YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL FIND AT THE FARMERS MARKET. You may have heard of a Jujube but this was a new find, while exploring the fresh fruits and veggies at a local farmers market! A must try fruit, the Jujube.
The jujube originated in China where they have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. It is one of the most widely used herbs in Chinese traditional medicine, as being one of the best herbs for treating stress, and heeling boost sleep.
The Jujube is fruit that looks and is about the same size as a cherry tomato but can also get bigger and be up to the size of a small plum. It has a thin, edible skin surrounding whitish flesh. They start out green in color and as they ripen go through a yellow-green stage with mahogany-colored spots. The fully mature fruit is entirely red. Shortly after becoming fully red, the fruit begins to soften and wrinkle. They are best when eaten during the stage between the yellow-green stage and the full red stage, before they wrinkle. It takes much like an apple with a bit of a spongy inside.
Nutritional and health benefits
-very high vitamin C content. (One of its most popular uses is as a tea for sore throat) Contains 20x the amount of vitamin C as citrus fruits!
-contains the potassium, phosphorus, manganese and calcium as the major minerals
-high amounts of sodium, zinc, iron and copper, riboflavin and thiamine
-contains 18 of the 24 amino acids, helping to heal wounds and diseases
– protects the liver against injury helping to eliminate oxidative stress in the liver
NOTE: We are talking about the Fresh Jujube Fruit NOT the Jujube Candy…
IMPORTANT TO TAKE NOTE! 😉