The latest newcomer to the exotic fruits section of my local supermarket, I’d never heard of ‘uniq’ fruit or it’s real name ‘ugli!’ But what a treat! It’s like a tangerine only juicier and sweeter! And wait ’til you taste this recipe!
A Little History
The ugli fruit, pronounced ‘OOgli’ is also known as the uniq fruit. It is a truly unique cross between a grapefruit, tangerine and navel orange. Its appearance is somewhat unattractive, being pitted, oddly shaped and ranging in color from green to yellow to orange.
It’s native to Jamaica and is available in US organic food stores and supermarkets.
The ugli is about the size of a small grapefruit. Created in 1924, the ugli fruit peel loosely surrounds flesh that sections like an orange with a flavour that is said to combine the best qualities of the 3 fruits from which it derives.
Latest Research
Ugli is rich in vitamin C which according to one study, plays a major role in fighting disease. In another study, vitamin C decreased the risk of prostate and other cancers in men.
Benefits
Ugli fruit has no fat, cholesterol and sodium, and is a rich source of fiber and antioxidants. Besides vitamin C, ugli is also rich in vitamin A, protein, folate, iron, calcium and antioxidants. Further, the ugli is low in calories with only 45 per serving.
Flavonoids in ugli counteract not only aging and chronic disease, but improve the immune system and promote healthy blood pressure.
The rich fibre content of ugli helps maintain a healthy digestive system and cleanses the colon. High fibre foods also lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Ugli fruit
- 1 Banana
- 1 cup cubed fresh Pineapple
- 4 Kumquats
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 20 oz.
PREPARATION
This is such a great tasting juice or smoothie recipe. By the way, I discard the peel of the ugli which is edible but just as bitter as any citrus peel, but I juice and smoothie the entire kumquat!