Noni Juice Benefits Up Close

Online, October 29, 2009 (Newswire.com) - The nutritional supplement industry is one where products seem to have a very limited time in the spotlight before attention shifts to the next big thing. In the last year or so, you've no doubt read about thelmak root, hoodia, acai berries, goji berries and mangosteen in rapid succession. Every time a new tropical fruit or supplement comes along, it's touted as the healthiest thing ever discovered but of course, this is also an industry which is more than a little prone to hype.

As you may know, Noni juice benefits are what everyone's talking about lately. It is in fact a healthy product, as are all of the other ones listed above. However, you're probably weary of all the hype which every new nutritional supplement receives; so what are the facts here?

First of all, Noni (also called the Great Morinad) is a tree that grows on a lot of South Pacific and Polynesian islands. It's originally native to Southeast Asia, and can handle a wide range of soils. It flowers and fruits all year long, and the fruit is very pungent smelling as it ripens it's sometimes called the 'cheese fruit' because of this. The fruit pulp is strained to remove the seeds and used for a lot of Indonesian and Polynesian cooking, and Noni juice benefits are well known in traditional Asian medicine.

Noni juice is a good source of vitamin C, phytochemicals and antioxidants. The antioxidant content of a glass of Noni juice is about the same as that found in an ounce of grape skins and it's vitamin C content about the same as that of a glass of orange juice. However, a glass of Noni juice contains less calories than the equivalent amount of orange juice or grapes.

The real Noni juice benefits aren't that the juice contains these vitamins and antioxidants; there are other fruits and vegetables which can provide the same nutrients. What sets Noni juice apart is that they provide these nutrients in a single glass which contains less calories than you'd consume to get the same amount of these nutrients from other sources.

As to the actual health benefits? Well, there's a laundry list to work from:

First of all, like all foods high in Vitamin C, Noni has a noticeable impact in improving liver function and protecting the liver from damage. Similarly, it helps the body create more T-Cells and is a good immune system booster. There is anecdotal evidence from Linus Pauling that large doses of Vitamin C can also act to help ward off viruses.

The antioxidant compounds within Noni juice are the same ones that have been proven to help cardiovascular health in lab mice and lab rats; they're also in the general category of 'toxin removers' that help eliminate free radicals, one of the things that promotes aging in the human body.

The fructose and antioxidants in Noni juice can provide a natural pick me up comparable to that of the many energy drinks on the market. Fructose, a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits is one of the most readily digested nutrients and provides a quick energy boost and Noni juice's antioxidant content helps this nutrient to be digested and available even more quickly. Noni juice, like other fruit juices also encourages serotonin release, providing a natural mood elevation as well as a little extra energy.

In the end, Noni juice's benefits are substantial, and it's a good supplement. It's worth adding to your diet, but it's not an excuse to avoid your doctor, nor is it something you should over consume. It's not the secret of eternal youth; it's just a good dietary supplement, and given its benefits, that's enough.