A Gift From Nature, A Heavenly Blessing Product
GAC Fruit, is often referred to as the “fruit of heaven” due to its impressive nutritional profile and heath benefits
Gac Fruit Origins and Geography
Gac fruits are native to Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. These fruits have been growing wild since ancient times, with their species name, cochinchinensis, derived from the Cochinchina region. Gac vines thrive in warm, tropical climates, climbing on trees and trellises. While records from the 15th century show their use in Chinese medicine, Gac fruits are now rare and mostly found in Southeast Asia and a few other tropical regions, including Brazil. Over the years, Gac Fruit has been introduced to Canada, the USA, Dubai, and China.
Noah-Breed Gac Fruit
After years of research and development, Gac Fruit Malaysia has successfully cultivated the Noah Breed Gac Fruit—a new variety specifically adapted to thrive in Malaysia’s soil and weather conditions.
Noah Gac Fruit is a specific breed of Gac Fruit that has been developed and cultivated for its enhanced characteristics compared to other Gac varieties. Here are the key features of the Noah Gac Fruit:
1. Larger Size: The Noah Gac Fruit is larger than the traditional Vietnamese breed of Gac fruit, making it more productive in terms of yield.
2. Higher Nutrient Content: It contains more aril (the red, nutrient-rich part of the fruit) and has a higher concentration of lycopene and beta-carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants with numerous health benefits.
3. Improved Physical Characteristics: The Noah Gac Fruit has fewer thorns and a more solid exocarp (outer shell), making it easier to handle and process.
4. Adaptation to Local Conditions: This breed has been specifically cultivated to thrive in Malaysia’s soil and climate, ensuring consistent growth and quality.
Overall, the Noah Gac Fruit is a specially bred variety that offers superior nutritional content and is better suited to the agricultural conditions in Malaysia, making it an ideal choice for commercial cultivation and health product development.
The morphology of Noah Gac fruit includes a thorny exocarp, followed by a thick yellow mesocarp, and a red aril encasing the seeds inside. The seeds are flat, hard, and brown or black. The mesocarp, which makes up nearly 40% of the fruit’s weight, serves as a protective shell for the arils. The aril, accounting for 35% of the fruit’s weight, is 1 to 3 mm thick, soft, and sticky. The oil content in the arils is approximately 200 mg/g, and it is highly unsaturated, with two main fatty acids: oleic (35.22%) and linoleic (31.44%). Compared to regular Gac Fruit, which has a ratio of 60% mesocarp to 20% aril, the Noah Gac Fruit is more nutrient-dense.
Description/Taste
Gac fruits are small to medium-sized, averaging 11 to 13 cm in length and 8 to 10 cm in diameter. They have a round to oblong shape with a semi-thin, spiky, and leathery skin that changes from dark green to yellow, orange, or red-orange as they ripen. Inside, they have a creamy orange to yellow flesh that is 2 to 3 cm thick and surrounds a central chamber of 15 to 20 seeds wrapped in dark red membranes. The edible crimson arils have a soft, slippery texture and a glistening appearance due to their high oil content. When ripe, Gac fruits have a mild, neutral flavor and a faint pumpkin-like aroma. They are mostly used in combination with other ingredients to enhance flavor.
Nutritional Value
Gac Fruit is an antioxidant powerhouse, rich in beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are claimed to offer comprehensive eye care, prevent vitamin A deficiency, obesity, and cancers, as well as reduce cholesterol, maintain healthy blood pressure, protect the skin, and support prostate health.
Moreover, the pro-vitamin A in the seed’s nib is believed to prevent cell aging and promote cell recovery, along with the development of body nerves, muscles, and brain function. The major carotenoid, lycopene, is supplemented to prevent prostate cancer, while Omega 3, 6, 9, and Coenzyme Q10 help prevent heart disease. These products are primarily used for health purposes, offering significant benefits through strong vascular and cellular protection and rejuvenation. The success of Gac products in global markets is attributed to the dominant nutrients found in the Gac flesh, aril, and seed, which are also essential in preventing cancer and other diseases.
Applications
The most commonly used part of the Gac fruit is the fleshy red arils surrounding the seeds, often mixed with the orangey flesh to make traditional Chinese herbal soup, which is believed to boost blood circulation and reduce bad cholesterol in the body. In addition, the red arils are frequently used as a dessert ingredient, such as in cendol (a shaved ice dessert), pastries for cupcakes, and natural coloring for ice creams. Furthermore, it can be processed into paste, primarily used for pasta, pizza base, and soups.
Several Gac products are currently being manufactured by Gac Fruit Malaysia Sdn Bhd, including Gac freeze-dried powder, Gac aril puree, and Gac oil. These raw materials are easily accessible for therapeutic, health supplement, food ingredient, and cosmetic applications.
Recipe Ideas
Here are some recipe ideas featuring Gac fruit, categorized by difficulty:
- Easiest:
- Gac Fruit Japanese Curry Rice
- Chinese ABC Soup with Gac Fruit
- Moderate:
- Gac Fruit & Tomato Omelette
- Gac Fruit Sticky Rice Cakes
- Fried Tropical Fish with Gac and Pineapple Sauté
- Harder:
- Gac Fruit Cupcakes
- Gac Fruit Puree for Pizza & Pasta
- Gac Fruit Marinated Chicken Chop