Gac seeds Momordica cochinchinensis seeds

LATIN NAME: Momordica cochinchinensis

COMMON NAME: Gac

Gac is the spiny, orange-red fruit of the warm regions, with the brilliant red pulp. The vigorous, climbing vine carries the large, lobed, softly hairy leaves, and the small, pale-yellow flowers open through the warm season, to be followed by the big, oval, spiny fruits that ripen to the vivid orange-red. Within, the fine, orange-red pulp around the dark seeds is one of the richest of the warm-climate fruits, prized in the kitchens of the East for the colour and the fine, mild taste. It is a fine, easy, generous vine of the warm, sunny garden and the trellis.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

Gac has carved a quiet but solid place in the plant science, and the vine has been studied for the big, spiny fruits and the brilliant red pulp within. The fine, rich colour of the pulp, which is among the most talked-about of the warm-climate fruits, has been examined closely, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the fruit crops, the natural colour and the traditional food plants of the East. The large, lobed leaves and the pale-yellow flowers have also made it a fine garden vine, and the gac is a regular subject of the studies of the gourd family and the fruits of the warm regions.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Gac does a lot of work in the kitchen and the garden. The brilliant orange-red pulp is prized in the kitchens of the East for the colour and the fine, mild taste, used in the rice, the soups and the sweets, and the big, spiny fruits are among the most striking of the warm-climate crops. The vigorous vine is also an easy, generous cover for the trellis and the fence. The dark seeds within the pulp are hard and are not eaten, as is the long custom of the regions where the vine grows. It has been written about in the culinary and the agricultural papers for the brilliant red pulp and the fine, rich colour, and it is a fine, easy vine of the warm, sunny, well-drained garden.

Gac is one of the most striking of the warm-climate fruits, and the big, spiny, orange-red fruits are a fine, bold sight on the vigorous vine. The brilliant red pulp around the dark seeds is prized in the kitchens of the East for the rich colour and the fine, mild taste, and the dark seeds themselves are hard and are not eaten, as is the long custom of the regions where the vine grows.

To grow the gac from seed, soak the hard, flat seeds in warm water for a day, then sow them at a depth of about a centimetre in pots of moist, free-draining soil, one seed to each pot, keep them in a warm, bright spot and water gently. The seedlings are up within a few weeks and grow on fast. With the sun, the trellis and the deep, rich, well-drained ground, the big, spiny, orange-red fruits will be ready through the season.

Gac (Momordica Cochinchinensis Spreng) is a tropical fruit found in Vietnam and other regions of Southeast Asia where it is valued for many important health benefits.
It is esteemed as the “fruit from heaven” and is prized for its ability to promote longevity, vitality, and health*. Unknown to indigenous folks, gac is a fountain of antioxidants, as recent research unveiled.

Traditionally, gac has been used as both food and medicine in the regions in which it grows. Other than the use of its fruit and leaves for special Vietnamese culinary dishes, gac is also used for its medicinal and nutritional properties. In Vietnam, the seed membranes are said to aid in the relief of dry eyes, as well as to promote healthy vision.Similarly, in traditional Chinese medicine the seeds of gac, are employed for a variety of internal and external purposes

Recently, attention has been attracted to gac in the West because chemical analysis of the fruit suggests it has high concentrations of several important phytonutrients.
The fruit contains by far the highest content of beta-carotene (vitamin A) of any known fruit or vegetable. Research has confirmed that the beta-carotene in the fruit is highly bioavailable. In a double-blind study with 185 children, some were given a dish containing 3.5 mg beta-carotene from spiny bitter gourd, while others were given an identical-looking dish containing 5 mg beta-carotene powder. After 30 days, the former group eating natural beta-carotene had significantly greater plasma (blood) levels of beta-carotene than the latter with synthetic beta-carotene.This oil also included high levels of vitamin E. The fatty acids in the aril , are important for the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, including carotenoids, in a diet typically low in fat.
Due to its high content of beta-carotene and lycopene, gac is often sold as a food supplement in soft capsules.