Jamun, the tangy and sour fruit is a favourite of many. The fruit is ovoid, oblong, and is green in colour when unripe and changes to purple after ripening. Besides being great in taste,  jamun also is a hub of several medicinal properties. It is a summer fruit with numerous health benefits. The jamun tree usually grows to a height of about 60 to 100 feet and bears fruits annually. The flowers are about 5 mm in diameter and are very fragrant.
In Ayurveda, various parts of the fruit have been mentioned to be used for treating bleeding disorders and other diseases. All of the parts of the tree and mainly the seeds are used to cure a wide range of ailments along with its dietary use. It is acknowledged as an important plant used in various traditional systems of medicine. The main use of jamun is in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, inflammation, ulcers along with diarrhoea.
Several health drinks, squashes, jams, jellies, ice-creams, smoothies etc. are prepared from ripened jamuns. Unripe jamuns are used to make vinegar or wine. The jamun berries can be cooked along with water and sugar to make preserves. The pulp of the fruit when dried and powdered becomes medicinal.
Jamun is a fruit which is native to India, adjoining regions of  China and to the Queensland. The tree was introduced in 1911 to Florida and is also now commonly grown in Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Some basic facts about Jamun

  • Botanical name: Syzygium cumini
  • Family: Myrtaceae
  • Common Name: Jamun
  • Sanskrit Name:  Jambulah, Jambu falam
  • Hindi Name: Jamuna
  • Parts used: Skin, pulp and seed
  • Native region and geographical distribution: Native to India can also be found in some other countries like Madagascar, Philippines, Indies and Thailand. It is also grown in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname.
  1. Nutritional facts of jamun
  2. Health benefits of jamun
  3. Side Effects of Jamun
  4. Takeaway

Jamuns are enriched with nutrients like Vitamin B and Vitamin C, minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium. It is also packed with proteins, antioxidants, glucose, fructose, and some amount of fibre. Based on the USDA Nutrient Database, 100 g of the jamun fruits contains the following nutrients. 

Nutrient Value per 100 g
Water 83.13 g
Energy             60 kcal
Protein 0.72 g
Fat 0.23 g
Carbohydrate 15.56 g
Vitamins Value per 100 g
Vitamin B1       0.006 mg
Vitamin B2       0.012 mg
Vitamin B3       0.260 mg
Vitamin B6       0.038 mg
Vitamin C         14.3 mg
Minerals Value per 100 g
Calcium 19 mg
Iron            0.19 mg
Magnesium           15 mg
Phosphorus        17 mg
Potassium   79 mg
Sodium     14 mg
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A host of several important nutrients, jamun is widely exploited for its various health benefits which have been discussed in detail below. 

Jamun for inflammation

Inflammation is a condition where the skin becomes reddened, hot, swells and sometimes causes pain as well. Jamuns are known to contain various vitamins and minerals that exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Preclinical studies have been done to explore the anti-inflammation potential of this fruit. Jamun can be consumed as a natural medication to reduce inflammation and formation of ulcers. This property of jamun might also be helpful in avoiding the risks of developing fatal cancer stages.

Jamun for arthritis

Arthritis is the disease which is caused due to the weakening of the muscles at joints. Women, post 40 years of age, are at a high risk of facing various bone-related problems as such. It is a curable condition with a very prolonged duration of treatment. According to several preclinical studies, jamun seeds have a potent anti-inflammatory effect which is helpful to reduce the swelling in case of diseases like arthritis. Patients suffering from arthritis are advised to include jamun regularly to reduce the swelling and pain.

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Jamun for the heart

With the increasing demand of occupied lifestyle, it is very necessary to know easy and beneficial remedies to keep one healthy and fit. With growing age, people face more risks of heart diseases. One important mineral which helps in keeping heart healthy is potassium.

Adequate amounts of potassium can help in regulating the blood pressure thereby, reducing the risks of having a heart attack. Jamun fruits are found to be greatly loaded with potassium content in it. Consuming jamun rich in potassium helps in keeping heart healthy is by dilating the blood vessels (pipe through which blood travels in the body), thus making the flowing of blood through the body easy and hence maintaining the pressure of the blood as well.

Jamun for the liver

Cholestasis is a common disease of the liver. In this condition, the production of bile juice from the liver is inhibited. This condition causes pain in the abdomen region along with some other symptoms like intense itching, yellowing of eyes and skin, dark urine, lack of appetite and nausea. The various helpful effects of jamun in this condition of cholestasis have been researched upon.

Preclinical studies have shown that this effect of jamun is due to the presence of the bioactive compound, anthocyanin. This pigment is responsible for the blue-purple colour seen in the fruit. Anthocyanin helps by relieving from the various symptoms associated with cholestasis and thereby providing relief to the patient.

Jamun for skin health

Due to the presence of multivitamins and nutritive value in jamun, it is a sure benefit for the beautification of skin. Presence of iron in jamun helps to purify the blood and thus control the problems of acne. Vitamin C, another important component of jamun, is helpful in making the skin complexion lighter. The blemishes of the skin due to acne and blackheads are also cleared by using powder of the jamun seeds. People with oily skin are advised to consume jamun daily as it will make their skin fresh and clear.

