This unusual fruit from Southeast Asia is a spiky, cantaloupe-sized, bright orangeish-red member of the squash family. Simply known as "Gac," this weapon-like fruit is known as "Fruit from Heaven" by the locals, who claim it has an unmatched ability to promote longevity. |  |
Gac fruit has a flavor that is loved by many, although it is not sweet and it does take some getting used to. Some even say it tastes somewhere between a squash and carrot.
Gac has long been highly valued for its flavor in fact, and only recently has the world discovered that it is brimming with health benefits which are attributed to significant antioxidants from carotenoids and fatty acids. Just a few short years ago has it been shown to scientists, who discovered that Gac is a full-fledged superfruit, with a suite of great benefits for us humans.
The most impressive stats I've seen on Gac fruit include:
- 76 TIMES the Lycopene content of the average tomato. (!)
- 10 TIMES the Beta Carotene content of the average carrot.
- VERY HIGH content of Omegas 6 & 9; in fact it has been measured at 22% fatty acids by weight!
- A very concentrated source of zeaxanthin, which is essential for good eye health and vision.
Sadly, Gac fruit is too weird-looking (and likely to harbor small insects) to catch on in the United States yet, and it is pretty much unheard of outside of Southeast Asia. We'll learn more about it here though for you and post about it in this category in the future.
Gac plants, known scientifically as Momordica Cochinchinnensis Spreng, have simply not yet received the worldwide attention that they deserve. Known only to a very few scientists as one of the world’s best natural sources of Beta Carotene and Lycopene, it stays too removed from the world stage to be tested properly… I’d imagine that they [...]
If you want to know more about what a gac fruit is, this video shows you some history of where gac fruit comes from and what it was used in the past and how it came about to be part of modern science and technology, particularly how it became a part of the G3gac fruit juice by Pharmanex. People of Southern Asia throughout centuries have enjoyed the nourishment and health benefits that this magnificent fruit offers. They have celebrated good health and cure illnesses with this fruit.
Gac has mostly been used as an ornamental fruit, letting it’s vines creep over their houses and proudly showing off their large, bright pink Gacs to the neighbors like we would pink flamingos in our yards.
