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MANILA, Philippines — September has begun, and the season of atis (sugar apple, custard apple, or sweetsop) is on! It usually starts around this time and ends sometime in December. This is a highly anticipated time of the year because atis is delicious in all of its uniqueness.
The fruit is made up of raisin-sized seeds, each covered with sugary sweet and delicious pulp. You take the pulp, which is similar in fibrous texture to the guyabano, and spit out the seeds. It needs quite a bit of tongue-and-tooth coordination work to get the delightful pulp, and you have to be careful not to accidentally swallow the seeds.
It is important to remember to stay away from the seeds, which are poisonous when dried. The rest of the atis fruit and tree have medicinal value when carefully prepared.
A decoction of atis leaves, for example, can hasten menstrual flow. When used for bathing, the decoction can help alleviate rheumatic pain. It is also used to treat colds, fever and dysentery. The bark of the atis tree is preferred, though, for a decoction if you’re treating diarrhea. If someone is feeling dizzy, just crush its leaves and inhale to prevent from fainting.
The fruit itself contains lots of vitamins and minerals, among them Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid, Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamine and Carotene.
A member of the Annonaceae family and scientifically known as Annona squamosa, the atis is known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and analgesic benefits on the body. It also contains a good amount of fiber and has antioxidant properties that help fight free radicals and protect the heart from disease. The Vitamin A in it helps keep the skin and hair healthy. It also contains Magnesium and Potassium.
The best thing about the atis is that it is delicious. Low in glycemic index, it is safe for diabetics. Since the pulp is difficult to extract, people mostly enjoy it as is — as a sweet, raw fruit. It can make an excellent dessert, such as atis ice cream, which is one of the seasonal flavors offered by Arce Dairy, and it would be interesting to see pastry chefs play around with the atis fruit to come up with an innovative dessert.
Meantime, enjoy it as it is while it is in season. There is no other fruit that tastes quite like it.
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Credit belongs to : www.philstar.com
