What is Gâc?

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What is Gâc?

_http://www.gac-seeds.com/_ (http://www.gac-seeds.com/)

 

You are probably aware that tomatoes have high lycopene content. But are

you aware of a fruit that has 70X higher lycopene than tomatoes?

And, you are probably aware that carrots have high beta-carotene content.

But are you aware of a fruit that has 10X higher beta-carotene than carrots?

It is estimated that there are between 250,000 to 300,000 species of

flowering plants, and only about 10% of them have been investigated for

commercial

or medicinal potential. Gâc (Momordica Cochinchinensis Spreng) is relatively

unknown in western agricultural circles. Guichard and Bui first identified

carotenoids in Gâc fruit when they traveled to Vietnam in 1941. The discovery

of Guichard and Bui rocked the scientific world. According to a 2004 USDA

paper, Gâc aril (the red seed sac) has about 40-70 times the Lycopene of

tomatoes and 10 times the beta carotene of carrots. This is the real deal.

 

 

Gâc is a bright-red fruit that grows as large as a cantaloupe and covered

with short spines, hence it is sometimes referred to in English language as

" Spiny Cucumber " or " Balsampear " . It grows abundantly on attractive, vigorous

tropical vines all over sub-tropical Asia, especially in Vietnam. The large

seeds cannot be spread by birds and the plant is considered non-invasive. A

fountain of antioxidants, as recent scientific research unveiled, this fruit is

grown in home gardens and valued for its medicinal potentials.

The plant can be cultivated either from seeds or root tubers. Leaves are

alternate and deeply three-to-five-lobed with toothed margins. The leaf stalk

is

glandular. The gac plant is dioecious, that is, the male and female plants

are separate. The flowers are pale-yellow and solitary in the axils of the

leaves. The production of parthenocarpic fruits, which is of economic

importance, can be accomplished using growth regulators in the female plant in

the

absence of male plants. However, induced parthenocarpic fruits have no seed,

whereas hand pollinated fruits contain 18 seeds per fruit on average.

In Asian households, the red oily pulp is often cooked with rice. The color

and fatty acids from the fruit pulp and seed membrane are stirred into the

rice, giving it a lustrous appearance and oil-rich, mild nutty taste. The

bright red color generates the visual effect that represents good luck and joy

in

Vietnamese tradition.

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What are the health benefits of Gâc?

Recent scientific analysis of Gâc oil has revealed that gâc contains

significant and extraordinarily high amounts of important anti-oxidants

necessary

for good health and slowing the effects of aging. The impressive graph below

compares the amount of lycopene in Gâc fruit to other common fruits which are

already known for their high lycopene content. Gâc fruit contains 20X-70X

higher lycopene than tomatoes. As such, Gâc is a commercially viable source

of

this important phyto-nutrient. The lycopene is contained in the aril, which

is the red oily sacs surrounding the seeds. Insignificant amounts of

lycopene are found in the orange mesocarp flesh of the fruit. Gâc also has

high

levels of fatty acids which creates a lipocarotene to deliver higher

bioavailable carotenoids. Compared to beta-carotene found in carrots and

dark-green

vegetables, beta carotene from Gâc fruit appears to be more easily absorbed.

 

Gâc fruit oil also contains beta-carotene in significant and extraordinarily

high amounts, approximately 10X higher than vegetables already known for

their high beta-carotene content, such as carrots. Gâc extract has been shown

effective in colon cancer tumor remediation in mice.

..

Carotenoids in plants are the primary dietary source of vitamin A worldwide.

The most efficient pro-vitamin A carotenoid is beta-carotene which is

abundant in yellow and orange fruits, such as mangoes, papayas, and yams and in

green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, sweet potato leaves, and sweet

gourd leaves. Consumption of foods rich in b-carotene theoretically can replete

individuals to a healthy vitamin A status. Gâc is remarkably high in

beta-carotene and is an outstanding potential resource as a natural cure for

Vitamin

A deficiency.

