Star fruit: Facts, Calories, and where there from

Star Fruit (Carmbola) is a fruit that looks like a star when cut sideways. The fruit with its shape and unique flavor is a favorite of many Asian people. The tree is native to the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Sir Lanka. The tree is also grown in tropic areas like Peru, Colombia, Trinidad, Guyana, Dominican Republic, and Brazil. It is also found in south Florida and Hawaii. This fruit starts off completely green like a banana and then turns yellow when it ripens.

Where did a Star Fruit come from?

The fruit is native to Asia and has been grown there for hundreds of years. Most think the plant came from Sri Lanka and Moluccas. Regardless of where it origins lie, Malaysia is the global producer of starfruit by volume and it exports it all over Asia and Europe. The problem with that is, Malaysia due to pests and pathogens cannot export whole starfruits to the US under FDA/USDA regulations. Most star fruit in the US are grown in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

When do you eat a Star Fruit?

Carambolas are most tasty when there ripe, which means they will be yellow with light shades of green on them. The best sign to look for is they will have brown ridges at the 5 points and the fruit will still feel firm. When overripe, the fruit will have brown spots all over it just like a banana. The whole fruit is edible (except the seeds, which are best removed if any). The taste is hard to compare, but some people linked it to tasting like a papaya, orange, and grapefruit at once - or it could be an overly tart and juicy apple.

Nutrition

Star Fruit is rich in antioxidants and especially vitamin C (just like a kiwi fruit). It is low in sugar, sodium, and in acid. There is only roughly 30 calories a fruit - making it a great choice compared to others!

Carambola, Raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	128 kJ (31 kcal)
Carbohydrates	6.73 g
Sugars	3.98 g
Dietary fiber	2.8 g
Fat	.33 g
Protein	1.04 g
Pantothenic acid (B5)	.39 mg (8%)
Folate (Vit. B9)	12 ?g (3%)
Vitamin C	34.4 mg (57%)
Phosphorus	12 mg (2%)
Potassium	133 mg (3%)
Zinc	.12 mg (1%)

Percentages are relative to US recommended
Where are Star Fruits from?

    * Philippines
    * Indonesia
    * Inda
    * Sir Lanka
    * Peru
    * Colombia
    * Trinidad
    * Guyana
    * Dominican Republic
    * Brazil
    * USA (Florida, Hawaii)

The star fruit is a tropical and subtropical fruit. In India, it grows in high areas of 4000 feet. It grows best in full sunlight and need enough rainfall to total 70 inches a year. The carambola trees are planted about 20 feet from each other and are fertilized three times a year to ensure a large turnout. The trees will start producing food in 4 to 5 years, occasionally before that is possible. More rain in actuality reduces how many fruits the tree will grow, but in ideal conditions the carambola can produce 200 to 400 lbs (91 to 180kg) of star fruit each year. Most star fruits are harvested during the months of June, July, and August. The main pests of star fruit effecting productivity and quality are fruit flies, ants ,and birds. If hard frosts hit the trees, they will most likely succumb.

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