Rambutan is a tropical fleshy fruit primarily grown in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.
The elegant fruit is small-sized with a red and green hairy outer covering; hence, it got the name Rambutan which means hair in Malay.
Besides the excellent look and taste, the fruit offers numerous health benefits that may motivate you to have these in your diet. Hence, this article will cover the crucial health benefits of fleshy fruit.
Benefits Of Rambutan
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Nutritious
Rambutan stands among the healthiest fruits worldwide. The small-ball-sized fruit contains numerous[1] nutrients and antioxidants that may help keep you strong and healthy.
It is believed that consuming a few Rambutans may help fulfill your daily Vitamin C requirements for the body.
It may help increase the absorbance of dietary iron. Rambutan contains crucial minerals like copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, etc.
But, among these elements, copper is found abundantly in Rambutan. Copper is highly beneficial in boosting bone, brain, and heart cell growth and maintenance.
Besides the flesh, Rambutan’s seed and peel contain a few essential minerals and antioxidants. But, these parts may have a few toxic substances; hence, they are avoided by consumers.
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May Keep Your Heart Healthy
Rambutan could be one of the better foods for heart health as it may help in lowering harmful cholesterol levels. Moreover, it may help balance the overall cholesterol levels in the blood to keep the heart healthy.
Rambutans contain an antioxidant called flavonoids[2] that have been beneficial in flushing out the LDL or bad cholesterol.
Hence, it prevents health conditions like high blood pressure, strokes, etc. Rambutan contains Vitamin C, an antioxidant helpful in repairing damaged blood vessels.
It enhances the strength of the vessel walls that prevent further breakdown resulting in reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the high fiber content may help lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
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May Improve Digestion
People struggling with digestive issues may rely on Rambutan to promote healthy digestion.
Fiber is an essential nutrient required for healthy digestion; hence, consuming a few Rambutans regularly may help boost your fiber intake.
Generally, Rambutan contains soluble and insoluble fiber in equal proportion. Both types are crucial in promoting[3] digestion and improving gut health.
Healthy gut bacteria consume soluble fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids, including butyrate, acetate, and propionate.
These short-chain fatty acids help lower inflammation and symptoms of certain gut disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Crohn’s disease, etc.
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May Help Treating Anemia
Rambutans could help treat a medical condition called anemia. People suffering from anemia have low red blood corpuscles in the blood resulting in slow or reduced transportation of nutrients and oxygen to different parts of the body.
Generally, such a condition arises due to iron deficiency or the body’s inability to take up sufficient iron. Hence, consuming Rambutan may help boost iron concentration.
Vitamin C is abundant in Rambutans, which significantly improves the body’s ability to enhance iron absorption. Hence, consuming Rambutan regularly may help regain a healthy iron concentration.
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May Boost Immune System
Boosting an individual’s immunity is another significant benefit offered by Rambutans consumption.
Rambutan contains antioxidants and resistant properties that help boost the immune system. The high amount of antioxidants prevents the cells from oxidative damage and infections.
Preventing the free radical activity on cells helps avoid several chronic health conditions. Supplying the body with antioxidants[4] may help prevent toxin accumulation responsible for conditions like asthma, allergies, etc.
Rambutans’ Vitamin C content could help boost WBCs or the fighter cells’ activity essential for the body’s innate immunity and prevent common disorders like cold and flu.
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May Promote Weight Loss
Rambutan could be an excellent option to lose weight and prevent weight gain. Rambutan could easily substitute several high-calorie fruits in an individual’s diet.
The fruit contains optimum fiber and low calories that could help promote weight loss. Primarily, Rambutan contains soluble fibers that play a significant role in slowing down digestion; hence, you would feel less hungry.
These soluble fibers, in interaction with water, form a gel-like substance that suppresses the digestion rate and improves nutrient absorption.
It would prevent overeating, a significant cause of weight gain. Besides beneficial nutrients, Rambutan contains optimum water alongside fiber that keeps you full and hydrated for longer, preventing overeating and weight gain.
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May Prevent Cancer
Rambutan is one of the magical fruits that may prevent certain cancers. The high antioxidant content of the fruit could be a significant cause of the benefit.
The presence[5] of antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, may help fight against harmful free radicals and prevent cancer development.
These antioxidants may lower chronic inflammation, which could affect healthy cells. Rambutan’s fiber content keeps the gut healthy resulting in a low risk of developing colon cancer.
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May Boost Bone Health
Rambutan contains several minerals like phosphorus and potassium that help boost an individual’s bone formation and density.
Boosting phosphorus concentration would help boost bone formation and improve maintenance. On the other hand, potassium intake helps increase mineral uptake by the cells and tissues.
Rambutan also contains calcium, a mineral abundant in bones; thus, consuming Rambutan would help boost bone density.
Rambutan consumption could help lower the risk of developing[6] osteoporosis and reduce the symptoms.
Generally, Rambutans reduce the urinary calcium excretion that prevents osteoporosis and bone turnover.
Applying Rambutan extract oil to affected areas may help relieve pain and inflammation caused due to osteoporosis.
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May Help With Cramps And Wound Healing
Rambutans could be beneficial fruit to eat after a high-intensity workout session. The fruit contains magnesium, which helps relax sore and cramped muscles.
Moreover, it may help suppress pain and discomfort caused due to heavy workouts or physical workload.
The fleshy fruit consumption may help fasten an individual’s wound healing process. Rambutan’s outer covering contains several antioxidants, including flavonoids, pectins, and carotenoids, that may assist in the healing of injured tissues.
Additionally, Vitamin C and proteins found in the fruit could boost collagen synthesis, thus, improving the repairing of damaged tissues.
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May Boost Skin Health
Rambutan extract could be beneficial to keep the skin hydrated and fresh. But, Rambutan seed paste offers higher benefits to the skin.
Applying the skin paste directly to your skin may improve[7] complexion and sunburns. Moreover, it may help soften the skin’s surface and make it look elegant.
The fruit contains a compound called spermidine that could help delay the anti-aging process in consumers. The carotenoids could play a role in avoiding premature wrinkled and sunken skin.
Additionally, applying Rambutan extract products may help increase collagen production, which is essential for boosting skin elasticity and firmness.
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May Keep Hair Healthy
Consuming ripe Rambutan or applying extracted oil could keep the hair healthy. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the fruit would help treat dandruff issues and avoid specific scalp issues like itching, infection, etc.
It consists of Vitamin C, B1, zinc, and iron that may help nourish the hair and scalp to give an added shine. Rambutans also contain[8] copper, an essential mineral required to suppress hair loss.
The mineral may help darken the hair color and suppress premature graying in adults. You may gently apply Rambutan extract to your roots to boost hair follicle strength.
The proteins present in Rambutans could significantly increase hair strength.
Conclusion
Rambutans are an excellent source of Vitamin C and fiber. It also contains several other nutrients that help keep an individual healthy.
Primarily, the fruit may help lose weight, boost immunity, and improve digestion. But, it comes with several other health benefits, as mentioned above.
Hence, you should go through the above article to get a brief knowledge of the health benefits offered by Rambutan.
Reference/Sources
Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
- Kaiser Mahmood, Hanisah Kamilah, Abd Karim Alias, et. al. Nutritional and therapeutic potentials of rambutan fruit (Nephelium lappaceum L.) and the by-products: a review. Available from: https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/6061985
- Lien Ai Pham-Huy, Hua He, and Chuong Pham-Huy. Free Radicals, Antioxidants in Disease and Health. Int J Biomed Sci. 2008 Jun; 4(2): 89–96.
- Qingyu Ma, Yan Guo, Liping Sun, et. al. Anti-Diabetic Effects of Phenolic Extract from Rambutan Peels (Nephelium lappaceum) in High-Fat Diet and Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice. Nutrients. 2017 Aug; 9(8): 801. Published online 2017 Jul 26. doi: 10.3390/nu9080801.
- Chinh Le Xuan, Supreya Wannavijit, Piyatida Outama, et. al. Effects of dietary rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) peel powder on growth performance, immune response and immune-related gene expressions of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) raised in biofloc system. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2022 May;124:134-141. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.03.039. Epub 2022 Mar 31. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35367378/
- Angalammal Perumal, Mohamad S. AlSalhi, Sivakumari Kanakarajan, et. al. Phytochemical evaluation and anticancer activity of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) fruit endocarp extracts against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) cells. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021 Mar; 28(3): 1816–1825. Published online 2020 Dec 21. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.12.027.
- Yongliang Zhuang, Xiaodong Sun, Bingtong Liu, et. al. Effects of Rambutan Peel (Nepheliumlappaceum) PhenolicExtract on RANKL-Induced Differentiation of RAW264.7 Cells into Osteoclasts and Retinoic Acid-Induced Osteoporosis in Rats. Nutrients. 2020 Apr; 12(4): 883. Published online 2020 Mar 25. doi: 10.3390/nu12040883
- Changwei Cao, Zhichao Xiao, Yinglong Wu, et. al. Diet and Skin Aging—From the Perspective of Food Nutrition. Nutrients. 2020 Mar; 12(3): 870.
Published online 2020 Mar 24. doi: 10.3390/nu12030870. - Winne Sia Chiaw Mei, Amin Ismail, Norhaizan Mohd. Esa, et. al. The Effectiveness of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.). The Effectiveness of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) Extract in Stabilization of Sunflower Oil under Accelerated Conditions. Antioxidants (Basel). 2014 Jun; 3(2): 371–386.
Published online 2014 May 9. doi: 10.3390/antiox3020371
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Alisha Matthew has been a practicing nutritionist since 2016. She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of IOWA. She is a staunch believer in improving the human health index by educating people about nutrition and the importance of nutrition in leading a healthy and happy life. Her long-term goal is to keep educating people on general health and keep herself updated with the latest trends in the field of health.