SUMMER is once more time for camachile (kamatsile), also known as damortis in Ilocano, or monkeypod or blackbead in English.
Today’s millennials may not be familiar with this old, old fruit, a favorite snack among people of an older generation. It has a nice, sweet taste, yet not too sweet to keep off a diabetic.
Camachile has many traditional uses and benefits. It can relieve convulsions, inflammations, even venereal sores.
It also functions as remedy against diarrhea, dysentery, chest congestion, and internal
ulcers.
Camachile tree is a genus of flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae. It inhabits the Pacific Coast and adjacent highlands of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.
It was introduced to and now grows extensively in the Caribbean, Florida, Guam, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines.
It is considered an invasive species in Hawaii.
It is also sometimes referred to as Manila tamarind although it is neither a tamarind nor is it from Manila. It is originally from Mexico where it is known as guamachil.
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DID YOU KNOW? A flock of crows is called a murder. No wonder Alfred Hitchcock loved referring to crows in films that had lots of murder and suspense in them.
Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.
