Duku has got many names in different languages such as lansiumparasiticum, which is known as langsat. In English, they call it lanzones or longkong. Indonesians call it Duku, and Malay call it dokong. Duku is a species of Meliaceae or Mahogany tree family that produce edible fruits. This species is native to Southeast Asia.
Duku fruit comes in various sizes, ranging from small to medium size. The average diameter of Duku fruit is 3 to 7 centimeters. It grows in clusters of about ten fruits and they grow in an oval shape. The thick skin of Duku is hard and leathery with a beige to pale yellow in color. It develops brown spots and imperfections as it ripens.
The skin of Duku is covered with fine hairs, which gives a fuzzy appearance. Beneath the surface, there is a white, fluffy, and very bitter coating that separates and peels off easily. The pulp is thick, translucent white in color, and usually divided into 1 to 5 segments. The segments are similar to grapes with a juice, tender, and smooth texture. The pulp is seedless and sometimes it contains bitter seeds. Duku fruit is sour when young, but as they ripen, the fruit develops a bittersweet flavor with slight acidity, reminiscent of pomelo and grapefruit.
Availability & Climate conditions for Duku
Duku fruit is available throughout the year. The peak growth of Duku is in early winter. Ultra-tropical regions are the ideal climate for Duku to survive and grow. The plant is not endemic but it has its limitations. Duku fruits cannot withstand a long dry season. The ideal atmosphere for Duku is high humidity in the air. One more thing, they do not grow in areas that are 2,100 – 2,500 feet above sea level. Duku fruit tree cannot withstand the strong sunlight, one must ensure that it grows under a shade. They require a lot of attention and care.
Talking about soil conditions, Duku fruit needs nutritious and fertile soil with a deep, rich, well-drained sandy soil that has a low acidity and a high compost. A small period of waterlogging is good for Duku but it also cannot withstand dry clay soils that crack due to lack of water. Dukufruits hang from the branches and trunks of trees. The most common way to grow them is by shaking the tree. Ripe fruit will fall easily; when the tree is shaken.
Nutritional value
Duku fruit is a great source of vitamins A, B, C, and E. It also contains some fiber, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.
| Nutrition | Value |
| Protein | 1.0g |
| Fat | 0.2g |
| Carbohydrates | 13g |
| Minerals | 0.7 |
| Calcium | 18mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Phosphorus | 9mg |
| Iron | 0.9mg |
Variety of Duku Fruit
There are two different botanical varieties of Duku fruit
- domesticum var. pubescens:Willangsat one of the typical varieties, which is a fairly slender and open tree with hairy branches. It is almost round with thick-skinned fruits having much milky latex.
- domesticum:Also known as, Duku, doekoe, or dookoo, which is a more rugged tree, with a broad crown and dense foliage with conspicuously veined leaflets. The fruits, little born in a cluster, are oblong-ovoid or ellipsoid, including fine and brownish skin with a little aromatic and little or no milky latex.
Health benefits
- Counters cancer:Langsat apart from its pulp is good for your diet. The skin of Duku is good for healing cancer and it prevents cancer cell reproduction. Before using the skin of Duku, make sure that you clean it very carefully. It is made up of many nutrients like minerals, fibers, and vitamins that are believed to help treat cancer, primarily those related to our digestive system.
- Prevent premature aging:One of the factors that cause premature aging is free radicals.The Duku fruit is very beneficial in preventing premature aging.Duku contains vitamin C, which is quite effective in preventing the body from attacking free radicals. The damage caused by free radicals, pollutions, or toxins can be cured of Vitamin C in protecting lipid proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.
- Strong teeth and bones:Duku fruit is composed of vitamin A, also called retinol or carotenoid, and phosphorus. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which plays a vital role in the maintenance of teeth and skeletal bones. Phosphorus is also useful as a bone and teeth strengthening agent. Consumption of Duku will help you to get more vitamins and minerals essential for your body.
