Bael(Aegle Marmelos) or Bilva is a medium sized deciduous sacred tree native to India and cultivated all over India. Its every part has medicinal properties. Bael root is one of the ingredients of famous Ayurvedic formulation ‘Dashmula’.
Overview of Aegle marmelos (Aegle Marmelos) Tree
Its Leaves contain an alkaloid rutacin which is hypoglycaemic and is useful in treating high blood pressure and diabetes. Leaves and fruits are useful in controlling diarrhea and dysentery. Bael fruit has cooling effect and causes constipation. Raw bael fruit is consumed for the treatment of ailments such as arthritis and gout. Ripe fruit is taken during the summer to keep the body and mind cool. Bael also helps to sharpen intellect and concentration of mind.
Bael root, bark, leaves and fruits are hypoglycaemic, astringent and febrifuge. Its root, stem and bark are antidiarrheal and antivenin. Leaf is anti-inflammatory, expectorant, anticatarrhal, antiasthamatic, antiulcerous and ophthalmic. Flower is emetic. Unripe fruit is stomachic and demulcent. Ripe fruit is antigonorrheal, cardiotonic, restorative, laxative, antitubercular, antidysenteric and antiscorbutic. Seed is anthelmintic and antimicrobial.
General information
- Latin name: Aegle marmelos
- Family: Rutaceae
- Sanskrit: Shriphala
- English: English: Bael tree, Bengal Quince, golden apple, stone apple, wood apple
- Assamese: Bael, Vael
- Bengali: Bela, Bilva
- English: Bengal Quince, Bael fruit
- Guajarati: Bill, Bilum, Bilvaphal
- Hindi: Bela, Sriphal, Bel
- Kannada: Bilva
- Kashmiri: Bel
- Malayalam: Koovalam
- Marathi: Bel, Baela
- Oriya: Bela
- Punjabi: Bil
- Tamil: Vilvam
- Telugu: Maredu
- Urdu: Bel
Here are few remedies that can be done at home using Aegle Marmelos or wood apple to cure various ailments.
- AsthmaGrind Bael leaves (5 gms). Add 1 spoon of honey. Take orally in morning and evening.
- High Blood PressureExtract juice of bael leaves, add honey and take twice a day.
- JaundiceExtract juice of soft bael leaves (100). Mix with the powder of black pepper (10). Take the mixture every morning and evening.
- DiarrhoeaDry raw bael fruit pulp. The dried pulp helps to cure diarrhea.
- DysenteryEat fresh bel fruit to cure dysentery.
- AnemiaDry pulp of bel fruit and grind it to make powder. Add (one spoonful) in boiled cow milk. Take this twice a day in morning and evening.
- Vomiting nausea during pregnancyOne spoon of raw fruit pulp if taken twice a day stops frequent vomiting nausea during pregnancy.
- TyphoidGrind bael leaves (200). Boil in one cup of water till it becomes thick. Take this paste with a little honey twice or thrice a day.
- Improving concentration and intelligenceTake ripe bael fruit with fresh cream and misri.
- DiabetesChew few Bael leaves empty stomach in the morning.
- FracturesTake pulp of raw bael fruit. Dry it and grind it to powder form. Mix 10 gm of powder, 50 gm of pure ghee, ½ spoonful of turmeric powder in a glass of lukewarm water, stir well. Drink twice a day.
Medicinal usage and health benefits of Bael fruit
The Bel fruit which is available during the summer season in India offers numerous health benefits. Ripen Bel fruit is spherical (up to 20 cm in diameter) has hard greenish-yellow outer covering with yellow pulp inside. The ripen pulp is sweet, tasty, nutritious, aromatic, astringent, cooling, laxative and is very good for the digestive system. The unripe pulp has an astringent, stomachic and digestive properties. The pulp contains moisture 61.5%;protein 1.8%;fat 0.3%;carbohydrate 31.8%;and fibre 2.9%. It also contains calcium, 85 mg/l00 gm;phosphorous, 50 mg/l00 gm, Carotene, 55 mg/l00 gm iron 0.6mg/l00 gm, and thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, oxalic acid and Vit C. Tannin, mucilage, pectin, Vitamin B1 and sugar are also present in bael fruit pulp.
The pulp of Bael fruit has the following health benefits
- Antioxidant, scavenges free radical from the body
- Protects and improves digestive system
- Antibacterial and anti-ulcerative colitis
- Protects the liver
- Stimulates bile production
- Strengthen intestine
- Tonic for the heart and brain
- Anti-diabetic
Useful in the treatment of cholera, diarrhea, dysentery and constipation
The pulp of bael fruit is useful in curing chronic diarrhea and dysentery. For treating loose motion, diarrhea, dysentery, the pulp can be mixed with water. Bael is also helpful in treating constipation. It is one of the best natural laxative. It not only cures constipation but also strengthens intestine. Regular intake of bel fruit for 2-3 months removes body toxins and cures chronic constipation. For this purpose bael sharbat prepared from ripen fruit should be taken.
Bael fruit is very nutritious and is tonic for the digestive system, brain and heart. It helps to prevent and cure Scurvy, a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C.
Pulp of fruit is also useful in treating vomiting during pregnancy. For this purpose 20-30 grams of pulp is mixed with water of boiled rice. Bael is perfect fruit in scorching summer seasons. Its pulp, sharbat or juice taken before stepping out has cooling effect on body and prevent heat stroke.
Bael Fruit Sharbat Recipe and Health Benefits
Bel Sharbat(Wood Apple Drink) is sweet drink prepared from ripe wood apple (Aegle Marmelos). The pulp of ripe fruit is a rich source of carbohydrate, protein, fat, fibre, minerals and vitamin B, C and riboflavin (1191 units/ 100 g).
Here is recipe for making Bael Sharbat and health benefits details
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized Bael fruit
- ½ tsp Black Salt
- 2 glasses Water
- 2 tsp Sugar
- Tamarind or lemon juice
Method
- Take well ripened Bael fruit.
- Extract pulp of fruit.
- Add water and mash this pulp.
- Filter in a container.
- Add other ingredients and mix well.
- Bael drink is ready.
Benefits of Bael Sharbat Drink
- Useful for stomach and intestinal disorders
- Cooling in nature
- Good for the digestive system
- Very nutritive
- Improves immunity
- Beneficial in dysentery and scurvy