Can I eat balsam apple?
Balsam Apple is a Bitter Melon relative with tiny pointed fruit that are edible when young and green, but that cause vomiting when ripe and orange. The bright red seed coat is sweet and textured like tapioca. In Cameroon, Sudan, and southern Africa the young fruit and leaves are cooked as a vegetable.
What is balsam apple good for?
Bitter Melon suggested uses include diabetes, psoriasis, gastrointestinal (GI) upset, anti-microbial, HIV, cancer, fertility, and skin diseases.
Is wild balsam apple edible?
When green, the fruit is edible when cooked. It’s high in potassium and vitamins C and K, but has a bitterness that is off the scale for most palates. It also has an odor that Eat the Weeds likens to an old gym shoe.
Is balsam apple vine poisonous?
The leaves and young fruits of Momordica balsamina are cooked and eaten as a vegetable in Cameroon, Sudan and southern Africa. The bitter young fruits have been reported widely as edible, whereas the ripe fruits cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and can be poisonous.
How do you grow balsam apples?
The seeds should be sown at about 3 mm deep into a moist and rich soil. It should take around two or three weeks for the seeds of Balsam pear to germinate at 18 to 24 degrees. Once ready transplant the Momordica into a sunny part of the garden at about 25 cm (small) to 60 cm (large species) apart.
Is bitter melon seeds poisonous?
In addition, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says that bitter gourd red seeds aren’t edible and can cause toxicity to your body’s red blood cells. This can lead to headaches, abdominal pain, fever and even put you in a coma. The red arils that cover the seeds of bitter melon are also poisonous to humans.
Is balsam apple invasive?
An annual relative in the cucumber family, balsam-pear or balsam-apple is a weedy invasive vine which hides in plain sight until you notice those bright orange fruits.
Can I eat bitter melon seeds?
Bitter melon can be challenging to cook because, as its name suggests, it is has a strong bitter taste. You can prepare this vegetable, which is also known as karela, by lightly frying, boiling, steaming or roasting it. The seeds and core are edible and can be cooked along with the bitter melon pieces if desired.
Is balsam apple native to Florida?
This is a common invasive plant in Florida. You will often see it showing up along your fence lines. As of 2017, it was still considered a Category 2 invasive. Let’s all do our part to stem the spread of this invasive, non-native vine in our beautiful state.
What kind of fruit is a balsam apple?
Introduction of Balsam apple Scientific name – Momordica balsamina Indigenous to the tropical regions of Africa, Momordica balsamina is a tendril-bearing annual vine. The Bright Orange apple unlike the usual apples have numerous, glossy and sticky seeds.
Is it safe to eat balsam apple seeds?
Do not ever eat the seeds or the ripe, orange fruit. It is poisonous and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Avoid ingesting balsam apple if you are pregnant, for fear of causing miscarriage. That really freaks me out. I would avoid balsam apples and bitter melons entirely if I were pregnant or planning to be pregnant.
What happens to a balsam apple when left to ripen?
The balsam apples themselves begin life as adorable little yellow flowers, which become lumpy, warty green fruits. If left to ripen, the green fruits turn neon orange and squishy. When they open, there are three rows of sticky, wax-covered red seeds inside. You can see some of the sticky wax on my fingers in this photo.
What to do with forgotten herb balsam apple?
Start asking your neighbors if they would be interested in this mostly forgotten herb. When they’re in stock, you can snag a pack of seeds here. Once you grow the balsam apple vine, you should be able to harvest plenty of seeds for future plantings and never need to buy seeds again.