15 fascinating facts about Kumquats – Erakina

Introduction to Kumquats

The Rutaceae family of flowering plants includes a species of small fruit-bearing trees known as kumquats. Although kumquats are categorized as citrus fruit, they belong to the Fortunella genus. The Asia-Pacific area and south Asia are the native home of the kumquat plant. Kumquats are mentioned for the first time in history in Chinese literature from the 12th century.

They have been grown for a very long time in southeast Asia, the Philippines, Taiwan, India, and Japan.

About 

Kumquat plants grow to a height of between 2.4 and 3.6 meters (8 and 12 feet). The branches have glossy, dark green leaves and white flowers that grow singly or in clusters in the leaf axils. The branches are primarily thornless. The round or oval fruit is a vivid orange-yellow color and has a diameter of around 2.5 cm (1 inch). The kumquat tree can yield hundreds or perhaps thousands of fruits annually, depending on size. 

When you pick a kumquat fruit off the tree, it is ready to eat. There is very little bitter pith; the sugar is inside the paper-thin skin. The meat is very, pucker-inducingly sour. The tiny, delicious seeds are occasionally a little gritty. Popular ways to eat the fruits include raw, as a garnish, cooked, candied, or in jams, jellies, or marmalades. As a condiment for other dishes, many chefs also pickle and preserve them in sugar, salt, or vinegar.

100 grams (3.5 ounces) of kumquats provide 71 calories.

1. The edible kumquat fruit is smaller than oranges and has a form and size similar to a large olive. It is closely related to the orange.
2. The Cantonese word “gam-great,” which translates to “golden orange” or “golden tangerine,” is where the English word “kumquat” originates.
3. The terms loquat and kumquat share the same Chinese meaning for “orange,” even though they are not botanically related.
4. South Asia and the Asia-Pacific area are the native home of the kumquat plant.
5.  Chinese literature from the 12th century contains the earliest recorded mention of kumquats in history.
6. Kumquats have been grown for a very long time in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Taiwan, India, and Japan.
7. Robert Fortune, a collector for the London Horticulture Society, brought the fruit to Europe in 1846.
8. Kumquats are slow-growing, short, evergreen shrubs or trees that grow to a height of 2.5 to 4.5 meters, or 8 to 15 feet, and have dense branches that may bear tiny thorns.
9. Kumquat trees have leaves that are a deep glossy green, and their flowers are white, just like other citrus blooms. They can grow alone or in clusters in the axils of the leaves.
10. The kumquat tree can yield hundreds or even thousands of fruits annually, depending on its size.
11. The delectable golden-yellow fruit of the round kumquat tree, also known as the Marumi or Morgani kumquat, is produced by this evergreen tree.
12. In China and other Asian nations, where it is kept as a houseplant and given as a gift during the Lunar New Year, kumquat symbolizes good luck.
13. Due to their cold endurance, round kumquats are more frequently grown than other species.
14. The Nagami kumquat is another name for the oval kumquat. The Nagami kumquat is unique in that the entire fruit, including the skin, is consumed.
15. The Nagami kumquat gave rise to the Centennial Variegated kumquat cultivar on its own. Compared to the Nagami kumquat, it produced a bigger portion of fruit.

Conclusion

Antioxidant vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and B-complex vitamins are all abundant in this fruit. They are also a good source of minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, selenium, and zinc as well as flavonoid antioxidants like carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin and tannins.

Kumquats’ capacity to promote skin, hair, dental, and eye health are just a few of their many health advantages. They can also help with digestion and the immune system. Additionally, they boost the health of your nerves, strengthen your bones, lower cholesterol, and decrease your risk of acquiring diabetes.

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