It could be said that the Vietnamese people have the lightest, smoothest,

and healthiest skin of all Asian races. Recent scientific studies have

demonstrated the skin rejuvenating, toning, and youth enhancing benefits of Gâc

oil,

and recent products have been introduced to capitalize on this.

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What does Gâc taste like?

Gâc flesh and oily sacs are quite palatable and have very little taste, it

could be described as a very mild taste, in the same way that a cucumber has

very little taste. It is only slightly sweet or not sweet, and it would not

be described as delicious, more like plain or no taste. The mesocarp (light

orange outer fleshy part under the spiny skin) has a soft spongy texture. It

is normally discarded (composted!). When the seeds and oil sac are cooked

with rice, they impart a lustrous appearance and oil-rich, mild nutty flavor

to the rice.

For western diets, a convenient way to prepare Gâc is to drop the seed sacs

into a pot of tomato sauce and cook briefly. Of course if your tomato sauce

already has a rich tomato taste and contains some other healthy oils like

olive oil, the Gâc imparts almost no detectable flavor to the tomato sauce

while

turbo-charging it with phyto-nutrients. Use it to make some pizza or

lasagna!

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What are Gâc seeds?

Gâc seeds are brown in color and look like small meteorites with gagged

edges and black lines running through them. They are about the size of a half

dollar piece and about 1/4 inch thick. Approximately 200-300 seeds in 1

kilogram. They have one small hole on one end. This is where the vine will

emerge

at germination.

 

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How to germinate Gâc seeds?

Like all seeds, Gâc seeds need oxygen, water, and light to germinate. Clay

soils do not allow for passage of oxygen. Planting any seed deep in wet clay

soil is a good way prevent oxygen and light from reaching it, which will

result in poor germination results and rotted seeds. Do not use straight

potting soil for the same reason.

The seeds should be planted immediately upon receipt. Long term storage

(over 6 months) in the refrigerator (not freezer) is possible. The seeds

should

be placed half submerged in well draining soil mix. We use 1/4 potting

soil, 1/4 broken peanut shells, 1/4 peat mos, and 1/4 course sand. The seeds

have one opening and this should be placed down in the soil. This is where the

vine will emerge at germination. Warmth, air circulation, and bright light

are required for germination. Seeds are easy to germinate and they will

germinate in 7-10 days. Germination rate is usually > 80%.

 

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Availability of Gâc seeds?

Gâc fruits ripen in December-January and fresh seeds are readily available

at these times. At other times seeds are available from our stock and

germination tested monthly by us for your assured satisfaction. There are

several

plantations in Vietnam growing Gâc for the purpose of harvesting the Gâc oil.

The problem with seeds from these companies is that the seeds have been

killed by the heat that is used to dry the oil sacs. Therefore they are usable

for boiling with rice and preparing Gâc seed extract, but useless for growing.

Our seeds are hand harvested and no heat is used. Large quantities are

normally available.

Like all governments of the world these days, the Vietnam Government is

concerned about bio-piracy of indigenous plants and animals by foreign

corporations. Gâc is a particularly valuable bio-resource due to its vigorous

growth,

outstanding health benefits and scientifically verified high concentrations

of anti-oxidants. There is discussion about the need to ban exports of Gâc

seeds. This danger is not immediate, however one should not assume that gâc

seeds (or any seeds for that matter) will be available in the future. At some

point in time there will definitely be a ban on export of Gâc seeds (we

predict that at some future time, exports of any seed from any country will be

banned).

Long and growing list of plants banned for export by well meaning

governments around the world :

*

Lodoicea maldivica, worlds largest seed, export banned by Seychelles Islands

Government, some info at _http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/LodMal.shtml_

(http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/LodMal.shtml)

Copaifera langsdorfii - Diesel tree, native to Brazil, produces sap which

can be used directly in diesel engines, export limited to 100 grams.

