Winter is best known for the wide variety of delicious and healthy seasonal produce that is available during this chilly season. But unknowingly our focus has started shifting towards the imported fruits and vegetables while forgetting about our local produce. Today, let’s talk about ramphal! Let’s refresh our memory about this highly nutritious desi fruit.

Ramphal, also known as wild sweetsop or bullock’s heart, is a fruit of the Annonas group which is best known for its fruit called custard apple. Ramphal is an orange-coloured fruit which has a shape similar to a bullock’s heart and hence, its name.

“Eating fruits and vegetables regularly is a vital part of a healthy diet and eating hyper-local fruit daily is a great way to achieve that,” says the well-known nutritionist, Avni Kaul. She adds that including these fruits in your diet will help in improving the assimilation of micronutrients in the body. Fruits such as ber, shahtoot (mulberry) and ramphal are considered to be hyper-local fruits.

Let’s take a look at the 5 amazing health benefits of ramphal which will make you run to the grocery store and enjoy this fruit everyday!

Health benefits of ramphal

1. Good for skin and hair

If you have frizzy hair and acne marks, ramphal is for you. “It has vitamin C that can benefit your skin as well as hair. Ramphal is also good for lowering adult acne,” says Kaul. The presence of vitamin C in the fruit helps in fighting off the free radicals that are responsible for causing skin problems. If you are in your 30s and just got a pimple then this fruit that will help to bring your glow back.

2. Good for diabetes

For diabetics, it is a continuous struggle to opt for what to eat and what not to, particularly, when it comes to fruits. Kaul explains that ramphal is a hyper-local fruit that can be beneficial for diabetes as it has blood glucose-reducing properties. It has minerals that makes it simply right for pre-diabetes and diabetes.

3. Improves immunity

For all those who fall ill due to the change in the winter season and are constantly struggling with cold and cough then ramphal can be beneficial for you. “The presence of vitamins C, A and B further boosts immunity and also decreases inflammation in the body,” says Kaul.

4. May help with weak joints

It is common that joint pain increases in the winter season, especially in the elderly and ramphal will come to your rescue. The expert explains that since ramphal is anti-inflammatory and can support in fighting damage caused due to the free radicals in the body, it will help to deal with joint pain issues.

5. Heart-friendly

“The presence of Vitamin B6 in ramphal helps to manage fat deposited near the heart, further preventing heart-related issues,” says Kaul. It is also great for people with fatty liver. It is a good way to include more and more fruits in your diet.