The Crunchy Refreshing ‘Rose Apple’, ‘Mountain Apple’ or “Shumphoo” in Thai – Bite into them to quench your Thirst

As Delicious as they are Glamorous! Its juicy tasty interior does not betray its inviting glossy exterior. Go ahead and try it… you won’t be sorry! Crispy as can be and delicately sweet, the ‘Shumphoo’ is an amazing thirst quenching fruit. They are so refreshing – they have these juice cells that hold all this water. When you bite them and chew them – it is so refreshing!

They aren’t really related to apples at all, but due to their crisp texture, they appear so similar people can’t help but compare. The shape though is more comparable to a pear rather than of an apple.

Rose Apples are bell-shaped, green or red, waxy-looking fruit available most of the year, the flesh is sweet and crunchy.
English common names include wax apple, love apple, java apple, royal apple, bellfruit, Jamaican apple, water apple, mountain apple, cloud apple, wax jambu, rose apple, and bell fruit.
Syzygium samarangense (syn. Eugenia javanica) is a plant species in the Myrtaceae, native to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and widely cultivated in the tropics.
The rose apple is Bell – shaped, and has a glossy skin that is either green or pink, or red and is eaten along with the crisp, very juicy, slightly acid fresh. Its decorative appearance guarantees it a prominent place on any fruit platter during the peak season between June and September.
Health Benefits :
Rose Apple good for brain and Liver:

• The fruit is regarded as a tonic for the brain and liver. An infusion of the fruit acts as a diuretic. A sweetened preparation of the flowers is believed to reduce fever.
• The leaf decoction is applied to sore eyes, also serves as a diuretic and expectorant and treatment for rheumatism.
• The juice of macerated leaves is taken as a febrifuge. Powdered leaves have been rubbed on the bodies of smallpox patients for the cooling effect.

Rose Apple arrests Diabetes, Asthma and Dysentery:

• The seeds are employed against diarrhea, dysentery and catarrh.
• It has been claimed that an infusion of roasted, powdered seeds is beneficial to diabetics. The seeds have an anesthetic property.
• The decoction is administered to relieve asthma, bronchitis and hoarseness.

They are seen all over the Thai market at this time… so go ahead and give these delectable beauties a chance, but buy only as many as you can finish in a day or two since they are highly perishable!
Select firm, bruise-free rose apples.  The color can be anything from dark green, to yellow, pink, orange, bright red, dark red or even a combination.  It all depends on the variety.  And color is not really how you tell when a rose apple is ripe. They should be crisp and firm.