Noni powder is another way to enjoy the pure health benefits of the noni plant. The noni shrub (also called Morinda Citrifolia) is originally native to the Pacific islands, Asia and Australia. The Polynesians used it to treat wounds, inflammations, infections and almost all sorts of illnesses. Today, noni is considered a miracle food that can cure chronic disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disorders, digestive disorders and most importantly, cancer. Noni contains 150 phytonutrients such as antioxidants, alkaloids, polysaccharides, nitric oxide, amino acids, vitamins and minerals thus making it a wonderful health supplement.
Noni Powder Studies
One significant study on noni powder is linked to treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. In fact, it is used in traditional Thai medicine to relieve gastroesophageal inflammation. An article in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology (March 2011) reported how drinking noni powder inhibit acid reflux esophagitis, retard the development of stomach ulcer and quicken the healing process for ulcers. The noni fruit contains immune boosting properties that help treat different types of infections.
Noni also blocks the oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis. This is the finding reported by the the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Drugs.com. The rich antioxidant contents of Morinda Citrifolia stops cell damage or facilitate cell repair thus ensuring overall health. Antioxidants in noni show that they are more potent than Vitamins C and E, and have anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent other serious disorders.
Noni Powder Brands
If you are considering using noni powder to get the noni health benefits, here are some brands that you might want to look into:
- Big Island Noni Powder produces natural noni powder from its own Kalapana Noni Farm in Hawaii. The powder is guaranteed 100% pure from dehydrated fresh Hawaiian Noni fruit pulp and with neither additives nor preservatives. The powder is sold at $45 per pound.
- Hawaii Noni Powder from Noni Maui offers noni powder that’s 100% pure. The product is entirely derived from noni fruit minus all other parts. A 20 pound noni fruit is dehydrated to yield a pound of noni powder which can be mixed into liquid drink. Using a dehydrating system, the essential elements are preserved. But because it is powder form, it will take time to pass through the digestive system. Hawaiian Noni Powder costs $59/pound.
- Live Superfoods Noni Powder comes from raw noni fruit that is 100% natural. It has no additives so it doesn’t dissolve easily in water alone but can be great when mixed in with smoothies and yogurts. It is packed in 16 oz and sold at $30.
- Organic Noni Powder being sold by Nuts Online comes from noni fruits that have been sun-dried and pulverized or grounded. The Organic Noni Powder comes in resealable bags that are sold at $12.99 (8 oz bag) and $109.95 (5 lb bag).
- Purebulk’s Noni Powder is a noni extract from the noni fruit. Using 8 grams of the fruit plant to make 1 gram of concentrated extract guarantees that the dark beige or brown powder is pure, no fillers or any additives. The product comes in packages of 100g, 250g, 500g and 1kg that costs from as low as $8 to $57.
Other brands of noni powder are available online and in the health supplement section in supermarket. Which one is the best? It’s certainly hard to recommend one. What you can do is to get feedback as to the effective noni brand from existing noni drinkers. You can also get advice from your doctors if they recommend that you take noni as supplement. It’s a matter of trying the noni powder yourself and finding out how your body responds to it.
Contraindications
If there is any kind of discomfort or problem, immediately stop taking noni powder. Noni is not for everyone. Caution should be taken if you have kidney disorder that requires low potassium level. The rich potassium in noni might lead to serious complications to your kidney problem. Liver toxicity was also noted in some cases as reported by noni drinkers. Chemotherapy patients must seek their doctor’s advice prior to using noni. Noni may be beneficial to early stage of cancer but not for advanced cancer. Pregnant and breastfeeding women must avoid taking them because no study has yet confirmed noni benefits to them.