Carambola Juice: Recipe, Benefits and Warnings

Here’s how to make raw and boiled carambola (or star fruit) juice. Also, what you need to know about it.

This fruit comes from the averrhoa carambola tree and is widely consumed in Asia and Oceania. When cut crosswise, it takes the shape of a star.

Let’s begin!

Tools

• A blender.
• A knife.
• Your favorite cup.
• Optional: a strainer or filter.

Ingredients

These’re the ingredients and quantities:

• 1 carambola (or star fruit), medium, clean and ripe.
• 1 cup or 250 ml of water.

Raw carambola juice – Recipe / Preparation

The recipe has only 3 steps.

1. First, wash the fruit to remove dirt and microbes. Pay close attention here because this food is eaten with the peel. If the carambola has black parts on its edges, remove them with a knife.
2. Then, cut it into pieces.
3. Finally, blend it with the cup of water until smooth. If desired, strain the result to obtain a more liquid result.

What’s raw carambola juice good for? – Benefits and nutritional value

1 medium carambola (91 g) includes the following:

• Calories: 28.2 kcal.
• Fiber: 2.55 g.
• Potassium: 121 mg.
• Vitamin C: 31.3.
• Water: 91.4%.
• More antioxidants such as: beta carotene, flavonoids and gallic acid, among others.

Note: here’re the main nutrients of this food.

Considering the above and what studies say about the star fruit, this juice may:

• Help avoid blood sugar spikes. To a large extent, due to its fiber, water and antioxidants.
• Lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL). Mainly, due to its combination of fiber and antioxidants.
• Protect the circulatory system. Fiber, water, potassium and antioxidants are key here.
• Prevent some diseases caused by free radicals and reduce inflammation. Antioxidants combat these molecules.
• Cure some infections. Star fruit has been shown to inhibit the growth of a bacterium (E. coli) that may cause diarrhea and other problems.
• Boost the immune system. Because of its vitamin C, water and other substances.

You can learn more about these topics in our sections on lowering blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, circulation, boosting defenses and diarrhea.

Can raw carambola juice work for weight loss?

Considering that 1 cup of this drink has only 28.2 kcal, its consumption may help to satiate hunger and achieve a caloric deficit to lose weight. Anyway, it’s important to follow a balanced diet that’s suitable for your body and goals.

There’s more information about this in our post on juices to lose weight.

Warnings, risks and drawbacks

According to specialists, carambola may be toxic for some people. This is essentially due to its high oxalate content (excessive accumulation of these substances often leads to kidney stones).

In this sense, people with kidney, pancreas or digestive problems shouldn’t consume star fruit or its juice. Ingesting it, even in small doses, may cause dizziness, confusion and, in some cases, death.

On the other hand, the evidence suggests that eating this food on an empty stomach, when dehydrated, in large quantities or for a long time may also cause toxicity.

In addition, according to experts, those who take any medication should consult their doctor before consuming this fruit.

How is boiled carambola juice made and what’s it for?

The process is as follows:

1. Wash 1 star fruit and remove its black parts with a knife.
2. Cut it longitudinally (lengthwise) and remove its seeds with a knife.
3. Boil the carambola pieces in a pot filled with water for 10 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and wait another 15 minutes for everything to cool down.
4. Blend the fruit with 1 cup of the same water that you used to boil it.
5. Serve the result.

There’s evidence that boiling foods may greatly reduce their oxalate content. With this in mind, boiled starfruit juice is probably easier to digest than the raw one.

Anyway, remember not to overconsume this drink, consult your doctor before ingesting it if you take any medication, and avoid it if you have kidney, pancreatic, or digestive problems.