Puke fruit or Noni Juice and its benefits

Introduction

Noni or puke (Morinda citrifolia Linn) is a green shrub or small tree belonging to the family Rubiaceae. It is characterized by its straight trunk, large, bright green leaves, white tubular flowers, and its distinctive, ovoid, “grenade-like” yellow fruit. The seeds are triangle-shaped and reddish-brown. Noni juice is obtained from the ripe fruit of the puke. Puke fruit juice is commercially available as a health drink, herbal drink, and food supplement (1).

Noni juice has been used for the past 2,000 years as an alternative medicine. Fruit juice is in high demand as an alternative medicine for different kinds of ailments such as arthritis and diabetes in traditional cultures. It may be helpful for high blood pressure, muscle aches and pains, menstrual difficulties, and headaches. Besides this, it may treat gastric ulcers, sprains, mental depression, senility, poor digestion, atherosclerosis, blood vessel problems, and drug addiction. 

Geographical distribution

Noni is native to Southeast Asia and subsequently distributed to the USA (Hawaii) and Australia. Nowadays it is a popular dietary supplement in Asia, Europe, the United States of America, and other Polynesian countries.

Common name

Indian Mulberry, nunaakai (in Tamil), dog dumpling (Barbados), mengkudu (Indonesia and Malaysia), apatot (Philippines), kumudu (Bali), and pace (Java). It is also known as beach mulberry, hog apple, cheese fruit or noni (Hawaii), great morinda, and starvation fruit.

Nutritional value of noni juice

Noni fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, niacin, manganese, and selenium. Also, contain iridoids, especially deacetylasperulosidic acid, betalains, indoles, glucosinolates, organosulfides, sulfides, mono or polyphenolic compounds, terpenes (isoprenoids, terpenoids), and organic acids.

Health benefits of noni juice 

1. May treat postoperative nausea and vomiting

After various types of surgery, patients have a high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting.  However, it is suggested that intake of 20 g noni fruit reduces the incidence of early postoperative nausea (0-6 hours) (2).

2. Good for smokers

Intake of noni juice (1 to 4 oz) by smokers possibly helps to scavenge harmful radicals from the body and reduce lipid peroxidation (3).

Besides noni juice (59 ml twice/day) may be effective in reducing serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels. Also effective in increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels thus, noni juice can alleviate cigarette smoke-induced dyslipidemia (4).

3. Possibly reduce pain and inflammation

Studies suggested that daily consumption of noni juice (30- 88.5 ml) is effective in reducing pain and improving motion. This juice contains a polysaccharide that not only reduces the frequency of severe pain but also decreases pain severity (5).

Therefore, probably is effective in the treatment of cervical spondylosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis (6).

4. May reduce blood pressure

Ingestion of noni fruit juice (60 ml) twice per day may help to reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure (7). Because it contains many flavonoids, including rutin, which can lower blood pressure and improve blood flow thus treats hypertension. (8), (9).

5. Increase physical performance

Intake of noni juice (100 ml twice per day) helps to improve energy and treat fatigue. Apart from this it also helps to ease exercise-induced muscle tissue damage thus increasing physical endurance (10).

6. May treat anxiety and depression

Noni juice or puke fruit helps suppress central nervous system activity possibly induces sleep time, and has a sedative effect. Thus preventing anxiety and related disorders (11).

Moreover, noni juice is also helpful in blocking the messages between nerve cells thus treating psychiatric disorders  (12).

7. Possibly Boost immunity

Noni juice contains bioactive compounds that help to stimulate the activity of white blood cells (13). Furthermore, it also protects the cells from free radical damage, thus activating the immune function in adult and elderly people (14).

8. Antifungal properties

Noni juice is effective in inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans thus showing antifungal activity (15).

9. Keep oral healthy

Rinse the mouth with noni juice is beneficial to fight against bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus mitis that cause dental caries in humans (16). Furthermore, noni juice also helps to treat gingivitis and periodontitis disease (17).

10. May act against urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Noni fruit juice in combination with D-mannose and N-acetylcysteine is effective in preventing bacteria attachment to the lower urinary tract. It also helps to destroy bacterial pathogenic biofilm, formation and shows anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activity (18).

11. Good for diabetic people

Noni juice contains a good amount of vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, terpenoids, iridoids, and anthraquinones (19). These compounds are effective in reducing elevated blood sugar levels and help to heal wounds in diabetic people (20).

12. Obesity

Noni juice contains phenolic compounds and flavonoids which help to reduce body weight (21).

Side effect of Puke fruit or noni juice 

The whole noni is not approved for human consumption in the U.S. and the European Union or anywhere else in the world. Only the noni fruit puree and the noni fruit juice are approved for human consumption except for seeds or skins.

Besides this, it helps to reduce headaches and body aches thus consumption of noni juice is safe (23). Thus noni fruit juice and noni fruit puree are safe for human consumption by the European Union Food Safety Authority (24).

1. Risk of herb-drug liver toxicity

A person who is suffering from epileptic seizures should not consume noni juice because it may cause liver injury. Moreover, it may cause poor seizure control, however, the reduction of noni-juice consumption regains seizure control (25). Hence, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings to noni manufacturers regarding unsupported health claims

2. Presence of potassium

Noni juice contains a high amount of potassium which increases the risk for hyperkalemia. Thus needs to be monitored by patients with kidney, liver, or heart problems (26). 

3. Risk of high dosage

Noni juice is nontoxic at a normal level however more than 1000mg/kg may cause irritability, insomnia, and unpleasant sensations (27).

Q&A

Can you eat vomit fruit?

Yes, we can eat vomit fruit but in small amounts due to its strong taste and odor. It can be consumed in various forms such as capsules, tablets, teas, and as a powder. Also, use bottle-pasteurized juice either in pure form or blended with other fruit juice like grapes and blueberries (28).

What is vomit fruit used for?

The noni fruit also is known as magical fruit because it has greater antioxidant activity than other fruit juice.  This fruit has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties such as to treat bacterial and viral infections, cancer, pain, diabetes, nausea, gastric ulcers, liver disease, immune disorders, neuronal damage, cognition, and inflammation. Also, used as an antipsychotic, anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic therapy and enhances food color stability (29).

What does Noni taste like?

The mature noni fruit has a foul taste and unpleasant odor due to the presence of butyric acid in them (12). Thus it can be mixed with other fruit juices to reduce the bitter taste (rotten cheese)  (30).

Does jackfruit smell like vomit?

Nope, Jackfruit has a really sweet, fruity bubble-gum scent which is like a combination of banana, pineapple, and onion.