Kokum
Garcinia indica · वृक्षाम्ल
Fruits. Ayurveda.
Also called Amsul, Kokam, Vrikshamla
Sanskrit: वृक्षाम्ल (Vrikshamla)
A sour purple fruit from India's west coast whose dried rind flavors curries and cooling drinks.
Did you know? Kokum butter, pressed from the seeds, melts near body temperature, so it is prized in lotions and balms.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Digestion & gut health. Used for stomach upset in tradition. Most digestive proof comes from lab studies.Traditional proof
- Inflammation. Compounds from kokum slowed inflammation in lab tests. Human trials are lacking.Traditional proof
- Skin. Kokum butter is a common moisturizer. Human proof for skin healing is lacking.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Gut & intestines, Stomach, Immune system, Joints, Skin & hair
Traditional use
West coast cooks have used the dried rind for sour flavor for generations. Ayurvedic writers describe the fruit as sour and digestive, and cooled kokum juice is a common summer drink.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Carminative, Antioxidant, Vulnerary. Energy: warming.
- Ayurveda
- Calms Vata and Kapha. Taste (rasa): sour, sweet. Energy (virya): heating. After digestion (vipaka): sour.
How people take it
Cooks add the dried rind to curries and dals. Syrup is mixed with water for a cooling drink, and kokum butter is rubbed on the skin.
Food, juice and oil.
Where to get it
The tree grows in the Western Ghats of India, mainly in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Dried rind and syrup are sold in Indian grocery stores, and kokum butter is sold in skin care shops.
Be careful
Safe as food. Concentrated kokum extracts are less studied and may contain high levels of hydroxycitric acid. Pregnant people and people with liver disease should avoid concentrated extracts.
Mixing with other things
No specific mixing notes on file. That doesn't prove it's safe with everything; ask a pharmacist about your full list.
The honest take
Kokum is a food flavor with a long history in Indian cooking, and that is its strongest use. Health claims rest on lab work and a few small studies. Claims about fixing digestion or healing skin are not proven.