Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

What are Kakadu Plums?

Kakadu plums are fruits native to Australia. This delicious tropical fruit has become very popular because of its health benefits.

Kakadu plums contain high levels of vitamin C, potassium, fibre, antioxidants, and other nutrients. They also provide a great source of energy. In addition, they are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids. These compounds are known to boost immunity and fight cancer.

The Kakadu plum ( Terminalia ferdinandiana ), also known as the gubinge or billygoat plum, is a small fruit found in the open Eucalyptus forests of northern Australia.
It is pale green with a stone in the centre, over 1.5-2 cm long, and weighs 2-5 grams. It is fibrous and has a sharp, bitter taste.
In traditional medicine, Kakadu plums have been used to treat colds, flu, and headaches. They were also used as an antiseptic or soothing balm for the limbs.
More recently, they have been recognized for their high nutritional value.
Here are the best health benefits of Kakadu plums.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Kakadu plums (Terminalia ferdinandiana) are a type of small, yellow fruit native to Australia. They are high in vitamin C and are thought to have a number of health benefits, including:

1. Antioxidant effects: Kakadu plums are rich in antioxidants, which can help protect the body's cells from damage caused by free radicals.
2. Anti-inflammatory effects: Some research suggests that the compounds found in Kakadu plums may have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help reduce inflammation in the body.
3. Antimicrobial effects: Kakadu plums have been shown to have antimicrobial properties, which means they may be able to help kill or inhibit the growth of certain types of bacteria and fungi.
4. Skin health: Kakadu plums are sometimes used in skin care products due to their high vitamin C content, which may help improve skin health.
5. Oral health: Some research suggests that Kakadu plums may have benefits for oral health, including reducing plaque formation and improving gum health.

It's important to note that more research is needed to fully understand the potential health benefits of Kakadu plums and to determine the appropriate dosage and usage.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Fruits Are Very Nutritious

Kakadu Plumbs

Contain antioxidants and other nutrients that promote good health. They are also very low in calories. In addition, they are delicious and nutritious. Here is the nutritional breakdown of 100 grams of the edible part of the fruit:

• Calories: 59
• Protein: 0.8 grams
• Carbs: 17.2 grams
• Dietary fiber: 7.1 grams
• Fat: 0.5 grams
• Sodium: 13 mg
• Vitamin C: 3,230% of the daily dose (DD)
• Copper: 100% of DD
• Iron: 13.3% of the DD

It is especially rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects your body from damage caused by reactive molecules known as free radicals.
In addition, it is an excellent source of copper, which is used to form red blood cells, bones, connective tissue, and important enzymes, as well as to support proper immune system function and fetal development.
Kakadu plums are also rich in iron, which is essential for the transport of oxygen throughout the body and the production of red blood cells.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

In addition, they are a good source of dietary fibre, which protects against constipation, colon cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and promotes gut health and blood sugar control.
Finally, Kakadu plums provide smaller amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, zinc, and calcium, all of which are essential micronutrients for good health

The Richest Food Source of C Vitamin

Kakadu plums have the highest natural amount of vitamin C recorded in any food in the world. In fact, 100 grams of fruit provides well over 3,000% of your daily needs.
For reference, the same serving of oranges contains 59.1% of the DD, while the same amount of blueberries provides only 10.8% of the DD.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system, reduces oxidative stress, and may play a role in collagen synthesis, iron absorption, heart health, memory, and cognition.
For example, in adults with high blood pressure, a 500 mg dose of vitamin C reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 4.85 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 1.67 mm Hg.
Additionally, a review of 15 studies found that people with diets high in vitamin C had a 16% lower risk of heart disease than people with low vitamin C intake.

Eating foods rich in vitamin C can also help absorb plant sources of iron.
In fact, adding 100 mg of vitamin C to a meal can improve iron absorption by 67%. This can be especially helpful for vegetarians, vegans, and people with iron deficiency.
The vitamin C content of Kakadu plums declines rapidly after picking, so the fruit is usually frozen for transport and sale.
In addition, the vitamin C content of these fruits is also reduced when cooked. One experiment found that a Kakadu plum sauce provided 16.9% less vitamin C than raw fruit.
However, Kakadu plums remain an excellent source of vitamin C – fresh or cooked.

