Bael (Aegle marmelos) (Bengal quince, wood apple, stone apple, is a species of tree native to India. It is present throughout Southeast Asia as a naturalized species.
It is the only member of the monotypic genus Aegle.
It is a mid-sized, slender, aromatic, armed, gum-bearing tree growing up to 18 meters tall.
The bael fruit has a smooth, woody shell with a green, gray, or yellow peel. It can reach the size of a large grapefruit or pomelo. The shell is so hard it must be cracked with a hammer or machete. The fibrous yellow pulp is very aromatic. Numerous hairy seeds are encapsulated in a slimymucilage.
Health Benefits of Bael
The bael tree is one of the most useful medicinal plants of India. Its medicinal properties have been described in the ancient medical treatise in Sanskrit, Charaka Samhita. All the parts of this tree including stem, bark, root, leaves and fruit at all stages of maturity has medicinal virtues and has been used as traditional medicine for a long time.
