Consumption and Medical Benefits of Bael Fruit in the Summer Season

Wood apple, also known as Bael or Bilva fruit, is a tropical fruit highly regarded for its unique flavour and numerous health benefits. Consuming Bael during the summer can be particularly refreshing and beneficial.

Bael (Aegle marmelos) holds significant religious and cultural importance in Hinduism. Bael leaves are a crucial part of worship, particularly in the veneration of Lord Shiva. The trifoliate (three-leaf) form of the bael leaf symbolizes the trident (trishul) held by Lord Shiva, representing creation, preservation, and destruction. Also, it mirrors the three eyes of Lord Shiva. The bael tree is prominently featured in various stories and legends associated with Shiva and Parvati. Ancient Hindu scriptures, including the Atharva Veda and various Puranas, highlight the bael tree for its religious significance and medicinal properties, underscoring its revered status for both spiritual and healing purposes.

In Ayurveda, bael is considered an important medicinal plant, with every part of the tree offering health benefits. Though hard on the outside, the fruit is soft, pulpy, and sweet inside. Consuming bael during the summer is particularly advantageous, as it helps combat various diseases that arise with the onset of the hot season. Bael fruit is mostly found in India and is most commonly consumed as sherbet. Here are some common ways to consume it:

Raw Fruit: The pulp can be scooped out and eaten directly. It has a sweet and slightly tangy taste.

Juice: Wood apple juice is a popular summer drink. Blending the pulp with water, sugar, or honey creates a refreshing beverage.

Sherbet: Mixing the pulp with water, sugar, and a dash of lemon makes a cooling sherbet.

Chutneys and Jams: The pulp can make flavorful chutneys and jams.

Desserts: Incorporating wood apple pulp into desserts like ice creams and puddings adds a unique flavour.

Aegle marmelos, commonly known as bael, bilva, Bengal quince golden apple, stone apple, or wood apple, belongs to the Rutaceae family. Common names for the species in English include wood apple and elephant apple. It is sometimes also called monkey fruit.

In Ayurveda, the bael is highly valued as a medicinal plant. It is renowned for its ability to prevent and treat various diseases. Bael is particularly beneficial in managing conditions such as Kapha-Vata disorders, indigestion, diarrhea, urinary diseases, dysentery, diabetes, and leucorrhoea. Additionally, consuming Wood Apples can alleviate stomach aches, jaundice, and eye diseases. Let's explore the numerous medicinal properties of wood apples and how they can contribute to overall health and well-being.

Hydration and Cooling Effect: Bael fruit juice is a refreshing drink that helps to keep the body hydrated and cool, especially during hot weather, reducing heat-related issues such as heatstroke.

Digestive Health: Rich in dietary fibre, wood apple aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation, which can be common in the summer due to dietary changes and dehydration.

Antioxidant Properties: Rich in antioxidants, bael fruit helps neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Immune System Boost: Regular consumption of bael fruit can strengthen the immune system, helping the body to fight off infections more effectively.

Energy Boost: The natural sugars in wood apple provide an instant energy boost, making it an excellent choice for combating fatigue in the heat.

Detoxification: Wood apple has detoxifying properties that help cleanse the kidneys and liver, promoting overall health and well-being.

Skin Health: The fruit’s antibacterial and antifungal properties can help treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema. It can also promote overall skin health and vitality.

Bael Helps to Control Diabetes

Grind 10-20 grams of fresh Bael leaves, add 5-7 black peppers, and consume it with water in the morning on an empty stomach. This is beneficial for diabetes.

Consuming 10 ml of Bael leaf juice every morning is also beneficial.

Take bael leaves, turmeric, giloy, myrobalan, baheda, and amla. Crush them in a quantity of 6 each. Soak them in 250 ml water overnight. Mash them well in the morning and filter them. Consume 125 ml of it in the morning and evening for 2-3 months. This is beneficial in diabetes.

Uses of Bilva for Urinary Problems

Make a decoction of 10 grams of Belgiri and 5 grams of dry ginger in 400 ml water. Consuming it in the morning and evening provides relief from urinary diseases.

Bael Juice Benefits to Treat Body Weakness

Consuming only Belgiri powder with sugar candy and milk removes anemia, physical weakness and lack of semen in the body.

Consuming 3 grams of Bilva Patra powder mixed with a little honey in the morning and evening relieves Dhatu disease.

Mix 6 grams of cumin powder, 20 grams of sugar candy and 100 ml milk in 20-25 ml Bilva Patra juice. Drinking this removes physical weakness.

Dry the vine. Make a fine powder of its pulp. Consume it every morning and evening. This removes weakness.

Bael Fruit Benefits for Jaundice and Anemia

Mix half a gram of black pepper powder in 10-30 ml of vine leaf juice. Consuming it twice a day provides relief from jaundice and anemia.

Bael Fruit Benefits to Stop Dysentery 

Grind 10 grams of Belgiri powder, 6-6 grams of dry ginger powder, and jaggery with buttermilk three or four times a day. Use only buttermilk in food.

Bilva Benefits for Indigestion

Grind 100 grams of Belgiri powder and 20 grams of ginger. Add some sugar (50 grams) and cardamom to it and powder it. Take half a teaspoon with lukewarm water after meals in the morning and evening. This improves digestion and increases appetite.

Consuming ripe wood apple fruit improves digestion.

Bilva Benefits in Treating Abdominal Pain

Make sherbet by grinding 10 grams of Bael leaves and seven black peppers and adding 10 grams of sugar candy. Consume it three times a day.

Bael Benefits to Treat Tuberculosis 

Take four parts each of Bael root, Adusa leaves (Malabar nut), and hawthorn and Thuhar fruits (Euphorbia neriifolia). Take dry ginger, black pepper and pippali. Take 20 grams of this mixture and cook it in half a litre of water. When one-fourth of the water remains, consuming it with honey in the morning and evening is beneficial for TB disease.

Benefits of Bael in Relief from Headache

Grind the dried root of the Bael coarsely with some water. Make a paste of its leaves. Applying it on the forehead provides relief from headaches.

These benefits make Bael fruit a valuable addition to a balanced diet and traditional medicinal practices. However, as with any natural remedy, it is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before using bael fruit for medicinal purposes, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications.