10 Benefits Jujube Fruit

Long been known as an important herbal medicine in China, the jujube fruit is not only a treat to the taste buds, but it is nature's one tiny packet of important nutrients. Here's all about the health benefits of the jujube fruit.

The jujube fruit originated in China, and is also known as the Chinese date. This fruit can be of the size of a cherry or plum, depending on the cultivar. It has white flesh, which is covered by thin, edible skin.

Most people prefer to munch on the fruit when it is still raw and green, as then, it is crispy and juicy. When the fruit matures, it leaves its green shade and takes on a brown or purplish color, sometimes bearing mahogany spots. A ripe jujube fruit is entirely red and wrinkled, somewhat similar to raisins.

The rest of the article will brief you on the health benefits this Asian fruit has in store.

The Goodness of the Jujube Fruit

• The jujube fruit is, perhaps, most notable for its abundance in vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant that helps reduce free radical damage in the body, and boosts the immune system.

• The jujube fruit improves blood circulation, thanks to its richness in niacin (vitamin B3).

• An important health benefit is its effect on blood pressure. Since the fruit also contains potassium, it helps in lowering high blood pressure. The fruit's poor content of sodium, further makes it a desirable and healthy choice for people who are on a low-salt diet.

• Calcium in the fruit helps improve bone strength, and the magnesium in it keeps the muscles more toned.

• The extracts of the Chinese date is known to have been used in breast cancer treatment, in traditional Chinese medicine.

• Traditional Chinese and Korean medicine practitioners have purported the benefits of the fruit in the form of its antibacterial, antifungal, antiulcer, and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Certain clinical trials reported that having jujube fruits may ease the symptoms of chronic constipation, and it may also help in the treatment of jaundice that affects infants in their first month.

• The mention of this fruit has also occurred in the treatment of common skin conditions like dry, itchy skin, wounds, and ulcers.

• It is believed that the fruit may have certain properties that help reduce stress or anxiety. Other conditions whose symptoms may be managed by the fruit include:

1. Poor appetite
2. Diarrhea
3. Anemia
4. Fatigue
5. Hysteria
6. Fever
7. Asthma
8. Inflammation
9. Eye diseases

• An important property of the jujube fruit is linked to healthy liver functioning. Certain antioxidants in the fruit may offer some level of protection to the liver, and help it rejuvenate as well. This was revealed in an animal study, where the liver that was deprived of blood supply for about 40 minutes showed recovery with the help of jujube fruits.

Its effects in strengthening the liver could be linked to the fruit's use in treating conditions like cirrhosis and hepatitis, in Chinese traditional medicine.

Although there are no known side effects of over-consumption of the jujube fruit, it is necessary to discuss its consumption with your health care provider if you have any ongoing chronic medical problem.