Papua Red Fruit Natural Herbal Plants

 Papua Red Fruit Natural Herbal Plants

Red fruit (kuansu) whose Latin name is Pandanus conoideus is a fruit that grows a lot in the Papua region. The benefits of red fruit are believed by the people of Papua to treat various diseases and are good for health. In Papua, red fruit is usually consumed by eating directly or processed by boiling or roasting.

The seeds and flesh of the fruit that have been ground can be mixed with water, then filtered to produce a thick red sauce as a cooking spice. Red fruit extract oil is also used as a food flavoring and natural colorant.

Apart from being food, red fruit is also used by the Papuan people as traditional medicine. Red fruit is believed to increase stamina and resistance to disease.

Benefits of Red Fruit for Health

Red fruit contains various important nutrients needed by the body, such as protein, calories, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and anthocyanin dyes.

In addition, red fruit is also believed to have various health benefits, including:

1. Inhibits the growth of cancer cells

Research in the laboratory revealed that red fruit is able to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, for example in ovarian cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer.

However, clinical research to prove this benefit is still very minimal, so that the claim of red fruit as an anticancer still needs to be proven further.

2. Reduce inflammation

Red fruit has strong antioxidant properties that can reduce inflammation. These benefits make red fruit potential to be used as an alternative medicine for inflammatory bowel disease that can develop into colon cancer.

However, there is no scientific research that specifically proves the effect of red fruit in reducing inflammation.

3. Lowering bad cholesterol

In one study, red fruit extract was found to be able to increase levels of good cholesterol and reduce levels of bad cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

However, because this research has only been done on animals, the benefits of red fruit in lowering bad cholesterol in humans still need to be proven.

4. Fights viruses and bacteria

Red fruit is also claimed to be able to help treat HIV and tuberculosis, because it is believed to kill certain viruses and bacteria. Unfortunately, this benefit has not been proven.

The high content of beta-carotene in red fruit also brings a number of benefits. Beta-carotene is one type of antioxidant that can protect the body from the effects of free radicals, so it can help maintain healthy skin, reduce the risk of cancer, and macular degeneration eye disease.