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Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Good Source of Ellagic Acid

Kakadu plums are rich in a type of organic acid known as ellagic acid.
Ellagic acid is a polyphenol known to be a powerful antioxidant. It is also commonly found in strawberries, berries, walnuts, and almonds.
It has been linked to numerous health benefits, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and prebiotic effects.
For example, test tubes and animal studies have shown that ellagic acid can block tumour growth and cause tumour cell death in a variety of cancers.

However, more human research is needed to understand the health effects of dietary ellagic acid.
There are currently no recommendations on the daily intake of ellagic acid. Some reports estimate the average daily intake to be around 4.9-12 mg.
Kakadu plums contain approximately 228-14,020 mg of ellagic acid per 100 grams of dried fruit. The exact amount is determined by the tree, climate, soil conditions, maturity, and storage conditions.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Rich Source of Antioxidants

Kakadu plums are an excellent source of antioxidants. They contain 6 times the amount of polyphenols and 13.3 times more antioxidant activity than blueberries.
Antioxidants help neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals. Excess numbers of these molecules can harm your body and cause oxidative stress.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Free radicals develop naturally, but a poor diet, as well as environmental toxins, air pollution, and cigarette smoke, can increase their numbers. In addition to vitamin C and ellagic acid, prunes contain many other antioxidants, including:

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Flavonols. These are linked to heart health and may have stroke-reducing, cancer-fighting, and antiviral effects. The main types of flavonols in Kakadu plums are kaempferol and quercetin.

Aromatic acids. In Kakadu plums, the main types are ellagic and gallic acid. Gallic acid is associated with the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

Anthocyanins. These are the colour pigments in the fruit and are associated with good urinary tract health, a lower risk of some cancers, healthy ageing, and improved memory and eye health.

Lutein. This antioxidant is a carotenoid that is linked to eye health and may protect against macular degeneration and heart disease.
The high antioxidant content and activity of Kakadu plums mean they can help prevent and fight disease. However, more research is needed to determine the effects of the fruit itself.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

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It Has Cancer-Fighting Properties

The nutrients in Kakadu plums may help prevent and fight cancer.
Test-tube studies have indicated that extracts from these fruits have anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent some types of cancer
These extracts also promote the death of cancer cells in test-tube studies, which is an important immune defence against cancer and cell mutations.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Protects Against Inflammatory Diseases

Kakadu plums may help protect against inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be triggered by certain infections. Test tube studies indicate that Kakadu fruit and leaf extract inhibited the bacteria that cause these infections.
This effect is due to the high tannin content of this fruit, which comes from ellagitannin – a form of ellagic acid.
Although this research is promising, more evidence is needed.

Kakadu Plums Help Skin Health

Kakadu plums are high in vitamin C, which is an important nutrient for skin health. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can harm cells and contribute to the development of skin ageing and certain skin conditions.

Vitamin C also helps to support the production of collagen, a protein that gives structure to the skin and helps it to appear firm and youthful. In addition, some research suggests that vitamin C may have skin-lightening effects and may help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation or the darkening of certain areas of the skin due to an excess pigment. However, it's important to note that more research is needed to fully understand the potential skin benefits of Kakadu plums and to determine the appropriate dosage and usage.

It Offers Natural Antibacterial Properties

Kakadu plums have natural antibacterial properties that may make them useful for preserving food and preventing foodborne illness.
Research has shown that their extracts, seeds, bark, and leaves inhibit the growth of common food pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes.

Therefore, food preservation solutions using Kakadu plum extract can be a natural and safe alternative to synthetic methods.
Additionally, the fruit's antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties have led to its use in some skincare and acne-fighting products.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

Kakadu plums are very rich in both oxalates and vitamin C.
While most people can eliminate excess amounts of these substances, in sensitive individuals, high intakes have been linked to kidney stone formation.
Risk factors include genetics and kidney and inflammatory diseases.
Those who are at risk may need to limit their intake of oxalates to 40-50 mg per day. The Kakadu plum contains 2717 mg of oxalate per 100 grams of dried fruit, far exceeding these limits.
Sensitive people should also limit their intake of vitamin C to the reference intake of 90 mg per day.

Potential Risks

Kakadu plums can be eaten fresh, but because they are very fibrous and sour, they are more commonly used in jams, preserves, sauces, and juices.
To maintain their size and quality, Kakadu plums are usually frozen directly after harvest.

Kakadu Plums. The Best Benefits

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