Aboriginal Vitamin C
According to the Australian Government’s Rural Industries Research and Development Corp., the Kakadu Plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) has the highest recorded level of natural vitamin C content of any plant in the world.
Kakadu Plum is a small to medium sized Australian native tree that can reach heights up to 50 feet. The Kakadu Plum fruits are soft, yellow-green in color and about 2 inches long with one large seed inside.
Kakadu Plums are edible and consumed either raw, cooked, or made into jams & jelly, and are one of the “bush tucker” plants of the Aboriginal People of Australia. They are used to make a refreshing drink from the plums, or the plums are consumed raw, made into an edible jelly and gum.
The Vitamin C content varies from 3.5-5.9% (wet weight) compared to orange, grapefruit and lime that contain approximately 0.5%. They also have high levels of antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds and anthocyanins.
The Kakadu Plum also contain significant gallic and ellagic acid content, and are very rich in chlorophyll and lutein. Also reported are herperitin, kaempferol, luteolin and quercetin.
Kakadu Plums are packed with minerals including magnesium, zinc, calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, phosphorous, manganese, copper and molybdenum.
Besides being consumed as food, The Kakadu Plum has been utilized as a traditional medicine, for colds & flu, as an antiseptic and as a topical salve for aches and pains.
In scientific investigations, the Kakadu plum and its constituents have been found to have potential for bacterial malodor prevention, inhibiting the growth of foodborne bacteria, as well as exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, Giardia inhibition, and apoptosis inducing activity.
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*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.