Noni

Also known asIndian Mulberry · Great Morinda · Morinda citrifolia · Mengkudu · 诺丽果

Name: Noni (Morinda citrifolia), also called Indian mulberry, great morinda, cheese fruit, or in Hawaii noni. It has many other regional names across Asia and the Pacific, and in some places is nicknamed “starvation fruit.”

Description

Noni is a small tropical tree native to Southeast Asia and Australasia, which Polynesian voyagers carried on their canoes across the Pacific, making it one of the traditional “canoe plants.” It has been used for centuries in Polynesian, Southeast Asian and Ayurvedic traditional medicine, and the leaves, bark and roots have been used as well as the fruit.

The fruit is a bumpy, yellowish-white, lumpy fruit, and as it ripens it softens and develops a strong smell often described as like old cheese, which is why it is sometimes called cheese fruit. The taste is bitter and pungent. Since the 1990s noni juice has been widely marketed as a health drink, usually mixed with sweeter juices to make it palatable, though its health claims are not well proven.

Main nutrition value

Noni provides vitamin C, and some fibre and minerals, and noni juice is notably high in potassium, but the nutrient content varies a lot with ripeness and processing.

How best to be consumed

Noni is mostly consumed as juice, usually blended, since the raw fruit is very strong in smell and taste.

1. Drink small amounts of noni juice mixed with sweeter juices, if you choose to try it.
2. Choose products from reputable brands, and check the label for added sugar.
3. Try the fruit in traditional dishes where used, such as Southeast Asian cooking, where unripe fruit and leaves are eaten.
4. Use the leaves, as in some Pacific cuisines, to wrap food.
5. Start with a small amount to see how you tolerate it.

Overconsumption could cause…

Noni is used in small amounts in food, and there are some real safety points for heavier use.

1. Rare cases of liver injury have been reported with noni juice or supplements, so people with liver conditions should avoid it unless a doctor agrees.
2. A large amount of potassium from noni juice, which matters for people with kidney problems or on potassium-affecting medicines.
3. Nausea or stomach upset from the strong taste and smell.
4. Added sugar in blended commercial noni juices.

GroupsTropical FruitsFresh

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Wikipedia — Morinda citrifolia, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morinda_citrifolia