Description
Use:
- Culinary: Kokum is used predominantly in Indian cuisine, especially in coastal regions like Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnataka. It is used as a souring agent in curries, soups, sauces, and beverages. Kokum juice is popular for its refreshing taste.
- Medicinal: In Ayurvedic medicine, kokum is used to aid digestion, treat acidity, and improve appetite. It is also believed to have cooling properties.
Origin:
- Kokum is indigenous to the Western Ghats region of India, particularly Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka. The fruit is harvested from the Garcinia indica tree, which thrives in tropical climates.
Health Benefits:
- Digestive Aid: Kokum is known to stimulate digestion and relieve digestive issues like acidity and bloating.
- Antioxidant: It contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which has antioxidant properties and may help in weight management.
- Anti-inflammatory: Kokum butter extracted from its seeds is used in skincare for its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties.
Indian Name of Kokum:
- Hindi: कोकम (Kokam)
- Marathi: कोकम (Kokam)
- Gujarati: કોકમ (Kokam)
- Kannada: ಕೋಕಮ್ (Kokam)
- Konkani: बिरिंग (Biring)
- Malayalam: കോകം (Kokam)
- Tamil: முருக்கு புளி (Murukku Puli)
- Telugu: మురిగా (Muriga)
- Bengali: রক্ট গার্সিনিয়া (Rakta Garcinia)
Foreign Name of Kokum:
- French: kokum
- German: Kokum
- Italian: kokum
- Spanish: kokum
- Portuguese: kokum
- Dutch: kokum
- Russian: кокум (kokum)
- Arabic: كوكوم (kukum)
- Turkish: kokum
