Calamansi: The Thai Citrus Too Sour to Bite

Calamansi — ส้มจี๊ด (som-jeed) — Citrus × microcarpa.

In diabetic rats, calamansi peel extract lowered blood-glucose markers. The experiment used peel extract. ส้มจี๊ด, som-jeed, is a thumb-sized Thai citrus too sour to eat whole; you eat the fruit, prized for its sharp juice and aromatic rind. The fruit also provides vitamin C, which helps your body build collagen, supports normal immune function, and functions as an antioxidant that protects cells. In the kitchen, Nam Phrik Kluea Som Ma-peed pounds bird's eye chilies with garlic, then seasons them with fish sauce, sugar, and calamansi juice in place of lime, served alongside boiled chicken or grilled seafood. Nam Phrik Kung Sot pounds cooked shrimp with shrimp paste, chilies, and garlic, then adds palm sugar, fish sauce, calamansi juice, and shredded peel, eaten with raw vegetables and steamed rice. You juice the whole fruit and grate the rind for zest, so little goes to waste, and as a container citrus it fruits almost year-round in the tropics.

Nam Phrik Kluea Som Ma-peed — น้ำพริกเกลือส้มมะปี๊ด (nam-prik-kluea-som-ma-peed)
Nam Phrik Kung Sot — น้ำพริกกุ้งสด (nam-prik-kung-sot)

Food and nutrients

Rich in: vitamin C

Research context

Calamansi peel extract lowered blood glucose in diabetic rats — Int J Food Engineering, 2017 (animal study)

Sources

Source: Morte MYT, Acero LH (2017). Calamansi (Citrofortunella microcarpa) fruit-peel extract lowers blood glucose in STZ-induced rats. Int J Food Eng 3(1):29-34. DOI:10.18178/ijfe.3.1.29-34

Narration transcript

Opening

Green skin, bright orange flesh, and a thumb-sized fruit far too sour to bite into: calamansi is a cross between a kumquat and a mandarin. Calamansi — ส้มจี๊ด, som-jeed. You use the whole fruit, the sharp juice squeezed over almost anything and the fragrant rind grated in for zest.

น้ำพริกเกลือส้มมะปี๊ด (Nam Phrik Kluea Som Ma-peed)

Nam phrik kluea som ma-peed is a salty chili dip that pounds bird's eye chilies with garlic, then seasons them with fish sauce, sugar, and calamansi juice in place of lime. Serve it with boiled chicken or grilled seafood.

น้ำพริกกุ้งสด (Nam Phrik Kung Sot)

Nam phrik kung sot is a fresh shrimp chili dip that pounds cooked shrimp with shrimp paste, chilies, and garlic, then adds palm sugar, fish sauce, calamansi juice, and a scatter of shredded peel. Eat it with raw vegetables and steamed rice.

Nutrition summary

Like most citrus, calamansi leads with vitamin C — about half a day's worth — trailed by a little fiber and iron.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is used to build collagen and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Closing

Grow it in a big pot, feed it often, and in the tropics it fruits almost year-round, a steady supply of sour right on the balcony. Juice the whole fruit and grate the rind for zest, so barely anything goes to waste. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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