GROSELLA
PHYLLANTHUS ACIDUS. Family: EUPHORBIACEAE. Other names include star gooseberry, Malay gooseberry, Tahitian gooseberry, gooseberry tree, Cela usiri, grosellero, jumbilin, ceremmè, karmay, cermen, starberry, amla and arbari..
Despite its many names, all leading you to believe that this is a gooseberry, it does not resemble actual gooseberries, except for the acidity of its fruits.
Genus name comes from the Greek words PHYLLON, meaning leaf, and ANTHOS, meaning flower, as in some species the flowers are produced on the edge of a leaf-like branch.
The common name "gooseberry" refers to the acidity of the fruits, which is similar to the European gooseberry. The tree is not only cultivated for ornamental values, but also for food and medicinal purposes. Although it produces fruit throughout the year, fruits are most often collected in January. Different parts of the plant is used for food. In Bangladesh and Indonesia, the cooked leaves are eaten. The fruit is eaten fresh, and is occasionally used as flavoring for other dishes in Indonesia. It is candied in sugar or pickled in salt, used in chutneys, relishes or preservatives.
Peppered leaves are used to make a poultice to treat sciatica, lumbago and rheumatism, while the seeds are used as a cathartic, and the root - if prepared with care (they are mildly toxic) - as a purgative. The syrup is used to medicate the stomach, and in India the fruit is eaten as a blood-enhancer for the liver.
A few fun facts about grosella:
It grows as a relatively small shrub, about 6-30 feet.
The flowers can be male, female or hermaphrodite. They are very small and appear in clusters. Flowers are formed at leafless parts of the main branches, at the upper part of the tree.
The fruit flesh is firm, thin and sour, enclosing a hard, bony, grooved stone. The tree usually flowers and fruits twice per year but doesn't always follow this "rule". Fruits appear simultaneously as the flowers, so the tree will usually have fruits hanging from it at all times of the year.
Mostly used for pickling and makes an excellent jam.
The toxicity of the bark has been used in criminal poisoning cases.
Grosella is considered beneficial in treating constipation. The fruit is high in Vitamin C and studies suggest that it has skin healing properties, as well as making skin appear healthier. As a cancer remedy, young grosella leaves are cooked with sugar, cooled and strained. The fruit is also relatively high in calcium and iron.
Using the grosella fruit in larger quantities can be time consuming as the flesh sticks to the seed and must be hand-cut in order to further process the fruit for jams, juices or cooking.
Studies have shown that grosella helps cure infection in the pancreas, reduces cholesterol levels in the blood and that it helps remedy kidney-related diseases. It helps in treating sun burn marks, for protection from chronic cold-cough, and to improve brain function. It has also shown signs of being a sleep aid.
Grosella is used in many hair tonics, because it enriches hair growth and hair pigmentation. It strengthens the roots, maintains color, and improves luster.
Drinking grosella juice is good for improving eyesight, and studies have shown it to improve near-sightedness and cataracts while reducing intra-ocular tension. This is mainly due to its impressive carotene content, which has long been known for its powerful effect on vision-related conditions.
Grosella fruit helps the body absorb calcium and it is relatively high in fiber.
The fruit is most likely too tart for most people to consume fresh in larger quantities, but with the help of sugar, other juices or cooking - or by consuming a miracle berry before eating grosella - the acidity is greatly reduced and the flavor is much more pleasant. Without that, you would have to be a fan of untreated rhubarb, to properly enjoy this fruit.