- Diabetes: The high fiber content in Duku fruit is considered a healthy snack for people with diabetes. The presence of antioxidant polyphenol aids in glucose improving levels by slowing down the absorption process of sugar.
- Prevents Malaria:If you are traveling to tropical areas, Cinchonaplant extract can help you prevent malaria. Recent research suggests that the Duku fruit is a source of a compound that works against strains of Plasmodium falciparum resistant to chloroquine, one of the protozoa responsible for malaria. Duku fruit extract modifies the life cycle of Plasmodium falciparum and is active against a chloroquine-resistant strain of the parasite.
- Worm treatment: Children are very vulnerable to the worm because they do not understand cleanliness very well. Also, the forbidden dilemma because playing on the floor is a very reasonable thing to develop the motor nerves of a child. If your child has symptoms of pinworms, such as dullness, pallor, weight loss, and frequent scratching of the anus, you should treat them right away with Duku. Take the Duku seeds and crush them finely until they are ground. Mix with 1/4 cup of water and drink 2 times a day.
- Worm infection:Duku seeds are effective in treating the intestinal worm infection of your child. Using Duku seeds for worm infection is an easy method to implement and safer for regular use rather than using drug-based worm treatments. To gain the maximum benefit of the treatment, serve the seed in a mixture of crushed seeds with water to your child.
- Migraine attacks: The studies have revealed the positive impact of riboflavin (vitamin B2) in minimizing and combating a migraine attack. Duku fruit which contains a considerable amount of this vitamin can be included in the list of foods to which people with migraine headaches can add to their diet to reduce the chance of migraine attack.
- Fever treatment: In addition to the various nutrients found in the pulp of the Duku fruit, other parts of the Duku fruit can also be used. The seeds are known to reduce fever. No one wants to eat seeds because they taste bitter. It is recommended that you crush them well first, this way most of the nutrients are extracted and prepared with hot water. To crush Duku seeds well, you must first dry them. Once the seeds are dry enough to toast, mash them. After that, prepare the crushed Duku seeds with lukewarm water.
- Diarrhea Treatment:Diarrhea is caused in children by eating less clean or spicy foods. But you don’t have to worry, because Duku seeds can treat diarrhea. The powdered Duku seeds are mixed with ¼ cup of water.
- Insect and Scorpion bites: If you are in the middle of a trip in the wild or you are just hanging around your house, and you get bitten by insects or a scorpion, then you don’t have to worry, because the langsat trees, especially bark, can be used as a cure or medicine to treat insect or scorpion bites. Start by taking the starch stored in the tree bark for treatment. Apply the starch on the part bitten by insects or scorpion and let it dry. Go through this treatment process several times until the bite is no longer swollen or it is completely cured.
- Dysentery Treatment: Talking about the bark of the Langsat tree or Duku tree, the bark extract is useful for the treatment of dysentery disease. There are a lot of local cultures that use langsat tree to treat dysentery disease including, mild or severe stomach cramps, severe diarrhea, etc.
- Eye drop: If you are having something in your eye that irritates your vision or something got stuck in your eye, then don’t worry because Duku fruit extracts can replace the need for eye drop. The leaves of Duku fruit can be combined with the bark and then brewed. Once the liquid is obtained from the extracts, it can be used as an eye drop for inflammation in the eye.
- Acne treatment: Lots of fruits are available for acne cure which are more powerful such as lime, papaya, tomato, and lemon, but Duku fruit is one of the fruits that can cure acne.
- Hair’s natural moisture: The natural content of Duku fruit can keep the hair’s natural moisture. You can use it with ingredients for hair moisture. The use of Duku fruit can also prevent hair loss and nourishes your hair.
Verdict
Duku fruit, a Southeast Asian fruit, comes in two different varieties with a lot of health benefits. It can help you to prevent cancer and kill the cancer cells. It proves to be a treatment and cure for different diseases and infections. Nutrition available in Duku fruit are mentioned to help you to maintain better health of your body. This article will help you to know more about Duku fruit and its health benefits.