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Tamarind: Value Added Products and its Health Benefits

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AGRICULTURE & FOOD
e-Newsletter

ISSN: 2581-8317

Volume 2 : Issue 5
May 2020

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e-ISSN: 2581 - 8317

Tamarind: Value Added Products and its Health Benefits

Article id: 23633

Pratibha B. Thombare: Subject Matter Specialist (Home Science), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kolhapur-II, Maharashtra
Sunil Kumar: Subject Matter Specialist (Agricultural Extension), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kolhapur-II, Maharashtra
Pandurang A. Kale: Subject Matter Specialist (Agronomy), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kolhapur-II, Maharashtra

Introduction
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is an evergreen crop grown in arid and semi-arid regions of India. It is also called as "Indian
Date" from the date like appearance of dried pulp. The fruit is good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins and also
contains small amounts of vitamin A and C (Manjula, et al.,2017). The most useful part of tamarind tree is the fruit, as it contains
a sweetish, acidic pulp, which is widely used for souring curries, sauces, chutneys and certain beverages (Divakara, 2008).
Tamarind fruit pulp is soft and thick, brown or reddish brown in colour, and 55 per cent of the fruit is filled with fruit pulp
while the remaining 34 per cent and 11 per cent are contributed by seed and shell respectively (Yahia et al., 2011). India is the
largest producer (300,000 tons) and exporter of tamarind pulp followed by Thailand (140,000 tons) and 45% of tamarind trees
are planted only for fruit pulp of food and medicinal value (Narina, et al., 2018). Tamarind is highly wind resistant tree, with
strong, supple branches, gracefully drooping at the ends and has dark gray, rough, fissured bark and grown in backyards,
Table 1: Nutritive value per 100g of edible portion:
Constituents Pulp (ripe) Young Leaves Flowers
Calories 112 - -
Moisture (g) 28.2-52.0 70.5 80.0
Protein (g) 3.10 5.8 0.45
Fat (g) 0.1 2.1 1.54
Fibre (g) 5.6 1.9 1.5
Carbohydrates (g) 67.4 18.2 -
Invert Sugars (g) 30-41 - -
Ash (g) 2.9 1.5 0.72
Calcium (mg) 35-170 101 35.5
Phosphorus (mg) 54-110 140 45.6
Iron (mg) 1.3-10.9 5.2 1.5
Sodium (mg) 24 - -
Potassium (mg) 375 - -
Thiamine (mg) 0.16 0.24 0.072
Riboflavin (mg) 0.07 0.17 0.148
Niacin (mg) 0.6-0.7 4.1 1.14
Ascorbic Acid (mg) 0.7-3.0 3.0 13.8
Tartaric Acid (mg) 8-23.8
Source: Morton, 1987
roadsides or wastelands (Gunasena, et al., 2000).

It is a valuable timber species used in making furniture, tool handles, charcoal, rice pounders and fuel wood. Almost every
part of the tree is used. In intertropic zone, tamarind pulp, leaves and flowers are commonly consumed in various dishes or
traditional drinks due to its high nutritive and calorific value as presented in Table 1 (Morton, 1987). When fruits are ripe, pulp
is rust coloured and contains 38 % moisture content. Traditional processing for food preparation is widespread, whereas its
commercial uses (pasturized juices, tamarind paste) are still relatively unknown and underdeveloped (Grollier, et al.,1998).
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The leaves are an important source of food and herbal medicine and the edible pulp of ripe fruits is used as flavouring agent
in soups, jams, chutneys, sauces and juices (Ishola, et al., 1990). The fruit pulp is the richest natural source of tartaric acid is the
main acidulant used in the preparation of foods in india and other Asian countries. Other industrial products include tamarind
juice, concentrate, powder, pickles and paste (Shankaracharya, 1998).

Table 2: Tamarind tree parts and its uses

Mode of use Plant parts/products and uses
Food Fruit pulp and fried seeds are eaten raw as snack; raw fruit, flower, leaves as salad; pulp used as
preservative, and to prepare several culinary dishes, chutney, tamarind juice concentrate, pulp
powder, pectin, jams, syrups, candy, and for making souring porridge, tartaric acid, alcohol,
summer refreshing drink, seasoning, flavouring.
Fodder Foliage and cooked seeds used as animal feed
Agriculture Flowers used for honey production; roots fix nitrogen in soil.
Fuel Tamarind wood is good firewood (4850 kcal/kg) and excellent charcoal. But no one uses for
firewood in general in Southeast Asia.
Timber Sapwood is light yellow and heartwood is dark purplish brown, very hard, durable and strong
used to make a variety of tools, furniture and utensils, poles, posts, boats, building materials; it is
sold in USA as “madeira mahogany”.
Tannins Both leaves and bark are rich in tannins to yield ink and dye
Lipids Seed oil for paints, varnishes and for oil burning lamps
Medicine Leaves, twigs, bark and roots have medicinal value; bark decoction used for asthma, amenorrhea,
used as a febrifuge and a digestive tonic, used to treat sores, rashes, ulcers, boils; leaf decoction is
used to treat throat infection, rheumatism, cough, fever, intestinal worms, conjunctivitis; pulp is
used to treat scurvy; seeds used to cure dysentery and diarrhoea
Other uses Pulp is used to clean copper and brass utensils; seed pectin used for sizing textiles; tree is a host for
wild silk worms; tree is a windbreak, live fence, ornamental plant in parks, roads and river banks
for aesthetic value and shade; wood is ground and used as mulch for flower beds.
Source: (Narina, et al., 2018).

