Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden

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Noni Needn't Taste Nasty

Noni: if you watch people's faces when you start talking about this tropical fruit, you'll see some interesting reactions, from interest to disgust to tongues sticking out to gagging noises. If you want to start an interesting conversation, just mention noni!

Noni is officially called Morinda citrifolia, and is also known as the Indian mulberry. It grows well in Hawai`i and many other Pacific islands and tropical areas. It comes with many claims about its health-promoting properties, but what is true and what is fantasy? And if you don't care for the taste, what are some alternative ways of taking this health-promoting fruit that taste much better than the fermented beverage you may be familiar with? I'll answer both of these questions this month.

Noni's Healing Properties

Noni has a reputation as a cure-all, and every part is used: the bark, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds. Its healing properties include antibacterial, antimicrobial, alterative (blood purifier), antiparasitic, stomachic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antioxidant, analgesic and antihypertensive. And that's only a partial listing of the properties that Michael Tierra gives in his book, The Way of Herbs. It's used for respiratory conditions such as tuberculosis, the flu, asthma, coughs, colds, sinusitis and sore throats. And it's also effective for digestive disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, ulcers and intestinal parasites.

Break Out of the Fermented Noni Trip

The common method of preparing noni is to place numerous fruit in a large glass jar and let them "rot," then drink the juice. However, there are other, more pleasing ways to benefit from this important plant. To make a tincture, follow these steps:

1. Chop the fruit and put the pieces in a clean jar, about one third full.

2. Cover the chopped fruit with brandy or rum. You can use vegetable glycerin and/or apple cider vinegar instead of alcohol. Add other ingredients to improve the taste, such as fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and fruit such as mango, cranberries, liliko`i, etc.

3. Close the jar tightly and store out of direct sunlight.

4. Shake your tincture every day for 4 weeks. Then strain it and add some molasses (about one fourth cup per quart).

5. Bottle it, preferably in dark glass, and store it in your refrigerator. Don't forget to label what's inside!

DOSAGE: Normally, tinctures come in a small brown bottle with a dropper. For many herbs, take 2 to 4 FULL droppers 2 to 3 times each day. You can mix it with water or juice to improve the taste. Taking a couple of drops under the tongue comes from homeopathy and is not correct for this type of preparation.

Noni Muffins Taste Great

Here's a way to eat your noni in a form that disguises the taste.

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed very ripe noni (about 4), with seeds removed (I use a food mill)

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour (whole wheat or white)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. freshly-grated ginger

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or macadamia nuts)

1/2 cup raisins

1. Blend sugar with butter.

2. Beat in the eggs, noni, and vanilla and stir until it's smooth.

3. Add the flour, soda and salt - no need to sift.

4. Fold in the nuts and raisins and then pour mixture into muffin tins lined with cupcake papers.

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Makes 12 large muffins.

Noni Herb Vinegar

Easy as pie to make, just like sun tea!

1. Chop enough ripe noni to fill a glass jar half full.

2. Fill the jar with apple cider vinegar. You can add other ingredients too, depending on how you will be using the vinegar later. Good additions are onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and other herbs.

3. Cover your jar tightly and place it in a sunny location for up to one week. One day in the hot sun is really all it takes.

4. Strain through cheesecloth or a clean nylon stocking and store in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark place.

Noni Oriental Wasabi Salad Dressing

After you make herb vinegar with Noni, you can include it in delicious, healthful salad dressings by mixing it with oil and other ingredients. For about 1 pint of dressing, combine the following in a glass jar:

1 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup noni vinegar, made with rice wine vinegar

2 TB lime juice

1 TB chopped garlic

1 tsp. wasabi paste (or more, according to taste)

1/2 cup shoyu (soy sauce)

Cover tightly, then shake your dressing and let the flavors blend in the refrigerator for a few hours before using.

This goes great with "Sushi Salad":

1/2 pound fresh ahi, either raw or quickly sautÈed, cut into Julienne strips

1 Japanese cucumber, peeled and cut into Julienne strips about 1" long

4 scallions, sliced

1 avocado, cut into slices

2 cups cooked white rice, cooled and mixed with 1 TB each of rice vinegar and sugar

4 - 6 cups mixed salad greens

Furikake or roasted nori

Prepare each plate individually: Lay down salad greens first, then place a scoop of rice in the center of each plate. Arrange the ahi, cucumber, scallions and avocado in a wagon wheel pattern on the rice and around the plate. Sprinkle with furikake or roasted nori and dress. Serves 4.

Just One Caution

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture maintain a list of plants that have no known harmful ingredients and which have proven themselves safe. This is known as the GRAS list, "Generally Recognized As Safe." After careful scientific analysis of noni, no harmful ingredients have been found, and because the Polynesian people have been using this health building herb without harm for thousands of years, noni has been officially designated as GRAS.

Even though Noni is extremely safe, I always suggest that if you introduce a new herb into your diet, be cautious if you have food sensitivities, allergies, or asthma. If you're pregnant or nursing, consult your doctor before using Noni because it is also an emmenagogue (promotes menstruation).

NOTE: The use of herbal products should not be taken lightly. Consult a physician before using any herb, especially if you are taking any prescribed medications, due to drug interactions.