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| Noni street tree in Tulum, Mexico |
Noni, Morinda citrifolia
aka Cheese plant
I’m still on the tropical plant kick. I felt this plant could use a post of it’s own.
I first met and learned about this plant in 2009 when I was in Panama. I followed this trail through the jungle and across cattle pastures to find this little shop that I had been told about which served noni juice, smoothies and other products. (They also had a coffee farm and served coffee that they grew!) Noni tastes and smells HORRIBLE. So, why go out of my way to drink this horrible tasting drink, you may ask. I did this because I had been told about the fruit’s high medicinal value.
There are many claims, some actually quite outrageous, about the health benefits of the noni fruit. It is claimed to a be super, cure-all fruit. “It will cure cancer! Diabetes! Liver problems! ETC!” I hope everyone is warey of claims like this when you see them, as there is no magic plant that will cure all your ills. I do believe plants have many medicinal properties and consuming them will make you healthy- we are meant to eat the plants! But please don’t try to cure your cancer by drinking noni juice- this is dangerous to your health. I am not saying it can’t help health issues, but please don’t rely on any one ‘magic’ plant to cure you.
That being said, there have been many studies done on noni to find out just how healthy this little stinky fruit it. It has been found to have many phytochemical constituents that do have proven health benefits.
“The following is a partial list of the phytochemical constituents in ripe noni fruit, and some of their known biological activities.
1-Hexanol - antisepticAcetic acid – bactericide, fungicideAsperuloside – antiinflammatory, laxativeAucubin – antioxidant, bactericide, laxativeBenzoic acid – antiseptic, bactericide, fungicideBenzyl alcohol – anesthetic, antisepticCaprylic acid – candidacide, fungicide Damnacanthal - catharticEugenol – analgesic, anesthetic, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, cancer-preventiveGlucuronic acid - detoxicantLimonene – anticancer, antitumor, hypercholesterolemicLinoleic acid – antiarteriosclerotic, cancer-preventive, hepatoprotectiveMyristic acid – cancer-preventiveNoni-ppt – antitumor, immunomodulatoryOleic acid – cancer-preventivePalmitic acid - antifibrinolyticScopoletin – analgesic, antiedemic, antiinflammatory”
This was pulled from this site, which is a good source of more noni information with a full works cited section(which is always good when you are looking for facts on something that has wild claims about it).
The plant!
Its native range extends through Southeast Asia and Australia and is now found throughout the tropics(the photos are from noni I found growing as a street tree in Mexico). It is an evergreen shrub that can grow to about 10m. It has big green shiny leaves and is a member of the coffee family. It can grow in a variety of environments and soil types. In some places it is considered a weed because it can grow vigorously in places where not much else can. The tree flowers multiple times a year producing clusters of small white flowers with a sweet aroma. Because it flowers multiple times a year, it also fruits multiple times a year. The fruit produced is a bumpy, fleshy, round shape which is cream colored when ripe. It has a pungent cheesy odor when ripe, which is why it is also called Cheese plant.
Other uses
Before it the fruit became widely used for medicine, the other parts of the plant were used for things as well. The roots and bark of the noni tree were used by many indigenous societies to make fabric dyes. Other parts of the plant were also commonly used topically in traditional medicine. The leaves and fruit had been mixed with oils and used to treat wounds
Sources:
Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
The Medicine Hunter
Organic Facts
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/beverage/noni-juice.html
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