Manilkara zapota

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Manilkara zapota

Scientific classification
Kingdom:

Plantae

(unranked):

Angiospe
rms

(unranked):

Eudicots

(unranked):

Asterids

Order:

Ericales

Family:

Sapotace
ae

Genus:

Manilkar
a

Species:

M.
zapota
Binomial name

Manilkara zapota
(L.) P.Royen

Synonyms[1]
See text

Sapodilla, raw

Fruit, cross-section

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy

347
kJ
(83 k
cal)

Carbohydrates

19.
96
g

Dietary fiber

5.3
g

Fat

1.1
g

Protein

0.4
4g

Vitamins
Riboflavin (B2)

(2
%)
0.0
2
mg

Niacin (B3)

(1
%)
0.2
mg

Pantothenic acid (B5)

(5
%)
0.2
52
mg

Vitamin B6

(3
%)
0.0
37
mg

Folate (B9)

(4
%)
14
g

Vitamin C

(18

%)
14.
7
mg

Trace metals
Calcium

(2
%)
21
mg

Iron

(6
%)
0.8
mg

Magnesium

(3
%)
12
mg

Phosphorus

(2
%)
12
mg

Potassium

(4
%)
193
mg

Sodium

(1
%)
12
mg

Zinc

(1
%)

0.1
mg

Link to USDA Database entry

Units

g = micrograms mg
= milligrams

IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated
usingUS recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Manilkara zapota, commonly known as the sapodilla (/spdl/),[2] is a longlived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico,Central America and the Caribbean.[3] An example
natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatn in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion, where it is a
subdominant plant species.[4] It was introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonization. It is
grown in large quantities
in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Mexico.
The name "zapota" ultimately derives from the Nahuatl word tzapotl /ttsapott/ by way of the
Spanish zapote [apote].
Contents
[hide]

1 Description

2 Other names

3 Biological studies

4 See also

5 Synonyms

6 References

7 External links

Description[edit]

Sapodilla tree.

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please helpimprove this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and
removed. (March 2012)
Sapodilla can grow to more than 30 m (98 ft) tall with an average trunk diameter of 1.5 m (4.9 ft).
The average height of cultivated specimens, however, is usually between 9 and 15 m (30 and 49 ft)
with a trunk diameter not exceeding 50 cm (20 in).[5] It is wind-resistant and the bark is rich in a white,
gummy latex called chicle. The ornamental leaves are medium green and glossy. They are alternate,
elliptic to ovate, 715 cm long, with an entire margin. The white flowers are inconspicuous and belllike, with a six-lobed corolla. An unripe fruit has a firm outer skin and when picked, releases white
chicle from its stem. A fully ripened fruit has saggy skin and does not release chicle when picked.
The fruit is a large ellipsoid berry, normally 48 but up to 15 cm in diameter, containing two to
five seeds. Inside, its flesh ranges from a pale yellow to an earthy brown color with a grainy texture
akin to that of a well-ripened pear. The seeds are black and resemble beans, with a hook at one end
that can catch in the throat if swallowed.
The fruit has an exceptionally sweet, malty flavor. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch and contains
high amounts of saponin, which has astringent properties similar to tannin, drying out the mouth.
The trees can only survive in warm, typically tropical environments, dying easily if the temperature
drops below freezing. From germination, the sapodilla tree will usually take anywhere from five to
eight years to bear fruit. The sapodilla trees yield fruit twice a year, though flowering may continue
year round.[citation needed]

Other names[edit]

Sapodilla fruits being sold on a street at Guntur, India.

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please helpimprove this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and
removed. (March 2012)
Sapodilla is known as mispel in the Virgin Islands[2] and Dutch
Caribbean, zapote inHonduras, nspero in Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia and Venezuela, dilly in the
Bahamas, naseberry in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, sapoti in Brazil (Portuguese
pronunciation: [sputi]) and Haiti, chicoin the Philippines and chicosapote or chicozapote in Mexico,
Hawaii, southern California and southern Florida.[6][7]
It is known as chikoo (chiku, " ") in Northern India ,(" "chiku and "" in Punjab) andsapota in
some parts of India ( "" in Karnataka, "

" in Andhra Pradesh, " " in Kerala, ""

in Tamil Nadu), sapathilla or rata-mi in Sri Lanka, sobeda/sofeda ( or ) in
eastern India and Bangladesh, sabudheli (" )"inMaldives, sawo in Indonesia and saos in West
Sumatra, hng xim (lit. Siamese persimmon), lng mt or xa p ch in Vietnam,lamoot ()
in Thailand, Laos and (
) in Cambodia.
It is called ciku in standard Malay and sawo nilo in Kelantanese Malay. In Chinese, the name is
mistakenly translated by many people roughly as "ginseng fruit" (), though this is also the
name used for the pepino, an unrelated fruit; it should instead be "heart fruit" () because it is
shaped like the heart.

Biological studies[edit]
Compounds extracted from the leaves showed antidiabetic, antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic (cholesterol-lowering) effects in rats.[8]
Acetone extracts of the seeds exhibited considerable antibacterial effects against strains
of Pseudomonas oleovorans and Vibrio cholerae.[9]