Jamun juice has incredible health benefits. Here’s the ultimate guide on the nutritional features of jamun, the benefits of jamun juice & how to prepare jamun juice easily at home.
What is Jamun Juice?
Jamun tree is a rapidly growing evergreen tropical tree that is native to India, Southeast Asia and the Andaman Islands. It is scientifically called as Syzygium cumini. It is also commonly called Malabar plum, java plum, black plum, jamun or jamboolan.
The jamun fruit resembles small berries. It is oval and oblong in shape. The unripe fruit is green in colour which changes to crimson and finally dark purple as it ripens. This fruit is eaten by various native birds and small animals. It has a combination of sweet, mildly sour and astringent taste and colours the tongue purple on consumption.
Different parts of the jamun tree are used for various purposes. The seeds of the tree are used in Ayurveda, Unani and Chinese medicine to treat various digestive disorders. The bark and leaves are used in preparations to control blood pressure and against swollen gums. The wood from this tree is used to make bullock cartwheels, agricultural equipment and as timber whereas the twigs form a good datoon.
The jamun fruit is also very versatile. Apart from consuming it raw, it is also used in making different types of vinegar, wines, jellies, squashes and brandy and distilled liquor. In recent times, the juice of jamun fruit has gained a lot of popularity and is used as a conjunct in various medical disorders.
Nutritional features of Jamun
Although the jamun fruit is highly perishable and has a short shelf life, it is rich in nutrients. Jamun is a very good source of anthocyanin, the pigment which gives jamun its classic purple colour. (Ghosh P et al. 2017) It also contains high quantities of compounds like polyphenols, tannins, glucoside, ellagic acid, among many others (Ramteke V. et al. 2015). Minerals like sodium, iron phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and calcium are present in significant quantities. The fruit is composed of 83% water, 16% carbs and 1% proteins. The amount of fat is negligible. It also contains a moderate amount of vitamin C and vitamin A.
Health Benefits of Jamun Juice
Jamun juice is your natural nutritional supplement. It is beneficial against a number of health disorders and has numerous health benefits some of which are as follows.
Jamun juice for diabetes
Jamun juice has anti-diabetic properties. Compounds jamboline and ellagic acid present in jamun juice will reduce the speed at which the body converts food to starch and hence keep your blood glucose level in check. It enhances insulin activity and sensitivity. The glycemic index of jamun juice is low which gives an added advantage to diabetic patients. Patients suffering from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can reap the health benefits of this juice along with doctors’ medicines and regular exercise.
Diabetic patients can take jamun juice in combination with bitter gourd juice. Also, an equal quantity mix of jamun and mango juices are very good in quenching thirst in these patients.
Jamun leaves juice when boiled with neem and fenugreek seeds will also help you regulate the blood sugar level.
Cardiovascular conditions
The anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of jamun juice help in lowering LDL levels in the blood thus preventing hypertension and heart attacks. Potassium in the juice helps regulate blood pressure. Also, vitamins and minerals especially iron and folic acid help in keeping the heart healthy.
Digestion
Various digestive problems like dysentery, diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome are kept at bay by regular consumption of jamun juice. It is known to bring relief from constipation, soothes the stomach and keeps it cool during hot weather. The vinegar prepared from the juice of slightly unripe fruit is a diuretic and helps is proper emptying of the urinary bladder.
Eyesight
Vitamin C and A in jamun juice are beneficial for eyesight. They help in producing connective tissue and collagen which keeps your eyes healthy and maintains good vision.
Skin ailments and hair
Jamun juice promotes healthy skin. You can naturally achieve youthful and glowing skin without the application of any harmful chemicals and skin creams. The numerous antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds along with iron and vitamin A and C are beneficial for your skin. The detoxifying properties of jamun juice further help in improving skin complexion. The skin becomes smooth and dark spots are also reduced. Jamun juice diluted with water can be used as a lotion on the skin to soothe ringworm infections.
You can also apply fresh jamun juice to the skin as a toner after cleansing. It will help reduce pores and control oily skin.
Worried about acne and pimples? Jamun juice will stop them from occurring! For those with oily skin, the juice can be used by mixing it with curds and rose water as a face pack. With regular application, you will notice a considerable reduction in dark spots and pimples.
Besides this, the vitamin C and antioxidants in jamun juice also help in hair growth and make the hair lustrous and shiny. Your hair will get natural protection against sun damage and pollution.
How to prepare Jamun Juice?
You can easily prepare Jamun juice at home. There are different methods by which the juice can be made.
Recipe 1:
Wash the jamuns thoroughly. Remove the seeds from them and grind them in a mixer. You will get a thick and concentrated paste of jamun fruit. You will need to dilute the juice with lots of water. This juice can be stained using a sieve or consumed as it is. As jamun is astringent in taste, you can add a pinch of table salt or rock salt to make it tastier. You can even add some ice cubes in the summer season to beat the heat.
Tips:
Adding ginger while extracting the juice gives it a nice flavour.
Adding honey, sugar or stevia can help remove the astringent taste of the juice.
Recipe 2:
Another method of preparing jamun juice at home is by cooking the fruits. Wash the jamuns thoroughly. Take water in a vessel. Add the washed fruits to the water as bring it to a boil. After the water boils, switch off the flame and let it cool. This makes it easy to remove the seeds and the jamuns become very soft. After removing the seeds, grind the pulp in a mixer. The water used for boiling can be used to get an even blend. You can sieve the juice and it’s ready!
Jamun juice is also available commercially under various brand names. These juices are usually prepared by cooking jamuns. It is recommended to cook the jamuns and drain them without squeezing. This will make the juice less astringent. However, the maximum yield of the juice with high contents of anthocyanin and other components can be obtained by grating the fruits.
During commercial preparations, the jamun fruits are pulped and enzyme-treated. This enzyme treatment is necessary. It breaks the pectin-protein bond. This bond along with the fibrous texture makes it difficult to remove the juice from the fruit.
After this, the pulp is pressed, filtered and clarified. It is then ready for packaging.
Recipe 3:
Jamun juice can also be made using the leaves of jamun tree. This is also a very easy home recipe. Just take some jamun leaves, wash them thoroughly and boil them in water for 10 minutes. The water will turn green in colour. Strain this water and cool it. Jamun leaves juice will be ready to drink.
When should you drink jamun juice?
You can drink freshly prepared jamun juice in the morning or after your lunch.
Diabetic patients can consume it as a breakfast drink.
For digestive problems, you can even add it to your curds.
Mixing jamun juice with your regular smoothies and shakes make them healthier and tastier.
It can also be used as a dressing for your salads.
Side effects of Jamun Juice
Large quantities of jamun juice can cause loose motions. For diabetic patients, it is always better to consult their physician before consuming it. Jamun juice prepared at home is 100% natural and does not possess any side effects.
As you can see, there are many benefits of jamun juice. Drinking jamun juice can help you leverage the various benefits this incredible fruit offers.
Author: Dr. Pooja Nilgar (Content writer & Editor)
References:
Ghosh, P., Pradhan, R.C., Mishra, S., Patel, A.S. and Kar, A., 2017. Physicochemical and nutritional characterization of jamun (Syzygium cuminii). Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal, 5(1), pp.25-35.
Ramteke, V., Kurrey, V. and Kar, S., 2015. Jamun: A traditional fruit and medicine. Popular Kheti, 3(3), pp.188-190.