Jamun for cholesterol

Consumption of jamun can also prove to be effective in reducing cholesterol. The ethanolic extract of jamun seeds has the capacity of lowering the total level of serum cholesterol and triglycerides along with maintaining the ratio of high-density cholesterol to low-density cholesterol. This anti-hyperlipidemic effect of jamun seeds has been attributed to the presence of the bioactive compounds like tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponin, phenols, and triterpenes.

Jamun for digestive disorders

People with weak bowel system suffer from various digestive problems such as constipation, bloating, diarrhoea, cramps or stomach pain. Jamun fruits have digestive properties in it because of the various vitamins and minerals. As mentioned earlier the jamuns contains a good amount of anthocyanins.

These are a kind of antioxidants and help in suppressing of very reactive effects of oxygen and nitrogen in the stomach This helps in controlling and soothing the acidic properties of the stomach. The fruit is sweet and cooling along with acting as an astringent to the bowels. Various digestive problems like dysentery, indigestion, diarrhoea, etc. are cured by taking a decoction prepared from powdered seeds and bark of the jamun tree.

For most effective remedy for diarrhoea - Take two soft leaves and crush them to form a paste. Add some rock salt to it and roll them into small pills. Take twice daily with water.

Jamun for diabetes

Jamun fruit seeds and pulp are said to serve many purposes in diabetic patients. One among the many benefits includes lowering of blood glucose levels with delaying diabetic complications like numbness or cataracts. The seeds of jamun have the ability to control the conversion of starch(which is present in the body)  into sugar whenever there is an excess production of glucose. It also helps in curing the symptoms of diabetes like excessive thirst and frequent urination.

Jamun as antibacterial

Bacteria and fungi are the prominent causal organisms for several types of infections. Jamun pulp has been tested for its antimicrobial properties and the seeds also act as antibacterial agent. The antibacterial properties of jamun have been found to stop or reduce the growth of skin infection causing bacteria like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis. Aqueous and methanol extracts of jamun inhibit the growth of some fungal microorganisms like Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum. These are known to cause skin diseases. So, make sure to include jamun in your diet to keep all such infections at bay.

Jamun for cancer

Cancer is a condition where the abnormal cells grow or proliferate in an uncontrolled way. The various risk factors which might give rise to cancer include exposure to chemicals and other substances, commonly known as carcinogens.

The factors also include things which such as age and family history. Jamuns are excellent for the prevention of few cancers. For the treatment of different types of cancers, radiotherapy is widely used. The extract from the seeds of jamun fruit has radioprotective effect in it. It helps to reduce the risk of inheriting cancer. Including jamun in the diet has been found to lower the risk of breast cancer as well.

The anti-cancerous effect of the jamun fruit pulp has also been demonstrated on human cervical carcinoma cells. The study found that the jamun extracts induced apoptosis (cell death) in tumorous cells and also displayed anti-proliferative effect in a dose-dependent manner. Various oncological studies also reveal the potential of jamun pulp extract in the death and inhibition of cancerous cells.

So far we have learned the many benefits of jamun. However, unregulated consumption may cause certain side effects which have been described below.

  • Due to its tangy taste, jamun can easily initiate soreness in the throat. It is highly recommended to not eat jamun during season change.
  • People with asthma can develop shortness of breath which can probably be both, chronic or severe.
  • Certain people can develop certain allergies on consumption of jamun. In such a case, stop consumption and consult a physician immediately. 
  • Due to the many vitamins and minerals present in jamun, it might cause stomach upset for some people with a weak digestive system. So it is preferable to keep the consumption of this food controlled.
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With the current lifestyle and the speed at which it operates, people are more prone than ever before to various diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol and increased blood pressure. It is not possible to decrease the stress level but we can control the impact it can have on the body by eating right. Jamun may be regarded as the miracle fruit due to its tremendous health benefits. But as it is said, everything in the proper and limited amount is always beneficial. Consuming jamun in the correct quantity is recommended for all, to keep enjoying this fruit while minimising the risk of suffering from its side effects.


Medicines / Products that contain Jamun

References

  1. V. M. Jadhav et al. Herbal medicine : Syzygium cumini :A Review. Journal of Pharmacy Research 2009, 2(8),1212-1219
  2. Muniappan Ayyanar, Pandurangan Subash-Babu. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels: A review of its phytochemical constituents and traditional uses . Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 Mar; 2(3): 240–246. PMID: 23569906
  3. United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Basic Report: 09145, Java-plum, (jambolan), raw. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release [Internet]
  4. Lanchakon Chanudom, Jitbanjong Tangpong. Anti-Inflammation Property of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels on Indomethacin-Induced Acute Gastric Ulceration . Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2015; 2015: 343642. PMID: 26633969
  5. Uthayashanker Ezekiel, Rita Heuertz. Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Syzygium cumini on Chemotaxis of Human Neutrophils. International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research 2015; 7(4); 714-717
  6. Amal A. Mohamed, Sami I. Ali, Farouk K. El-Baz. Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Crude Extracts and Essential Oils of Syzygium cumini Leaves . PLoS One. 2013; 8(4): e60269. PMID: 23593183
  7. Ajay C. Donepudi et al. The traditional Ayuverdic medicine, Eugenia Jambolana (Jamun Fruit) decreases liver inflammation, injury, and fibrosis during cholestasis . Liver Int. 2012 Apr; 32(4): 560–573. PMID: 22212619
  8. Debjit Bhowmiket al. Traditional and Medicinal Uses of Indian Black Berry. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, IC Journal No: 8192 Volume 1 Issue 5
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