Noni Fruit – What is Noni Fruit Juice?

Noni fruit juice products have generated a lot of interest in recent times, and there is a degree of mystery, misinformation and hype surrounding it that we wish to dispel. Many people ask “What is Noni fruit?” because it is certainly not something you get to see in the fruit & vegetable section at your local supermarket! Let us give you some brief facts about its history, source, utilisation and processing to expand your understanding of the Noni product.

    ►     History                                             ►    Properties   
    ►     The Tree                                           ►    Usage

    ►     Appearance                                      ►    Processing

 

 

Noni Fruit Juice History:

Because of the known medicinal benefits of Noni fruit, a high value was placed on Noni fruit by the early Polynesians. They have known about, and taken advantage of, the medicinal properties of Noni fruit juice for approximately two thousand years! 

 
Noni fruit seeds were transported throughout the South Pacific via native canoes during migrations, and trees were planted wherever the canoes landed – on Hawaii, Cook Islands, Tahiti etc.

 

The Noni Tree:

The Noni tree is quite unique! This tree is something special in the plant kingdom because it has no season, a property shared by only a handful of plants worldwide.

 
Noni trees produce fruit all year round on the same branch, and it is quite amazing to see buds, flowers, green and ripe, yellow Noni fruit on the same branch. When the ripe fruit are picked, the next green fruit will ripen and be ready for picking around 10 days later. The volume of juice from just one Noni tree over a 12 month period is huge.

 

Noni Fruit Appearance:                                         

Noni fruit are totally unique in appearance, and in their case a picture really is worth a thousand words! The fruit are not unlike little green hand grenades, but have the exact opposite effect – Noni will keep you alive, not harm you. As they ripen, the green Noni fruit undergo a colour change to yellow.

 

Other Properties:

 
Noni fruit and its pulp, have a distinctive cheesy-like smell, and it also has a slightly bitter taste. Isn’t it odd how many of the natural products that are so very good for us also have a bitter taste – e.g. Green Tea.

 

Noni Fruit Usage:

If Noni fruit are to be cooked, they are usually picked green, and a local Noni fruit recipe is used to make a type of stew. There is also a Noni fruit recipe for the famous Thai “Tom Yum” soup as well – apparently, Noni fruit are often cooked in Thailand

 

Processing Noni Fruit Juice:

 
Ripe Noni fruit are picked, inspected, washed and dried. Noni fruit start fermenting within hours of being picked. The fruit juice is produced by placing the ripe Noni fruit into traditional airtight fermenting barrels for a minimum of 20 days.

 

At the end of the 20 day fermenting period, the noni fruit and juice are processed through a low pressure wine press. The final product - pure Noni fruit juice - is dark reddish/brown in colour when ready for bottling.

 

Noni Fruit Juice - Summary:

 

Natives of the South Pacific Islands have prized the Noni tree, and the properties of the Noni fruit juice it produces, for many centuries. The Noni tree is distinctive in nature through its unique “year-round” fruit production. This fruit is definitely special, and we provide a wealth of information about the health benefits that may be accrued from it. Whilst it may have an unusual smell, and a bitter taste, those properties are quickly forgotten when you experience its benefits first-hand.