Products of Tamarind Fruit and Pulp

1. Dried fruit block: The de-seeded dried fruits are compressed to fruit blocks for commercial use and transported to distant
places having export value. These blocks are rich in all the nutrients available from a single dry fruit.

2. Candies: Tamarind pulp is used to make candies, lollipops, jellies of sweet and sour taste. Tamarind pulp bars are made and
mixed with dried or dehydrated fruits like banana, mango, breadfruit, jackfruit etc.

3. Puree or Paste: It is made after removing seeds and fibrous material using little amount of sterilized water with little heating.
This paste is used for making tamarind rice, sambar with pulses and other vegetables.

4. Sauce and Jams: Tamarind sauce is used to spice the snacks like chips, and an important ingredient of barbecue sauce (USA)
or samosa (India). Sweet tamarind pulp is used to make jams.

5. Sweet fruit pulp balls/toffee: Pulp is extracted, dried or dehydrated to make fine powder and mixed with finely grind sugar
to make balls/toffee. The thick concentrated pulp is made into balls and rolled in fine sugar as a coating. The preparation
depends on the sweetness of the pulp. If the pulp is highly sweet and it needs less sugar.

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e-ISSN: 2581 - 8317

6. Tamarind pulp powder: Tamarind puree is dehydrated and dried to get fine powder for use as chief acidulent of many food
products. It is the richest natural resource of tartaric acid of 8-18 per cent, starch, minerals like calcium and potassium
(Shankaracharya, 1998).

7. Tamarind Pickle: Matured ripe fruit without shells and seed are used for making pickle by mixing with spices and salt. This
pickle is good for one year without loss in quality and taste.

8. Tamarind chutney: This is eaten with rice or any rice product (idli, dosa etc.) in India. Green mature or immature fruits are
used for making chutney in general to restore its values of nutrition and provide antioxidants to human’s internal system.

9. Fruit juice concentrate: made by squeezing the ripe fruit after soaking in water and removing fibrous material. It is used as
a preservative of millet breads served during the times of war in Africa. Sometimes sugar or honey is added to enhance taste.

Health Benefits of Tamarind

1. A good source of antioxidants, especially vitamin C, flavonoids, carotenes, vitamin B complex and improving and
strengthening the immune system.
2. The tamarind pulp in an excellent source of potassium which is used for controlling the heart rate and blood pressure.
3. Tamarind is also enriched with carotene and aids in lowering bad cholesterol levels.
4. Tamarind juice acts as a tonic, carminative, antiseptic, cleaning agent and febrifuge and regulating the malfunctioning of
intestines and other organs of digestion.
5. The juice extract of tamarind is used for treating bronchitis and sore throats.
6. Tamarind juice, when taken in the heated form, is an effective cure for conjunctivitis.
7. Diluting tamarind juice with lemon, milk, honey and dates serves as a digestive aid and as an effective cure for biliousness
and bile conditions.
8. A mild decoction of the pulp, when given to children, helps in eliminating worms and other intestinal parasites.
9. Tamarind has been associated with treating many diseases.

References
1. Divakara, B. N. (2008). Variation and character association for various pod traits in Tamarindus indica L. Indian Forester,
134(5), 687.
2. Grollier, C., Debien, C., Dornier, M., & Reynes, M. (1998). Prominent characteristics and possible uses of the tamarind.
Fruits, 53(4), 271.
3. Gunasena, G., & Hughes, A. (2000). Tamarindus indica. Fruits for the future, 1, 1-169.
4. Ishola, M. M., Agbaji, E. B., & Agbaji, A. S. (1990). A chemical study of Tamarindus indica (Tsamiya) fruits grown in Nigeria.
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 51(1), 141-143.
5. Manjula, B., Aruna, R., Prasanna, N. S., & Ramana, C. (2017). Studies on physical and bio-chemical analysis of value-added
products developed from tamarind pulp. International Journal of Processing and Post-Harvest Technology, 8(2), 99-103.
6. Morton, J. F. (1987). Fruits of warm climates. Creative Resource Systems. Inc., Winterville, NC, 160-168.
7. Narina, S. S., & Catanzaro, C. J. (2018). Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.), an Underutilized Fruit Crop with Potential
Nutritional Value for Cultivation in the United States of America: A Review. Asian Food Science Journal, 1-15.
8. Shankaracharya, N. B. (1998). Tamarind-chemistry, technology and uses-a critical appraisal. Journal of food Science and
Technology, 35(3), 193-208.
9. Singh, D., Wangchu, L., & Moond, S. K. (2007). Processed products of Tamarind. Natural Product Radiance, 6(4), 315-321.
10. Yahia EM and Salih NK-E. “Chapter 22: Tamarind (Tamarindus indica): Post-harvest biology and technology of tropical and
subtropical fruits”. Woodhead publishing limited (2011): 442-457.

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