Gubinge: An Australian Super Food
Danica Collins – Managing Editor, Underground Health Reporter ™
Cold and flu season isn’t quite over, and it’s important to fortify your immune system with essential minerals and vitamins, like vitamin C. In fact, it’s the perfect time of year to introduce you to an Australian super food that comes fully loaded with a superdose of vitamin C to help keep your immune system thriving.
Gubinge is a small green fruit with a somewhat sour taste. You might know gubinge as the kakadu plum, the bush plum, the billygoat plum, or murunga. It may go by different names, but its claim to fame remains the same: gubinge boasts the highest levels of vitamin C of any food source on the planet (1000-5000 mg per every 100 grams of the fruit). It contains over 5% vitamin C by weight, which is 50 times greater than the vitamin C content of an orange. That’s some hefty immune-boosting power for such a tiny fruit! Add some gubinge powder to your morning smoothie or juice for a convenient vitamin C fix.
The Many Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the perfect cold buster, as evidenced by its three descriptors:
- Antioxidant
- Antibacterial
- Antiviral
Vitamin C helps to strengthen your bones, teeth, and gums, keep your skin youthful and firm by activating collagen production, and improve cognitive function. Vitamin C plays a critical role in the metabolism of enzymes responsible for proper digestion, peptide hormone production, collagen production, and carnitine production (an enzyme that helps fuel energy metabolism).
Gubinge gives your body a substantial vitamin C boost, but C isn’t the only antioxidant in gubinge. A study published in the journal Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies showed that gubinge had the highest antioxidant power of all the 12 native Australian fruits tested—that’s more than Cedar Bay cherries, blueberries, and Illawarre plums!
Antioxidant=Anti-Cancer
Gubinge contains two noted anti-cancer phytochemicals: gallic acid and ellagic acid. Studies continue to demonstrate gallic acid’s antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-tumor capabilities. A study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences showed that gallic acid is infused with anti-inflammatory properties and aids in the treatment of inflammatory allergenic diseases. Other research points to ellagic acid as an anti-cancer agent that can promote apoptosis (cancer cell death) and reduce estrogen’s role in the development of breast cancer. The journal Nutrition and Cancer published a study that showed how polyphenols extracted from gubinge suppress cancer cell activity.
Protect Your Bones
Gubinge is rich in minerals, including calcium and magnesium, which work synergistically to promote optimal bone health. Magnesium assists in the proper absorption of calcium, and together these nutrients help defend against bone disorders such as osteoporosis.
Gubinge is also high in dietary fiber, and imparts a natural laxative effect by aiding in the elimination of accumulated waste in the colon. It is low in fat and calories, and therefore a wonderful treat to include in a weight-loss program.
Where to find Gubinge
Gubinge has resisted attempts at commercial cultivation and grows best in the outback of Australia. Farmed gubinge also has significantly lower concentrations of vitamin C, so if you stumble upon wild-harvested varieties take advantage. You can also purchase gubinge as kakuda plum juice or as a powder to mix in with your green smoothies.
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