Tamarind is value mostly for its fruit and pulp, which are used for a wide variety of domestic and industrial purposes. Pulp is rich in pectin and reducing sugars and contains significant amount of organic acids, 98% of which is tartaric acid. The main flavor compound of the pulp is 2-acetylfuran. The pulp has been official in pharmacopoeias.

The sticky pulp is often eaten fresh but has many other culinary uses for example in pickles, jams, candy, juice and drinks. The pulp can also be used, when mixed with salt, to polish brass, copper and silver, it can be used as a fixative with turmeric and annatto dyes and also serves to coagulate rubber. Extracts from the fruit pulp have shown some molluscicidal activity and has been reported to have potent fungicidal and bactericidal properties. Extracts from the plant also have an inhibitory effect on plant viruses.