HALA FRUIT

      The Hala fruit, scientifically known as Pandanus tectorius, is a strong, hardy plant in the Pandanaceae family (pine spiral family) for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate marine areas where frost is not a problem. The plant is native to South Asia (South India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines), east through Papua New Guinea and tropical northern Australia (Port Macquarie area to Cape York and Torres Strait islands in Queensland) and extends to all Pacific islands, including Melanesia (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji), Micronesia (Palau, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru), and Polynesia (Wallis and Futuna, Tokelau, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Hawaii).
     The few common names of this plant are Pandan Beach, Hala, Hala Tree, Pandan, Pandana, Pandanas Palm, Screw Sosna, Tahitian Screwpine, Textile Screw-Sone, Thatch Screw-Pine, Veitch Screw-Sosna, Thatch Screwpine, Pandang, pandanus, Seashore Screwpine and a motley reed. The generic name comes from the Latinized version of the Malay name pandan. A specific epithet denotes the roofs of houses in relation to its use for covering roofs. The common name for the snail pine comes from the spirally arranged leaves (snail spiral around the stem) and the pineapple-like fruit that also resembles a large pine cone.

Description :

    The Hala fruit is a sturdy, small, loosely and widely branched dioecious tree that grows to about 4-14 m (13-46 ft) tall and some can reach 18 m tall. The plant grows in coastal strips and vegetation, including grassy or marsh forests, secondary forests, and thickets of makatea (raised petrified coral limestone terraces). It is commonly found on the edges of mangrove forests and swamps. The plant is adapted to an exceptionally wide range of coastal soils, light to heavy, saline, barren, acidic or alkaline (pH 6-10), sodium, thin, infertile, basalt, calcareous, peat and marsh soils, loam, loam and all combinations, free , difficult or seasonally wet. The plant will tolerate waterlogging for at least 6 months and maybe year-round in certain soils such as peat and on the edge of salt water mangroves. The single trunk is slender with a brownish-grained bark. It is supported by supporting roots that firmly anchor the tree to the ground. Roots sometimes sprout along the branches and grow at wide angles in proportion to the trunk. The stem and branches are ringed with distinct, wavy leaf scars, sometimes with rows of spines.

Leaves :
     Leaves are bluish-green, sessile, linear, 1-3 m long and 11-16 cm wide, pointed, tapering with vaginal plantings and spiny main and spiny veins. spiky or smooth margins. The leaves are huddled together at the top of the shoots and arranged in three spirals in a helical arrangement, giving rise to a common name. Some varieties have spikes along the edges and ribs on the leaves. The leaves are arranged in a spiral at the ends of the twigs.

 

Flowers :
     Pandanus tectorius is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are born on separate trees, with very different male and female flowers. Male flowers, called racemes, are small, fragrant and short-lived, lasting only a day. The flowers are grouped by 3 and gathered in large clusters surrounded by large white insets. These clusters are approximately 1 ft. they are long and fragrant. Female flowers resemble pineapples. They appear crowded into spherical, ellipsoidal to ovoid heads, each pistil with 5–18 nevi.

 

Fruit :
     The fruit is a collective fruit, spherical, hemispherical, ellipsoidal to ovate, pineapple-like, large, 10-30 cm long and 8-20 cm in diameter, consisting of tightly packed, fleshy seeds or wedge-shaped phalanges. There are 1-15 posts per phalanx, arranged in a radius or in parallel rows. Central apical

sinuses are 1 to 28 mm deep. The mature color of the basal phalanges varies from light yellow to dark yellow, orange and orange-red. In the case of fully fruiting heads, the visible tip of the stakes is usually green with brown markings at maturity, and turns yellow with age after falling off. The endocarp or pyrene (the inner tissue surrounding the seed) is dark reddish brown, hard and bony. The mesocarp consists of an apical part and a base. The apical section formed at the apex of each bar contains an elongated aerenchyma cell cavity consisting of several longitudinal fibers and white membranes. The basal part is fibrous and fleshy, about 10-30 mm long. The seeds are ovate, ellipsoidal or oblong; 6-20 mm in length; reddish brown, whitish and gelatinous inside.

