Wonderfully sweet and tangy, kumquat fruit or cumquat (as the fruit generally recognized in Europe) is a winter/spring season delicacy. Although kumquats taste just like that of citrus fruits, they are distinguished in a way that they can be eaten completely including the peel.

Botanically they belonged to the Rutaceae family; of the genus, Fortunella, named after botanist Robert fortune who brought them from China to Europe in the middle of the 19th century.
Kumquats are a small sized evergreen tree native to South-eastern parts of mountainous China. They now have grown for their delicious fruits and as ornament tree in many parts of the world.. A mature kumquat tree bears several hundred olive sized brilliant orange colour fruits in winter. On the Interior, the fruit resembles tiny orange with juicy segments firmly adherent each other and with the rind. The pulp has 1-2 seeds placed centrally. The seeds are bitter in taste as in oranges and generally spit out.

There exist several varieties of kumquat; however, some 4 cultivars are grown widely for their fruits.

·         Nagami kumquat (Fortunella margarita): The fruit features smooth light yellow rind tarty flavour.

·         Marumi kumquat (Fortunella japonica): The fruit is round and has distinctive sweet flavor.

·         Meiwa kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia): It is round in shape and larger than other verities. It is popular in Japan as ninpo or neiha kinkan.

·         Hong Kong Wild (Fortunella hindsii)

Health benefits

Some of the most important health benefits of kumquats include their ability to improve the immune system, regulate your digestive system, reduce your chances of developing diabetes, lower your cholesterol levels, boost the health of your skin, teeth, eyes, and hair, strengthen your bones, and improve nerve health.

Digestive Health: One of the major functions of kumquats is their role in regulating the digestive health of those wise enough to eat some of these each week. 8 kumquats is equivalent to 10 grams of fibre, and eating a handful of kumquats isn’t very tough to do! That amount of fibre helps to keep your gastrointestinal tract moving and regulates your digestion to a healthy level. It can help to eliminate constipation, excess gas, bloating, and cramping, while also increasing the efficiency of your nutrient uptake.

Diabetes: Aside from their beneficial effect on digestion, kumquats can also thank fibre for its role in preventing diabetes. Dietary fibre can help to optimize insulin and glucose balance in the body, thereby preventing people from developing this terrible, incurable disease.

Immune System: Kumquats impact the immune system in a number of different ways, but if their appearance is any clue, they are rich in Vitamin C, just like their larger cousins, oranges! Vitamin C is a very important nutrient in our diet, primarily because it has an effect on everything in our body. It helps to stimulate the growth of new cells and increases the activity of the immune system to keep our body protected from foreign invaders, infections, bacteria, and fungi. Without vitamin C as our first line of defence, we would not only be unable to protect ourselves, but we also wouldn’t be able to heal.

Skin Health: The combination of antioxidants and vitamins found in kumquats make them ideal to protect the skin, not only from cancerous effects of the sun, but also to heal the negative effects of free radicals, which can cause wrinkles, age spots, and rough, unhealthy skin. Kumquats, like many citrus fruits, can have a serious effect on the appearance and feel of your body’s largest organ.

Vision Booster: Kumquats are a rich source of Vitamin A and beta carotene, which are closely connected with eye health and ability. Beta carotene works as an antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress in the macular cells, thereby limiting macular degeneration and reducing the development of cataracts.

Build Strong Bones: The significant calcium content in kumquats means that those who partake in this delectable, tiny fruit will also be helping to protect your bones over the long term. High calcium levels means that you have more calcium deposits in your body, increasing your rate of healing and ensuring that your bones stay healthy and strong well into your older ages.

Energy Booster: For such a small, unassuming fruit, you wouldn’t expect there to be so many carbohydrates in kumquats, but there are! Carbohydrates, despite their recent bad name and the many “No Carb” diets out there, are essential for our bodies, particularly if we are highly active people and need to replenish our energy reserves in a simple way. Kumquats can provide that burst of energy in our diets, while also giving us all the other benefits too! The high level of riboflavin, a key vitamin involved in the production of energy, makes this process even easier.

Weight Loss Booster: The high fibre content, high water content, low calories, and significant carb content make kumquats ideal for people trying to lose weight. They will fill you up and keep you healthy, which will reduce your urge to overeat.

Hair and Teeth: While most people might not think about the connection between citrus fruits and your hair, vitamin C, natural organic compounds, antioxidants, and minerals have a major effect on the quality, texture, oiliness, and strength of your hair. The same goes for your teeth, but fortunately, kumquats are packed with some of the best nutrients for hair and teeth, like calcium, potassium, and Vitamin C.