What is Noni?

Noni(also known as Morinda Citifolia or Great Morinda) is a small tree or shrub that is a member of the coffee family.  In different parts of the world, it has been given different names like Indian mulberry, beach mulberry, vomit fruit, cheese fruit, mouse’s pineapple, yellow root, jumbie breadfruit, hog apple, pain killer, mengkudu, and nono It has an extremely high tolerance to a variety of environments. Noni can grow in shady forests or rocky shores, very wet or very dry climate, and on volcanic terrain or limestone. All parts of Noni tree are useful. The roots can be used as dye, the bark as medicine, the trunks for firewood, the leaves as medicine, and the fruit as food. Noni has large, simple, dark green, shiny and deeply-veined leaves. The bark is grayish brown and slightly rough. The plant is full of flowers and fruits all year round. Noni flowers are small and white in color and each flower grows to create a globe shape which increases in size as it matures. The unripe fruit is green in color and, after ripening, changes into a whitish yellow and emits a pungent, unpleasant odor. This is the reason behind its label as vomit fruit or cheese fruit in some cultures.  The ripened Noni fruit looks like small breadfruit and is about the size of a potatoIt also contains seeds which are edible when roasted.

Where did Noni originate?

Noni is grown mostly throughout the Pacific Island.  It is native to Southeast Asia and Australia but is now available worldwide. Many years ago, the Noni plant was discovered by the French Polynesians who sailed from one island to another in search of novel items for survival. They brought the Noni plant home with them from the islands of the South Pacific as a source of food and medicine. They named this plant the queen of the canoe plants.  In this way, through the transport of the Noni plant, its health benefits were passed from generation to generation.

In Ayurveda, Noni was known as a sacred plant and was called as ‘Ashvuka’ which means “prolonged existence”.During World War II, U.S. soldiers in Polynesian islands were also informed about the Noni plant as an edible food they could incorporate into their diet to sustain their strength; this was mentioned in their field manual Military Field Handbook for Survival. Nowadays, the Noni plant is widely available in the form of capsules, powders, and supplements.

What are some of the health benefits provided by the Noni plant?

Noni is a balancing agent which stabilizes the body for perfect health. It is traditionally used as medicine among the Pacific Island tribes to treat arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and numerous other degenerative ailments. Numerous research tests and human clinical studies have yet to reveal any adverse health effects, even high doses of the Noni plant.

As mentioned earlier, all parts of the Noni plant are usable. Traditionally, Noni leaves were used as treatment for vitamin A deficiency, the stem was used to treat scorpion fish puncture wounds, and the roots were used to make dye for fabrics. Fetid oil extracted from it, was used as insecticide. The ripe fruit was also used as a poultice. Juice from the fruit was also used to make a medicinal drink, which is a remedy for tuberculosis. The ripe fruit was either consumed as a raw or cooked.

Currently, Noni juices are believed to be beneficial healing agents and alleviate:

• Itchy scalp, skin and eyes
• Throat and gum ailments
• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Respiratory discomfort
• Arthritis
• Urinary tract ailments
• Irregular menstrual flow
• Neck and back pain, and headaches

Noni tea is also very popular. In modern times, the uses of Noni have expanded to include ADD/ADHD, allergies, asthma, brain problems, cancer, cardiovascular disease, endometriosis, multiple sclerosis and sinus problems, among others.