Baby Jackfruit (Momordica cochinchinensis), a Southeast Asian fruit, has high concentrations of important phytonutrients such as beta-carotene and lycopene, used for healthy vision and skin.

Momordica cochinchinensis, known as gac in Vietnam, is used for food and medicine in Southeast Asia. Aril, the red, oily pulp surrounding the seeds, is cooked along with seeds to flavour and give its red colour to a rice dish, which is served at festive occasions such as weddings and the lunar New Year in Vietnam. The Vietnamese often use the fruit in a dish prepared by mixing gac seed and pulp with cooked rice to impart a red color (white is considered the colour of death) and distinctive flavour. Because of seasonality, scarcity, and lack of awareness of potential health benefits, Baby Jackfruit is still an unrecognised ingredient for diets worldwide.

Grown in Vietnam and other areas in Southern Asia, Baby Jackfruit is revered as “the fruit from heaven” and is prized for its ability to promote longevity, vitality, and health. Traditional Chinese Medicine has used the seeds for liver and spleen disorders, wounds, hemorrhoids, bruises, swelling, and pus. In modern days, the seed membranes are used to make a tonic for children and lactating or pregnant women, and to treat “dry eyes” (xerophthalmia) and night blindness. Gac is becoming known as a premier source of carotenoids, especially beta-carotene and lycopene. Carotenoids were first identified in gac in 1941. However, it was only recently found that gac has beta-carotene and lycopene at very high levels.

The fruit has been shown to be especially high in lycopene content. Gac oil produces more than 76 times the amount of lycopene found in a tomato. Studies have shown that high intakes of tomatoes and tomato products, rich in lycopene, as well as high blood levels of lycopene, are significantly associated with decreased prostate cancer risk. A doubleblind study of 26 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer has shown that lycopene significantly decreased tumours to less than 4 mm in size in a number of subjects, and decreased a number with cancer of extra-prostatic tissue. This effect is attributed to lycopene’s antioxidant and DNA protective properties.

The fruit contains by far the highest content of beta-carotene of any known fruit or vegetable, 10 times higher than carrots for example. Research has confirmed that the beta-carotene (Vitamin A) in the fruit is highly bioavailable. In a double-blind study with 185 children, some were given a dish containing 3.5 mg beta-carotene from Baby Jackfruit, while others were given an identical-looking dish containing 5 mg beta-carotene powder. After 30 days, the former group eating natural beta-carotene had significantly greater plasma (blood) levels of beta-carotene than the latter with synthetic beta-carotene. This oil also included high levels of vitamin E. The fatty acids in the aril are important for the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients including carotenoids in a diet typically low in fat. Thus, gac provides an acceptable source of high levels of valuable antioxidants that have good bioavailability. Also, vitamin A is good for skin and vision.

Modern technology extracts oil from momordica cochinchinensis aril to yield an edible oil rich in beta-carotene. The process can be carried out without the use of any harmful solvents and provides products containing other carotenoids, such as lycopene, and fiber and vitamin E. Products derived from this invention serve as a safe source of antioxidants and nutritional supplement for human consumption.

Eye strain (red eyes), avitaminosis A.

Ingredients:
Baby Jackfruit (Momordica cochinchinensis).

Per capsule: 400 mg Momordica cochinchinens is providing 16.48 mg beta-carotene (equivalent to 2747 µg RE Vitamin A, 343% RDA) and 1 mg lycopene.