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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Averrhoa carambola''
| image = Carambola cut.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Carambola fruits
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Oxalidales]]
| familia = [[Oxalidaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Averrhoa]]''
| species = '''''A. carambola'''''
| binomial = ''Averrhoa carambola''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
[[Image:Averrhoa carambola ARS k5735-7.jpg|thumb|200px|Carambolas still on the tree]]
[[Image:Belimbing.jpg|thumb|200px|Belimbing, as it is called in Indonesia]]
The '''carambola''' is a species of [[tree]] native to [[Sri Lanka]], [[India]] and [[Indonesia]] and is popular throughout [[Southeast Asia]] [[Trinidad]] [[Malaysia]] and parts of [[East Asia]]. It is also grown in [[Dominican Republic]], [[Brazil]], [[Peru]], [[Ghana]], [[Guyana]], [[Samoa]], [[Tonga]], [[Taiwan]], [[French Polynesia]], [[Costa Rica]] and [[Australia]]. Carambola is commercially grown in the [[United States]] in south [[Florida]] and [[Hawaii]]. It is closely related to the [[bilimbi]].
==Tree description and cultivation==
The carambola tree has long [[compound leaf|compound leaves]] (up to 50 cm long), pink [[flower]]s that appear either at leaf [[axil]]s or [[branch]] extremities. The tree is densely [[branch]]ed and can reach a height of 5 m. Carambola is one of the rare arboreal members of the [[Oxalidaceae]] family. Unlike most [[tropics|tropical]] trees, the carambola does not need much sunlight. In a container the starfruit does well, except it needs constant moisture, extra sunlight and space to grow. Carambola Tree will fruit in a container.
The yield of starfruit is greatly increased by the active foraging of [[pollinator]]s, such as [[honey bee]]s and [[stingless bee]]s
==Fruit description==
Its fruit, the carambola, more popularly known as '''star fruit''', but also '''coromandel gooseberry''', '''kamranga''', or '''five finger''', is a golden-[[yellow]] to [[green]] [[berry]]. When cut across it shows a 5-pointed (sometimes 6-pointed or 7-pointed) star shape, hence the name, "star fruit." Star fruits are crunchy, and have a slightly tart, acidic, sweet taste, reminiscent of pears, apples, and sometimes grapes. The fruits are a good source of [[vitamin C]]. Its [[seed]]s are small and brown. They consist of a tough outer skin and a tangy white inside.
There are two varieties of star fruit - acidulate and sweet. The tart varieties can often be identified by their narrowly spaced ribs. The sweet varieties usually have thick fleshy ribs.
The fruit starts out green, and goes to yellow as it ripens, though it can be eaten in both stages.
There are also approximately seventeen different cultivars. These are
*'''[[Morris Arkin|Arkin]]'''
*'''B-2'''
*'''B-10'''
*'''B-16'''
*'''B-17'''
*'''Dah Pon'''
*'''Demak'''
*'''Fwang Tung'''
*'''Golden Star'''
*'''Hew-1'''
*'''Kary'''
*'''Maha'''
*'''Mih Tao'''
*'''Newcomb'''
*'''Sri Kembangan'''
*'''Star King'''
*'''Tean Ma'''
*'''Thayer'''
Each has its own origin, flavor and production levels.
==Usages of Star Fruits==
The fruit is rich in juice to the extent that one can make [[wine]] out of them. In [[Myanmar]], it is used for making [[lahpet|Tea pickle]].
==Health Risks==
Individuals with [[kidney]] trouble should avoid consuming the fruit, due to the presence of [[oxalic acid]]. Juice made from carambola can be even more dangerous due to its concentration of the acid.
Those who are [[diabetic]] should also avoid this fruit, due to its high amount of sugar.
==Drug Interactions==
Like grapefruit, star fruit is considered to be a potent inhibitor of seven [[cytochrome P450]] isoforms.<ref>[http://www.hktmc.com/ChineseMedia/Magazine/Medicine/ajdmpk/AJDMPK-2006-3/asian6-3(248-261)(DM).doc Abstracts: Metabolism and metabolic enzymes studies for the 8th National Congress on Drug and Xenobiotic Metabolism in China]</ref><ref>[http://www.theannals.com/cgi/content/full/40/7/1472-a Potential Drug-Food Interactions with Pomegranate Juice]</ref> These enzymes are significant in the [[drug metabolism|first pass elimination]] of many medicines, and thus the consumption of star fruit or its juice in combination with certain medications can significantly increase their effective dosage within the body. Research into [[grapefruit]] juice has identified a number of common medications affected, including [[statins]] which are commonly used to treat cardiovascular illness, [[benzodiazepines]] (a tranquilizer family including [[diazepam]]) as well as other medicines.<ref>[http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/table.htm P450 Table]</ref> These interactions can be fatal if an unfortunate confluence of genetic, pharmacological, and lifestyle factors results in, for instance, [[heart failure]], as could occur from the co-ingestion of star fruit or star fruit juice with [[atorvastatin]] (Lipitor).
