Jujubes The jujube or jujuba fruit is a species of the genus Ziziphus and belongs to the buckthorn family. They are also known by other names such as Korean dates, jinjol, Chinese dates, red dates, or Indian dates. These are the delicious fruits of the small deciduous tree that reaches a height of 5 to 12 meters. It is said to be native to South Asia.
Jujube is a good source of many nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, polyphenols, and dietary fibers, etc. that provide us with a number of benefits. In this article, we will get to know about the top health and beauty benefits of jujube fruit, but first, let us take a look at the jujube nutrition table mentioned below.
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Jujube Benefits to health
Protects against various types of cancers Eating jujube fruit on a regular and moderate basis is very beneficial in reducing the risk of various types of cancer such as breast cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc.
This benefit of jujube is mainly due to the presence of antioxidants like vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds like phytonutrients and polyphenols etc.
These compounds fight free radicals in our body, stabilize them and prevent them from causing oxidative damage to our cells.
Free radicals are the unstabilized ions that are formed in our body during the oxidation process. Since these are not stabilized, they gain stabilization, steal electrons from nearby molecules, and thus cause oxidative damage to them.
The phenolic compounds present in jujube increase the antioxidant benefits of this fruit and allow it to get rid of free radicals efficiently.
Studies have also found that jujube extract inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
In a study conducted at the University of Cambria, it was found that jujube extract can slow the growth of breast cancer cells and also help destroy them.
Another study conducted in Iran revealed that jujube extract inhibits the growth of cancerous tumor cell lines, especially leukemia.
Improves sleep and treats insomnia In order to stay healthy, it is important for us to ensure that we are enjoying a good night’s rest without discomfort (internal or external), and to wake up feeling refreshed and energetic.
Sleep is very important to us as it is the time when our body performs a number of functions and maintains our overall health.
Some common functions that the body performs during sleep are repairing damaged cells and tissues, relaxing muscles, removing toxins and other harmful substances that can harm our system, releasing hormones, and lowering the level of stress hormones. increases the production of growth hormone, etc.
All these benefits can only be enjoyed if you get a good night’s sleep. However, various factors such as stress, poor eating and drinking habits, a social life that interferes with the body cycle, and a poor lifestyle are wreaking havoc on our sleep pattern and thus causing insomnia and other sleep disorders.
Jujube has been found to be very beneficial in treating insomnia and improving the quality of sleep. For this reason, it has been used in Chinese medicines for centuries to treat insomnia and improve sleep quality.
Sleep quality is more important than sleep quality because lack of adequate, quality sleep can lead to sleep deprivation, leading to health problems such as a weakened immune system, increased risk of respiratory problems, increased risk of fat storage leading to obesity, risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular problems, etc.
Jujube fruit is very beneficial in treating insomnia due to the presence of saponins in them. Saponin is a naturally occurring compound found in some plants that has a sedative and hypnotic effect.
Because of this, they help us fall asleep quickly.
If you suffer from insomnia, it is a good idea to drink a cup of tea made with jujube extract.
Provides relief from hypertension Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common health problem that affects millions of people worldwide and is the leading cause of various cardiovascular problems including heart attack, stroke, and blocked arteries.
For a healthy life, it is important that we make sure that our blood pressure stays regulated and consuming jujube fruit regularly and in moderation can help to do the same.
This advantage of jujube is mainly due to the presence of essential mineral potassium in it.
Potassium is a vital mineral that acts as a natural vasodilator that relaxes our blood vessels, improves blood circulation and thus helps keep blood pressure under control.
Jujube is low in sodium and this also helps relieve hypertension
Helps our kidneys and liver to eliminate toxins and other waste. Jujube is beneficial for improving blood circulation due to the presence of essential minerals such as iron and potassium.
The iron present in jujube increases the level of hemoglobin in the red blood cells of the body, which carries oxygenated blood to our cells and tissues and provides forbidden nutrition to our organs.
Similarly, potassium is a natural vasodilator that relaxes our blood vessels, improves blood circulation and keeps our blood pressure in check, thus improving blood circulation.
Apart from this, they are also rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds like polyphenols and phytonutrients etc. They protect our cells and tissues from oxidative damage caused by free radicals in the body.
This protects our blood vessels and capillaries from oxidative stress and helps maintain healthy blood circulation.
Strengthen our immune system Our immune system plays an important role in keeping us healthy. It is our body’s defense mechanism that protects against disease-causing microbes such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, etc.
Even when we get sick, it’s our immune system that fights those microbes and makes us healthy again.
For a healthy life, it is important that we take good care of our immune system and jujube fruit can help to do the same.
This benefit of jujube is mainly due to the presence of antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin A, and other antioxidant compounds like polyphenols and phytonutrients, etc.
These compounds fight free radicals in our bodies, stabilize them, and prevent them from causing oxidative stress to our cells, including the white blood cells that form the backbone of our immune system.
This strengthens our immune system and when our immunity is strong, we are less likely to be infected by disease-causing microbes and therefore reduce the risk of cough, cold, fever and flu etc.
Antioxidants also regulate the production of inflammatory cytokines and thus strengthen our immune system.
Jujube extract is also known to suppress histamine release due to its antiallergic and antianophylactic properties.
Regulates blood sugar level Eating jujube on a regular and moderate basis is highly beneficial for people with diabetes and those who are at risk of developing diabetes.
This advantage of jujube is mainly due to its low glycemic index.
Being a low glycemic fruit means that it releases sugar into the bloodstream at a slow rate and prevents a sudden spike in blood sugar, and helps control diabetes.
The dietary fibers present in jujube reduce the rate at which sugar is absorbed by the bloodstream and thus helps to control the blood sugar level.
Apart from this, this fruit also has a high concentration of vitamin A which improves insulin sensitivity.
Studies have also found that jujube is good for the hormone adiponectin which regulates blood glucose level and other metabolic activities.
Provides anti-inflammatory benefits Consuming jujube on a regular and moderate basis is very beneficial in providing relief from pain and inflammation caused by inflammatory problems like gout and arthritis etc.
This benefit of jujube is mainly due to the presence of vitamin C in it. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that not only protects our cells and tissues from oxidative stress, but also alleviates inflammation.
Reduces stress and anxiety Eating jujube fruit or drinking jujube fruit juice regularly and in moderation is very beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety level in our system.
This advantage of jujube is mainly due to the calming effect it left on our mind and body.
Stress and anxiety are becoming a common problem that gives rise to various health problems such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, hypertension, etc. And when we are stress-free, the risk of these problems is greatly reduced.
make our bones stronger Regular and moderate consumption of jujube is very beneficial to strengthen our bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition in which our bones become weak and are prone to damage and fractures. This is mainly caused by calcium deficiency in our system.
This bone strengthening benefit of jujube is mainly due to the presence of calcium and phosphorous in it.
Calcium is a vital mineral for our bone health, as it plays an important role in strengthening our bones and improving overall bone health.
In addition to phosphorus, it also plays an important role in maintaining bone strength, and calcium alone is not enough to keep our bones strong and healthy.
Help in weight loss Eating jujube fruit on a regular and moderate basis is very beneficial for people who are on the weight loss journey and would like to shed a few extra pounds.
These jujube weight management benefits are mainly due to its low caloric value.
Eating 100 grams of jujube provides around 79 calories which is very low compared to other foods like cookies, cakes, pizza, burgers and other items that we end up eating in the name of snacks.
Since they are relatively low in calories, one can enjoy them (in moderation) without worrying about excessive calorie loading.
In addition to this, they are also rich in fibers…