Morinda citrifolia

Morinda citrifolia, also known as noni, Indian mulberry, and a variety of other names in various regions, is a small evergreen tree or shrub that originated from Indonesia and spread to the Pacific Basin, Philippines, Japan, China, and Australia. Its fruit and leaves are a major staple or famine food in some locations and medicine or dyes in others.

Noni is known to have a very unpleasant taste and smell, some even think ripe fruit smell like vomit. Noni leaves can be used in a poultice to cover wounds to promote healing. Today noni is used to cure more internal problems. It can be used to help cure malaria, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, or depression. In fact there was a recent study focused on using noni to cure HIV and AIDs. Noni juice or freeze-dried pills have been used as dietary supplements.

Though food is usually what noni is primarily used for, noni can also be used for other things as well. The bark and roots of noni plants can be used to dye different fabrics like kapa, a type of fabric made from tree fibers. Also the oil in these trees smells very rank and was used as a very effective insecticide that was rubbed in people's hair. Though this plant is amazing it can cause some adverse reactions if mixed with coumadin or warfarin drugs. Please ask you doctor before using noni for any reason. 


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