{{commons|Averrhoa carambola}}
==Gallery==
<center>
<gallery>
Image:New & old leaves I IMG 8444.jpg|New & old leaves
Image:Leaves- both sides I IMG 8443.jpg|Leaves- both sides
Image:Fruits, leaves & Trunk I IMG 8445.jpg|Fruits, leaves & Trunk
Image:Fruit & Trunk I IMG 8448.jpg|Fruit & Trunk
</gallery>
</center>
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
*[http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/1/120 Intoxication by star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) in 32 uraemic patients: treatment and outcome (Oxford journals)]
[[Category:Fruit]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
[[Category:Flora of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Vietnamese cuisine]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Averrhoa carambola''
| image = Carambola cut.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Carambola fruits
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Oxalidales]]
| familia = [[Oxalidaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Averrhoa]]''
| species = '''''A. carambola'''''
| binomial = ''Averrhoa carambola''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
[[Image:Averrhoa carambola ARS k5735-7.jpg|thumb|200px|Carambolas still on the tree]]
[[Image:Belimbing.jpg|thumb|200px|Belimbing, as it is called in Indonesia]]
The '''carambola''' is a species of [[tree]] native to [[Sri Lanka]], [[India]] and [[Indonesia]] and is popular throughout [[Southeast Asia]] [[Trinidad]] [[Malaysia]] and parts of [[East Asia]]. It is also grown in [[Dominican Republic]], [[Brazil]], [[Peru]], [[Ghana]], [[Guyana]], [[Samoa]], [[Tonga]], [[Taiwan]], [[French Polynesia]], [[Costa Rica]] and [[Australia]]. Carambola is commercially grown in the [[United States]] in south [[Florida]] and [[Hawaii]]. It is closely related to the [[bilimbi]].
==Tree description and cultivation==
The carambola tree has long [[compound leaf|compound leaves]] (up to 50 cm long), pink [[flower]]s that appear either at leaf [[axil]]s or [[branch]] extremities. The tree is densely [[branch]]ed and can reach a height of 5 m. Carambola is one of the rare arboreal members of the [[Oxalidaceae]] family. Unlike most [[tropics|tropical]] trees, the carambola does not need much sunlight. In a container the starfruit does well, except it needs constant moisture, extra sunlight and space to grow. Carambola Tree will fruit in a container.
The yield of starfruit is greatly increased by the active foraging of [[pollinator]]s, such as [[honey bee]]s and [[stingless bee]]s
==Fruit description==
Its fruit, the carambola, more popularly known as '''star fruit''', but also '''coromandel gooseberry''', '''kamranga''', or '''five finger''', is a golden-[[yellow]] to [[green]] [[berry]]. When cut across it shows a 5-pointed (sometimes 6-pointed or 7-pointed) star shape, hence the name, "star fruit." Star fruits are crunchy, and have a slightly tart, acidic, sweet taste, reminiscent of pears, apples, and sometimes grapes. The fruits are a good source of [[vitamin C]]. Its [[seed]]s are small and brown. They consist of a tough outer skin and a tangy white inside.
There are two varieties of star fruit - acidulate and sweet. The tart varieties can often be identified by their narrowly spaced ribs. The sweet varieties usually have thick fleshy ribs.
The fruit starts out green, and goes to yellow as it ripens, though it can be eaten in both stages.
There are also approximately seventeen different cultivars. These are
*'''[[Morris Arkin|Arkin]]'''
*'''B-2'''
*'''B-10'''
*'''B-16'''
*'''B-17'''
*'''Dah Pon'''
*'''Demak'''
*'''Fwang Tung'''
*'''Golden Star'''
*'''Hew-1'''
*'''Kary'''
*'''Maha'''
*'''Mih Tao'''
*'''Newcomb'''
*'''Sri Kembangan'''
*'''Star King'''
*'''Tean Ma'''
*'''Thayer'''
Each has its own origin, flavor and production levels.
==Usages of Star Fruits==
The fruit is rich in juice to the extent that one can make [[wine]] out of them. In [[Myanmar]], it is used for making [[lahpet|Tea pickle]].
==Health Risks==
Individuals with [[kidney]] trouble should avoid consuming the fruit, due to the presence of [[oxalic acid]]. Juice made from carambola can be even more dangerous due to its concentration of the acid.
Those who are [[diabetic]] should also avoid this fruit, due to its high amount of sugar.
==Drug Interactions==
Like grapefruit, star fruit is considered to be a potent inhibitor of seven [[cytochrome P450]] isoforms.<ref>[http://www.hktmc.com/ChineseMedia/Magazine/Medicine/ajdmpk/AJDMPK-2006-3/asian6-3(248-261)(DM).doc Abstracts: Metabolism and metabolic enzymes studies for the 8th National Congress on Drug and Xenobiotic Metabolism in China]</ref><ref>[http://www.theannals.com/cgi/content/full/40/7/1472-a Potential Drug-Food Interactions with Pomegranate Juice]</ref> These enzymes are significant in the [[drug metabolism|first pass elimination]] of many medicines, and thus the consumption of star fruit or its juice in combination with certain medications can significantly increase their effective dosage within the body. Research into [[grapefruit]] juice has identified a number of common medications affected, including [[statins]] which are commonly used to treat cardiovascular illness, [[benzodiazepines]] (a tranquilizer family including [[diazepam]]) as well as other medicines.<ref>[http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/table.htm P450 Table]</ref> These interactions can be fatal if an unfortunate confluence of genetic, pharmacological, and lifestyle factors results in, for instance, [[heart failure]], as could occur from the co-ingestion of star fruit or star fruit juice with [[atorvastatin]] (Lipitor).
{{commons|Averrhoa carambola}}
==Gallery==
<center>
<gallery>
Image:New & old leaves I IMG 8444.jpg|New & old leaves
Image:Leaves- both sides I IMG 8443.jpg|Leaves- both sides
Image:Fruits, leaves & Trunk I IMG 8445.jpg|Fruits, leaves & Trunk
Image:Fruit & Trunk I IMG 8448.jpg|Fruit & Trunk
</gallery>
</center>
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
*[http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/1/120 Intoxication by star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) in 32 uraemic patients: treatment and outcome (Oxford journals)]
[[Category:Fruit]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
[[Category:Flora of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Vietnamese cuisine]]