balsam pear
balsam pear
Powerful medicinal properties. Smelly. Popular in Asian markets. Do not eat raw. Edible when green and boiled twice, but toxic when orange and ripe. Being used in studies for leukemia, cancer, AIDS, diabetes. Can drop blood sugar rapidly, so diabetics or hypoglycemics pay attention. Do not take if pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Leaves edible if cooked and drained. Can be juiced when green after boiling twice. When the fruit is turning from green to orange, open it up and notice the seeds are coated in red fleshy stuff. You can eat this red coating, BUT NOT THE SEEDS or the outer shell of the plant- only the red fleshy seed covers. This may seem too scary for most, but the motivating factor is that the red fleshy seed coating is almost completely LYCOPENE! This is serious healing power (especially prostate) Remember to spit out the seeds. You can eat the red seed coating raw without having to cook the plant first. But while the plant is green, you can eat the whole thing, seeds and everything if you boil it twice, changing water after first time.
Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz