Gac Fruit: Gac fruit, also known as jackfruit, is an unusual-looking fruit with big leaves and enormous yellow, green, or pink fruit pods that contain hundreds of smaller pods with seeds inside.
This fruit comes from a tree native to South and Southeast Asia, where it’s considered a staple food and part of the national diet in many countries such as Thailand, India, and Nepal.
Due to its unique taste and versatility in cooking, gac fruit has recently become more popular in the United States and other countries like China and Japan. Today we’ll be discussing the health benefits of gac fruit.
What is Gac Fruit?
This Gac fruit belongs to the same family as star fruit, rambutan, and riberry. Gac is a tropical fruit that thrives in humid climes. The most popular variety of gac grows in Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam. Vietnamese colossal or elephant apple (in English) and prek Phnom (in Khmer). Gac fruit (bai Guo), also known as loquat, is a small to medium-sized fruit indigenous to Asia. Native to China, Vietnam, and Japan, gac fruit trees are commonly grown in Florida, California, and Hawaii. In China, honeybees usually pollinate gac trees because wild bees do not visit flowers with more than five petals.
Where is it grown?
The gac tree is native to Asia but has grown throughout Africa and Central America in recent years. They’re grown primarily in Vietnam but can also be present in southern Mexico and Belize. The trees are so popular that they’ve become a symbol for all Asian fruits; you’ll often see them prominently displayed on packaging at Asian markets.
How Can I Eat It?
When it comes to fruits, you have a few options. You can eat them raw, pickle them or cook with them. While most people prefer fresh fruit when available, dried fruit makes an excellent option in more arid regions where fresh fruit is less abundant. The leathery texture and longer shelf life also make dried fruits a logical choice for explorers or travelers who may not find reliable new food sources on their journey. Dried fruits are generally considered nutritious and are often used to help create healthy desserts and snacks.
Health Benefits of Gac Fruit
1. Good For Diabetes Patients.
The fruit contains polysaccharides that benefit diabetes patients by improving blood sugar levels. According to a 2007 study in Phytotherapy Research, gac fruit extract presents to lower fasting blood glucose and reduce postprandial blood glucose, with no adverse side effects on cholesterol or liver enzymes.
2. Helps In Digestion
Another health benefit of gac fruit is its ability to aid digestion and control acid reflux problems. It also helps relieve pain related to ulcers and gastritis due to its non-acidic nature.
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3. Anti-Cancer Properties
Studies have shown that extracts from gac fruit inhibit cancer cell growth by targeting genes responsible for tumor formation.
4. Reduces Risk Of Hypertension
Due to its ability to reduce blood pressure and lipid levels, gac fruit can help reduce your risk of hypertension and heart disease.
5. Rich In Vitamin C
Vitamin C is present in abundance in guava fruit. The vitamin helps protect and strengthen your body’s immune system. The nutrient also protects against free radicals, damaging cells and contributing to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other health problems. Guava fruit can help bolster your immune system and prevent or slow cancerous growth in your body. 1,2
6. Maintain a Healthy heart
Studies have shown that regularly consuming gac fruit can help prevent heart disease and cancer. It is because it contains antioxidants, which are known to protect against heart disease and cancers. The seeds found in gac fruit contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, calcium, and iron. They also have an amino acid called arginine that helps dilate blood vessels.
7. Help In Weight loss
As a dietary supplement consumed as part of a low-calorie diet and healthy lifestyle, gac fruit extract can help you shed pounds. According to Prevention magazine, it’s also visible to reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and improve your immune system.
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8. Rich In Super Antioxidants
Super antioxidant-rich foods are nutrient-dense, containing high amounts of health-promoting nutrients that can help your body fight disease and illness. They also have far fewer calories than most other foods. To lose or maintain a healthy weight, you should eat plenty of super antioxidant fruits and vegetables. Superantioxidant foods include
9. Anti-inflammatory properties
Consuming gac fruit may help to reduce inflammation in those with asthma or inflammatory bowel diseases. Other studies have shown that(Gac Fruit Benefits) eating gac helps boost resistance to certain bacterial and viral infections, including hepatitis A, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Of course, further research needs to confirm these results.
10. Lowers cholesterol
The presence of saponins in gac fruit act as powerful antioxidants, destroying free radicals linked to inflammation and heart disease. While research is ongoing, several studies suggest saponins may help lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. For people with high blood pressure or diabetes, saponins may also help reduce blood pressure and improve glucose levels. Saponins can also alleviate stomach problems like diarrhea and cramps.
What Is Its Nutritional Value?
Gac fruit is very high in Vitamins A, B1, B2, and C. It contains Vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. The fruit is especially rich in antioxidants; it contains flavonoids called anthocyanins and anti-inflammatory properties. Gac fruit is shown to help protect against macular degeneration and cancers. The fruit can also regulate blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity – perfect for those with diabetes!
Are There Any Side Effects?
You should not consume gac fruit if you have type-2 diabetes because it may increase your blood sugar levels. Also, talk to your doctor before adding gac fruit to your diet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. There is a possibility that consuming large amounts of gac fruit might cause heartburn or stomach discomfort for some people, so be sure to drink plenty of water when eating these fruits.
Additional Tips
The gac fruit is a fantastic source of fiber and potassium. Show to help regulate blood pressure and significantly reduce high cholesterol. It’s also packed with iron and vitamins A, C, E, and K. Even better? The gac fruit is fat-free and is naturally low in calories. Best of all, it contains no preservatives or artificial ingredients!
Key Point
The goji berry (Lycium barbarum) is a red-orange fruit cultivated in China and Tibet for over 1,000 years. This powerful superfruit grows at elevations between 3,000 and 4,500 feet above sea level and is subject to cold weather and bright sunlight year-round. According to legend, ancient Tibetan warriors ate goji berries before battle to give them strength—and even today, they are one of China’s most popular healthy foods.