_http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Copaifera_langsdorfii.html_

(http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Copaifera_langsdorfii.html)

Pistachio - Iran has previously denied the world access to its gene stock

from its pistachio collection.

Pueraria Mirifica - root tuber native to Thailand, contains high

concentrations of phyto-estrogens, clinically proven to make women's breasts

larger

(which makes this plant absolutely essential right?)), also shows positive

results to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men, breast cancer in

women, lots more info at _http://www.sigmapharma.net/HealthLinks/index.htm_

(http://www.sigmapharma.net/HealthLinks/index.htm)

 

 

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Other net resources and info on Gâc :

* _http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gac_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gac)

- Wikipedia page on Gâc.

* _http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MOCO5_

(http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MOCO5) - Gâc plant classification

info from USDA

website.

*

_http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=15396\

5_

(http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=15396\

5) - From USDA website, " Fatty Acids and Carotenoids in Gâc

(Momordica Cochinchinesis Spreng) Fruit "

* _http://www.vietnamjournal.org/article.php?sid=5_

(http://www.vietnamjournal.org/article.php?sid=5) - Excellent information page

on nutritional

study of gâc among local population with tons of references.

* _http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15753981?dopt=Abstract_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15753981?dopt=Abstract) - Medical study

where gâc

was found to inhibit and reduce colon cancer tumors in mice.

*

_http://pwmf.blogspot.com/2006/05/xi-gc-coconut-sweet-rice-dyed-with.html_

(http://pwmf.blogspot.com/2006/05/xi-gc-coconut-sweet-rice-dyed-with.html) -

Recipe for Vietnamese Red Rice using Gâc.

*

_http://anhsfoodblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/firstly-let-me-explain-what-tt-is.html\

_

(http://anhsfoodblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/firstly-let-me-explain-what-tt-is.html\

) - Another recipe for Vietnamese Red Rice.

* _http://www.aseanfood.info/Articles/13005361.pdf_

(http://www.aseanfood.info/Articles/13005361.pdf) - Article by Cancer Research

Center of Hawaii

analyzing Gâc carotenoid content.

* _http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6770585.html_

(http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6770585.html) - Patented process for

b-carotene extraction from

Gâc oil.

*

_http://www.pharmcast.com/Patents100/Yr2004/Aug2004/080304/6770585_Carotene08030\

4.htm_

(http://www.pharmcast.com/Patents100/Yr2004/Aug2004/080304/6770585_Carotene08030\

4.htm) - Another process patent.

Products containing Gâc :

* _http://www.nuskin.com/ns/sg/images/g3/new/page_gac.html_

(http://www.nuskin.com/ns/sg/images/g3/new/page_gac.html) - NuSkin G3 Gâc

superfruit

blend.

* _http://www.halewaiola.com/bittermelon.htm_

(http://www.halewaiola.com/bittermelon.htm) - Lots of medical terms.

*

_http://www.fzrm.com/herbextract/cochinchina%20momordica%20seed%20extract.htm_

(http://www.fzrm.com/herbextract/cochinchina%20momordica%20seed%20extract.htm)

- Gâc seed extract powder.

* _http://www.stpaulbrands.com/redgac.php_

(http://www.stpaulbrands.com/redgac.php) - Gâc skin revitalizer.

* _http://www.stpaulbrands.com/rg_antiaging_gac.php_

(http://www.stpaulbrands.com/rg_antiaging_gac.php) - Gâc anti-aging cream.

*

 

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And now of course, the ubiquitous DISCLAIMER.

All the provided information on this page and for that matter, this website,

is only for educational purposes.

The information presented here is not intended (nor should it be used as

such) to diagnose, prescribe, prevent, treat or cure any disease or condition.

Use of information on this website is not a replacement for proper medical

consultation and / or care.

Consult your physician or other health care provider concerning possible

interaction with other drugs and / or adverse side effects.

Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed by your

physician or other health care provider.