Noni Juice: From Tropical Berry to Superdrink, This Tropical Drink Has Excited the Imagination and Appetites of Western Consumers

Noni juice is produced from a white berry that grows on Morinda Citrifolia, a tree in the coffee family (Rubiaceae). More popular as a drink than as a fresh fruit, Noni juice has gained status as a superfruit. Tahitian Noni, the largest marketer of the product in the world, claims sales of over 2 billion dollars since the product was introduced to the market in 1996.

The story of the fruit began over 3,000 years ago when the people of New Guinea set out to explore the Polynesian Islands. Not sure what food sources they would find in their new homes, they took vegetables and fruits with them that could be planted as well as eaten. The ancient explorers included the Noni fruit in their list of 25 “canoe foods,” not for its nutritional value, but because of its medicinal properties and ability to promote longevity. The mulberry like fruit had already been touted in ancient Aryuvedic texts as a berry that balances the body, stabilizing it, propelling it into excellent health. And legend has it that the leaves of the tree could even bring the dead back to life.

M. Citrolia adapts easily to diverse environments. It grows as well in shady forests as on open rocky terrain or sandy shores. It matures in 18 months, grows to heights of 30 feet, and is a prolific fruit producer, bringing forth 4-8 kilograms of fresh berries every month throughout the year. Within the last 20 years, Chieftains on the Island of Samoa decided to share their local wonder fruit with the world, and helped to promote the successful marketing of Noni berry juice worldwide. The project has brought so much success to the local islanders that they celebrate an official Noni berry day every year, with dancing, contests, music, and food.

The mature fruit is oval in shape and reaches 4-7 centimters (1.6-2.8″) in size. At first green, it turns yellow then almost white as it ripens. Within are numerous seeds, which can be roasted and eaten, and there are several techniques for extracting the juice.

The green fruit, leaves, and root/rhizome were traditionally used in Polynesian cultures to treat menstrual cramps, bowel irregularities, diabetes, liver diseases, and urinary tract infections. The berry contains a number of phytochemicals, including lignans, oligo and polysaccharides, flavonoid s, iridoids, fatty acids, scopoletin, catechin, beta- sitosterol, damnacanthal, and alkaloids. While modern science has failed to find strong evidence of health benefits from the berry, the public appeal of Noni juice is attested to by the great success the beverage has had in the public market. If scientists have been unable to find any positive evidence of health benefits, they have been equally unsuccessful in finding any harmful effects. So the drink continues to charm the public as a natural fruit juice that brings the culture and ambience of the South Pacific to the western world.


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