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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

GREAT MORINDA



  • Common Name: Great Morinda
  • Vernacular Names: Noni
  • Scientific Name: Morinda citrifolia
  • Specimens From: Singapore
Great morinda or noni is native to Southeast Asia but it seems to be popular in the Pacific islands and the Polynesia.

It is green but will turn yellow to almost white when it ripens. If this is the first time you have seen this fruit, it may look strange to you. It looks like an alien with many eyes looking at you :)

When ripe, it is soft and mushy with many dark brown seeds. Noni definitely needs acquired taste. It has an unpleasant and pungent odor and tastes like vomit. I have no problem with durians but have a hard time with this funny-looking fruit.

Nevertheless, noni is eaten as a famine food in the Pacific islands. Nowadays, many manufacturers market noni juice, some with sweetened taste, as a health drink as this fruit contains micro-nutrients.

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30 comments:

- said...

I still am amazed at this fruit measuring. It may be one of the most unique things on the web I've ever seen.

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

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Rita Ho said...

Hi Fruity ... Singapore has been my second home for years but I had no idea noni is grown there. I thought it was native to Australia all this while. I will look out for it on my next trip back but don't plan to sample it, not after your description!

Mom Knows Everything said...

That is pretty freaky looking. I kinda looks like a potato, but with a lot of eyes.

JesieBlogJourney said...

Noni grows easily near the seaside. It is called mengkudu (in Malay). But there are a few species. I had juiced in with other fruits for my mom.

Nature Nut /JJ Loch said...

Whoa, that's one scary looking fruit. What a blessing during time of faminine, though.

Good morning, Fruity. :D You made my eyes pop this morn. :D

Hugs, JJ

Anonymous said...

I saw this on my trip to Kona, HI. Oh god, us on the tourist bus couldn't have hurried to take the photos and leave where the trees are. Smells awful. :p

Anonymous said...

I have subscribed to this blog because it is so interesting. The variety of fruits on this earth is incredible. Your information is well written and gives you a sense of the fruit in question, and the pictures are beautiful. Thank you for putting this together.

Jackie said...

Thanks for the info. I saw a bottle of Noni juice in the health shop and wondered what is was.

Anonymous said...

Someone made me try Noni juice once...it was the grossest thing I ever tasted!!!

Karin W. said...

I have never heard of this fruit before. Anyway, I would hold my nose and take only a small bite! It can't be that bad.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow... even residing right next door to Singapore I've never thought it originated from there. What an eye opener indeed.

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

I thought that I heard somewhere that noni is really good for you. It is so odd looking.

Unknown said...

I've heard of noni juice, but never seen this very odd fruit before! It sounds and looks disgusting as a fruit. It must be a 'famine food' because only starving people will eat it.

Pratibha Hottigimath said...

Hey there! Thanks for catching me on BlogCatalog. You are addressing a good niche area here. The info on your blog is quite unique and I'll be sure to visit again.
Do keep stopping by at mine as well! :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks fopr stopping by our blog.
What a bright and beautiful blog.
And full of info too.
Noni juice hit the market here in NYC a few years back, and it still has quite a following.
Love the fruit tags.
Take care

Anonymous said...

Again a not very know fruit in Norway, but then again: that's why I visit: to learn more - thanks for sharing!

Wishing you a great end to your week :-)

DineometerDeb said...

Hello Fruit Species people. I mentioned your blog in one of my latest post because I came across a fruit flavor that I was not familiar with and was hoping you could provide info.

Cheers!

Moki The Wobbly Cat said...

Hi Fruity,

We just wanted to say thanks for stopping by our blog. Moki's brother Orange Boy got bite by a rattle snake last night so we are hoping he will make it through the night. He's already been to the ER. Thus begins another battle...

Anonymous said...

I tasted one, however I still prefer durian over this.

Fruity said...

Thanks to all for your wonderful comments.
Fruity

lankapo said...

mengkudu as it is called in malay, is a traditional medication to cure serious ilness like high blood pressure , diabetes

my grandmother eat it rawly when she was young and still fit even she is 80 plus

Anonymous said...

this is one strange looking fruit i have not come across before.

U have got a great interesting blog!

Mike Wang said...

Hi any idea where i can buy noni fruit in singapore? Please drop me an email at ymwang81@gmail.com if you know.

Thank you!

Fruity said...

This fruit is not commercially available in Sing.
Fruity

Anonymous said...

Growing up on Guam, we used to throw these things at eachother. We called them "stink fruit". I can't imagine eating one. The appearance and texture of a ripe noni is most like a gigantic zit. And the smell is like a dead bird.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful fruit , great design , color . I am interested in tasting it.

suman
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Free Satellite TV

Mitravinda said...

Yes noni fruit is very nutritious. Now a days it is consumed in the form of noni juice.Organic Noni fruit juice is a rich mixture of nutrients which includes vitamins, minerals, aminoacids and a wide array of healthful phytonutrients. The U.S. market for the juice, derived from the fruit of the Morinda citrafolia tree, has grown exponentially since the late 20th century. The “ Organic “ label on noni juice indicates that the product was grown, processed and transported without the use of any chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and/or additives. Ancient Polynesians, who were the first to recognize the health benefits of noni juice, used it to combat fatigue, a finding confirmed by some clinical studies that produced improved quality of life scores in the areas of energy level and physical functioning. Prexeronoine an alkoloid precursor of Xeronoine is present in Noni juice which plays an imporatant role in cell health maintenance. Healthy levels of xeronine promoted optimal function of the body's many proteins. In the preliminary studies, it is found that noni's effects on xeronine production made the juice useful in the treatment of arthritis, atherosclerosis, depression, gastric ulcers, hypertension, menstrual cramps, pain relief and sprains. In "Herb-Drug Interactions in Oncology," authors Barrie R. Cassileth, K. Simon Yeung and Jyothirmai Gubili report that early animal and in-vitro studies indicate that noni juice has antitumor and immunomodulatory properties that might be useful in treating some forms of cancer.

To know more about great nutritious organic foods have a look at the site:
http://www.foodadulterationinfo.com/

Anonymous said...

I really liked the article, and the very cool blog

hunterJet said...

Hi,
I have a noni fruit tree that grow naturally in my front yard...likely from bird droppings. It has grown to about 3 metre tall within a year and produces many fruits all season. I canned the fruits in glass jar and will drink the juice after 2 months of fermentation.