Santol

Santol is currently in season. It's quite ubiquitous in Tagbilaran with pushcart and sidewalk vendors hawking it usually from early afternoon until evening.  This is one fruit with just the thought or sight of it can make one’s mouth water.

For those who are yet to eat one, santol, when still unripe, can be sour in taste, but with some salt, it becomes edible, and that's how some locals prefer it.   When ripe, its flesh and seeds transform into a delectable combination of sweet and sour.

Although tempting, it is highly suggested not to swallow the santol seed.  If you’re young and in good health, the seed may pass through without harm; however, if you’re older and have some problems with your intestines, then the seed could easily get stuck, leading to an obstruction. The sharp edges of the seed may even perforate your bowels, leading to infection and death.

According to a PhilStar article by Willie T. Ong, MD, it is estimated that 200 cases of surgical emergencies from swallowed santol seeds are seen yearly at local hospitals. Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson, chair of the Department of Surgery at Ospital ng Maynila, has been educating the public on the dangers of this seemingly harmless fruit. Dr. Joson says that if the patient dillydallies on consulting a doctor, then death can occur in 30-50 percent of cases. At the Ospital ng Maynila alone, several cases were operated on recently. This makes the delicious santol fruit a public health problem.

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Lanzones

Lanzones will be in full abundance by September, friends from Davao claim.  And although a matter of only some weeks away, I can’t seem to wait that long.  I miss lanzones.

Lanzones are sold loose or in bunches much like grapes, per kilo.  The ones grown from the southern Visayan islands of the country, like Camiguin, are supposedly the sweetest and most sought-after. I am yet to taste that particular variety, because the lanzones I had enjoyed while growing up in Metro Manila usually came from only as far down south as the provinces of Batangas and Quezon.

Lanzones is native to Malaysia and Indonesia, but is now found in all Asian countries. The lanzones trees thrive in tropical regions and are known for their various names, such as langsat, lansa, langseh, langsep, lanzon, lanzone, lansone, duku or kokosan.

However, according to Dizon Exotic Fruit Trees, the Longkong Lanzones variety from Thailand is the world’s most expensive fruit today; ranging in price from P350 to P600 per kilo.  Whereas, our local local lanzones costs merely  P60 to P100 per kilo.

A bunch of seedless, sweet and latex-free Longkong fruit weighs 1/2 to 2 kilos. This variety can be grown here in the Philippines as had already proven by those who planted its trees several years ago.

The pale yellow skin of the lanzones is easy to peel.  Inside is the almost translucent, segmented edible flesh. Its taste is somewhat similar to that of a grapefruit, but not bitter and juicy.  There are some seeds which should not be swallowed.

The only downside to feasting on this wonderful fruit, as some claim, is that your fingers eventually become sticky due to the latex that ooze out when you peel its skin.  There’s no need to worry or a need to even wash your hands, though.  According to folkloric wisdom passed down to us as children, we simply rub our fingers against our hair, because the latex is supposedly good for the hair.

As for its health benefits, according to the "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine," you can burn the lanzones’ dried peels to drive away mosquitoes. The bark from the tree that grows the lanzones fruit is an astringent that can treat diarrhea. The powder from the bark can also help treat scorpion stings. The lanzones fruit itself is a febrifuge that can lower your body temperature.

Lanzones contain riboflavin and thiamine, vitamin B-2 and B-1 respectively. Riboflavin supports body growth and red blood cell production. Additionally, riboflavin helps your body to release energy from carbohydrates. Your body uses thiamine to break down sugars. Additionally, thiamine can help to treat several nerve and heart conditions.

Read more health benefits here.

In Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, there is an annual Lanzones Festival held usually during the month of October.

Please note:

I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.

Thank you!