Posts: 6
From:
Registered: May 2011

posted May 23, 2011 08:52 AM            

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Hello,

Does anyone know exactly how and how often tamarind should be taken to help flush out flouride from your system?

I just bought it for the first time and I am not sure what to do with it - are the seeds edible?

Thank you for your help

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From: The Goober Galaxy
Registered: Apr 2009

posted May 23, 2011 02:00 PM            

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Welcome!

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From:
Registered: Jan 2011

posted May 23, 2011 10:42 PM            

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Hello steppen,
Here in India Tamarind is used in a variety of preparations.
Since you are not accustomed to indian cuisine I wonder how you would prefer it.
The Chinese and the Thai also use it in Hot n Sour and sweet n sour Preparations.

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posted May 23, 2011 10:44 PM            

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No the seeds are not edible!
What form would you like to eat?
Do you wish to eat it as in thai and chinese soups or indian dishes? Or the vietnamese soups with pork?
Yes you are right about tamarind flusing away toxins from the body..It also helps a great deal in digestion.

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posted May 23, 2011 10:49 PM            

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Here is an interesting link on nutritional benefits of tamarind.
Nutrition Benefits Of Eating Tamarind
•Tamarind helps in reducing the cholesterol levels in the body, thereby promoting a healthy heart.
•Tamarind juice acts as a mild laxative.
•The juice extracted from tamarind is effective in curing and treating bile disorder.
•Consumption of tamarind assures smooth functioning of the digestive system of the body. The pulp of the ripe tamarind is very useful in treating the digestive problems and constipation problems.
•Tamarind pulp is softened in water and consumed to improve the loss of appetite.
•Tamarind is rich in vitamin C and therefore its pulp proves out to be valuable in preventing and curing scurvy conditions.
•Tamarind pulp, leaves and flowers when applied on swollen and painful joints, in many combinations, promises instant relief.
•The juice of the tamarind pulp helps in curing conjunctivitis. Eye drops, made out of tamarind seeds, are recommended to treat dry eye syndrome.
•Tamarind leaves are extremely useful in treating burns. The soft tamarind leaves are kept in a pot, covered and then warmed over fire. The burnt leaves are then finely powdered and sieved to remove any gritty particles. This paste is then mixed to gingili oil and applied all over the burnt area. The mixture is very effective over the burnt areas and provides relief from the wound within few days. It is also very useful for the skin.
•A poultice prepared out of the tamarind leaves crushed in water is quite helpful in healing inflamed parts of the joint and ankles. When applied to the joints, it helps in reducing the swelling and pain.
•Tamarind has been used to cure sore throats since ages. Gargle of tamarind water is highly beneficial in treating a sore throat.
•Tamarind is used as a water pill to cure bilious disorders, jaundice and catarrh.
•The juice extracted out of the tamarind flowers is consumed for cutting bleeding piles.
•Tamarind fights against cancer. It is an excellent source of antioxidants thereby preventing and curing cancer.
•Tamarind is one of the most effective and easy ways of curing common cold. You can prepare a soup or rasam by boiling diluted tamarind water in a tsp of ghee. Sprinkle a little pepper to it and allow the concoction to boil for few minutes. Tamarind soup, thus prepared, would flush out all the toxins from the body, clearing any nasal and throat blockage.
•Tamarind pulp is also a great healer of fever. You can consume 15g tamarind to reduce the temperature. You can even prepare a sherbet by boiling the tamarind pulp in ½ liter milk with some dates, cloves, sugar, cardamoms and little camphor. This infusion is very effective in fighting the virus that causes fever.
•Tamarind milk that is prepared by boiling the pulp in the milk is also quite effective in curing dysentery problem. You can also consume finely-grained tamarind seeds with equal proportions of cumin and sugar 2-3 times a day for positive results.
•Tamarind overall has a great healing power. The leaves have cooling effects on the body, while the bark helps in reducing fever and also acts as an astringent and a tonic. The pulp possesses digestive properties and its seeds act like an astringent.

Cooking Tips
•Add a spoonful of unsweetened pulp to a mix of sautéed vegetables to get a refreshingly acidic finish.
•You can even make a Mexican style aqua-fresh by adding 2 tbsp of sweetened tamarind nectar in 2 cups cold water and ice with a wedge of lemon.
•Add tamarind to fresh orange juice with little sugar for that tangy tasty flavor.
•Prepare a salad dressing out of tamarind, lemon juice, sugar and olive oil.

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posted May 24, 2011 08:01 AM            

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Wow - thank you very much for the information Rajji... I was thinking of eating it raw almost as a supplement rather than cooking with it.

I know there are a lot of benefits to Tamarind and I wanted to see how other people took/ate it ...does it make a difference if it is cooked or raw?

Thank you again

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From: I am where I am and it's enough.
Registered: Apr 2009

posted May 24, 2011 08:21 AM            

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If you like noodles I suggest you google recipes for Pad Thai. You can also watch videos on youtube on how the sauce is prepared. It's very easy to cook. There are several versions, some use lime juice and some use tamarind paste. You can also add any kind of meat or seafood if you want more protein.

Yum! I cook this every week.

What kind of tamarind product exactly do you have?

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posted May 24, 2011 03:38 PM            

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I will try the tamarind with sauteed vegetables and as a salad dressing.

Thank you Deux - I bought a purple box labeled "sweet tamarind" at the supermarket - it looks like whole pods/shells. I'll open it tonight and take a look - I do like pad thai and used to make it often so I will see how I feel about the flavor of tamarind and if I can incorporate it.

Thank you for all of your replies, I appreciate them as I am usually terrified to post on public forums.

Have a nice day!

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posted May 24, 2011 08:55 PM            

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ok i tried the tamarind raw and it was great - i think i'll just have one day and start cooking with it - thanks!

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