The brown fruit pod of the tamarind has been used in traditional cooking in many parts of the world. It gives food a sour, acidic flavor, like what you might experience with a Tom Yum soup or a Thai-styled pad thai noodle dish.

Besides adding a unique flavor to food, which can make it rather appetizing, tamarind also has some medicinal properties.

Its vitamin C content can help protect you from colds. It is often also used for reducing fever, or for its mild laxative effects.

Containing fiber, potassium and magnesium, tamarind also has an array of antioxidants that can help protect you against cancer.

References
[1] Collins, Elise Marie. An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods: A Shopper’s Companion. San Francisco, California: Conari Press, 2009. Print.

Cindy L. TJOL is trained in Psychology, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has several years of experience writing on natural health on the internet. Follow her on her blog and read her other articles at Insights On Health.com.