Nutrition :
 

100g of Hala Fruit contain :

• Water : 80g
• Carbs : 17g
• Protein : 1.3g
• Fat : 0.7g
• Fiber : 3.5g

Vitamin & Minerals :

• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Iron

Benefits :

Heart Health :
     Eating high-fiber hala fruit can be good for the heart. It provides a heart-healthy alternative to regular processed snacks and may improve blood circulation, according to some. By improving circulation, it may protect against heart disease. There is ample evidence that adding fiber to your diet can reduce your risk of heart disease as well as many other conditions. A systematic review of the link between cardiovascular disease and fiber consumption published in 2013 confirmed that there is a significant link. They concluded that eating fruit fiber did reduce the risk of heart disease and endorsed all recommendations to eat more dietary fiber.

Boosting Your Energy Levels :
     Hala Fruit provides good quality nutrition that can boost your energy and prevent your body and mind from getting tired. We could all get an energy boost at times, and vitamin-rich fruits like hala are a great way to strengthen your body when you are feeling lethargic. If you have low energy, try a glass of hala and coconut juice in the morning. This will provide you with a huge boost of long-lasting energy.

Healthy Digestion :

     Like many types of fruit, hala is a good source of dietary fiber. The vast majority of people do not get enough fiber in their diets, especially in the West, where our diets contain too much processed food. Research shows that more fiber can improve our health in many ways. It can help treat and prevent many common digestive problems, such as constipation, flatulence, gas and even diarrhea. Research also suggests that adding more fiber to your diet may even reduce your risk of serious diseases like cancer. Instead of consuming empty
calories, which are worthless and slow your digestion, add some fruits like hala to your diet and earn rewards.

For Menstrual Cramps :
     According to traditional practice, consuming hala fruit can help women fight off their monthly pains as a result of their menstrual cycles. While the anecdotal evidence is not as strong as scientific research, it is often reliable, and many studies have later confirmed what locals have known for centuries. 

Weight Management :
     Eating a high-fiber fruit, such as hala, can help improve your digestion, which means your digestion will be more efficient. It can also help to satisfy your appetite, making you feel fuller throughout the day. By feeling less hungry, you are less likely to eat junk food and use fewer calories. In the long run, this can result in gradual weight loss.

For Relaxation :

     Hawaiian people say hala fruit can not only provide physical benefits, but also improve mental health. According to locals, eating hala fruit can help relax your mind and relieve some symptoms of stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no scientific evidence to support the claim that hala fruit can help reduce symptoms, but we know that a good diet can help. This, combined with anecdotal evidence from locals who eat fruit, suggests it may help to relax the mind.

 

Brush Your Teeth :
     Almost all parts of the hall plant are somehow beneficial, so it's not surprising that you can use fibrous tips to brush your teeth. Locals use these green tips to clean their teeth after meals and prevent particles from building up. They make a great natural toothpick or floss to keep your mouth clean and fresh after a meal.

Headache Relief :
     As per traditional use and local knowledge, hala fruit can also help relieve painful headaches and migraines. Boost libido: According to locals who have consumed it for thousands of years, hala fruit also has aphrodisiac properties. Many people say that herbs and other foods can improve your sex life, so we consume them with a large dose of salt.

 Important Facts :

• Most of the tree has healing properties, including shoots, fruits, and leaves.
• Hala fruit leaves are used in cooking.
• They are usually used to pack meat, fish and rice before cooking.
• The juice from the leaves is extracted to make a paste called pandan paste and is used in cooking and making local delicacies.
• The fruit flesh is used as an addition to desserts, sauces, jam and chutney.
  
  
  
• The Hala fruit is a good source of beta-carotene which can help treat vitamin A deficiencies.
• The leaves can be used to heal hair and prevent dandruff.
• The seeds are usually eaten after baking.
• Leaves are also good for the heart.
• They can help lower high blood pressure and even help relieve stress.
• Locals use the leaves to treat premature ejaculation.
• The fiber of the leaves is also used in making baskets and in making twine.
• Leaves are used to impart fragrance and color to many people. spicy dishes.
• Only the female trees bear fruit, and it takes about 20 years for them to bear fruit.
• The fruit is about 25 cm in diameter and looks similar to a pineapple.