is most popular in Asia.
- Starfruit can be eaten whole and does not need to be peeled or seeded.
- The star fruit is actually seen as a symbol of spirituality on the island of Java.
Awesome Starfruit Recipes
- Why not start off with a nice big juicy steak and some starfruit mixed in? While not the healthiest thing in the world, a steak every so often is a delightful meal. Try this to add a little bit of fiber to the classic entree!
- If you prefer to stay away from the red meat option, you can instead try this Grilled Halibut with Spiced Star Fruit Chutney. Fish goes marvelously well with just about any type of flavor, and I can only imagine that star fruit will indeed make this meal something to be sought after.
- Layered Fruit Gazpacho– Even though this should be considered more of a dessert than a meal, it packs a wallop when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The recipe doesn’t specifically call for starfruit, but you can definitely substitute it out for the cantaloupe.
- Starfruit Smoothie Recipe– The recipe is near the bottom of the post linked to here, but it mixes in kiwi, pineapple, and the starfruit to form an awesome combination of high powered foods!
- This is without a doubt a high fat and high sugar dessert, but if you are looking for an absolutely delicious way to enjoy the starfruit this one takes the cake, pun intended. With Starfruit Upside-Down Cake your mouth will be watering the whole time this baby is cooking in the oven.
Final Thoughts on This Unique Food
Starefruit is an amazing high fiber food that can be used in just about any type of recipe. Whether you are throwing it on a grilled steak or tossing it into the blender, starfruit will definitely live up to its name and shine on.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any awesome starfruit recipes? Do you have a favorite way to eat it? Please share your expertise in the comments below!
Have an awesome day and be sure to stay fruity.
-Jordan
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