Engkala facts | Health Benefits

Engkala with scientific name as Litsea garciae, is a jungle plant which is from family of Avocado that is easily found in Sarawak mostly Sibu, Oya, Mukah and Igan. It has rounded fruits and green colored leaves. Fruits are green which turns to reddish color when ripened. The stem is broken easily. It grows in the jungle or riverbanks naturally.

Name	Engkala
Scientific Name	Litsea garciae
Native	Native to Sarawak and Southwest Sabah regions such as Malaysia, Kalimantan, Indonesia and Philippines.
Common/English Name	Engkala
Name in Other Languages	Borneo: Kangkala, Engkala, Medang, Pangalaban, Ta’ang, Indonesia:– Bangka: Malai, Javanese: Wuru Lilin, Malinau, Punan, Kalimantan: Kelimah, Kalimantan, Lundaye: Bua Talal, Merap, Kalimantan: Kelime, Kelimie , Kalimantan, Kenyah Uma’ Lung: Mail, Malinau, Abai, Kalimantan: Bua’ Vengolobon, Malinau, Berau, Kalimantan: Wi Lahal, Kalimantan, Pua’ Malinau: Kelima, Kalimantan, Leppo’ke’ Malinau: Mali, Pujungan, Leppo’ Ma’ut, Kalimantan: Mali, Pujungan, Uma’ Long, Kalimantan: Mali, Pujungan, Uma’ Lasan, Kalimantan: Beva’ Mali, Mali, Pujungan, Uma’ Badeng, Kalimantan: Mali, Pujungan, Uma’ Bakung, Kalimantan: Kayu Mali, Pujungan, Penan Benalui, Kalimantan: Malei, Mali; Malaysia: Sarawak: Pengalaban Pengolaban, Engkala, Sarawak, Bidayuh: Ta’ang, Sabah: Pengolaban; Philippines:- Bagobo: Kupa, Bikol: Pipi, Tagalog: Bagnolo, Taiwan(Chinese): Lan Yu Mu Jiang Zi
Plant Growth Habit	Sub canopy, medium sized, evergreen
Plant Size	Height: 10-25 m; Trunk diameter: 40-50 cm
Lifespan	Perennial
Branchlets	Stout, sub glabrous
Leaf	Alternate, simple, ovate- lanceolate or obovate- lanceolate, glabrous, 25-40 cm by 6-15 cm
Flower	Small, yellowish to white, Diameter: 15 mm
Fruit shape & size	Oblate, globose, Across: 22-30 mm, Diameter: 2.5-4.5 cm
Fruit color	Immature: Pale greenish white Matured: Pink or red
Flesh color	Creamy white
Fruit peel	Thin
Flavor/aroma	Similar to avocado
Seed	Single seed, 15-20 mm
Health Benefits	Skin health Antioxidant properties Treats eczema Cure diabetes Prostate health Heart health Alopecia Liver damage Treats night blindness Repairs muscles
Calories in 100 gm	104 Kcal.
Traditional uses	Iban use a lightly burned bark to treat caterpillar stings. Selako use the leaves or shoots poultice along with shallot and fennel seed to cure infections and skin diseases. It also treats for skin burns. Iban use a bark poultice to treat boils. The decoction made from bark helps to treat the ailments such as blood in stools. The poultice made with an extract of young and bark is used to treat boils. An equal portion of bark as well as durian bark used as antidote on the snakebite wounds. Penan uses the bark and poultice for the sprained knees, ankles and muscular pains.
Precautions	Engkalak should not be consumed after plucked because it possesses rancid taste and minor itchiness which discomforts tongue.
How to Eat	Fruits are consumed fresh or added to foods. The seeds are used to extract oil. Unripe Engkalak are preserved as pickles. The fruit is eaten raw as well as steamed with rice. Unripe fruits are preserved in a salt solution or vinegar.

References:

https://books.google.com.np/books?id=uRHwlkQVS2QC&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&dq=#

http://ez2plant.com/product/__template=iphone/lid=36711028

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