Seven+ Superfoods, Part 1: Gac

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This is Part 1 in a series of Seven+ Superfoods. This post is dedicated to Gac, also known as “Fruit From Heaven,” or Momordica cochinchinensis.

Why is Gac a Superfood?

One of the best things about tomatoes is their lycopene content. Well hold on to your hats because Gac contains 76 times the lycopene of a tomato. Remember, lycopene has anti-cancer properties and also may help prevent heart disease and loss of vision. Lycopene also reduces inflammation in the lungs and is helpful in reducing symptoms of asthma.

If that wasn’t enough, Gac contains 40 times more Vitamin C than an orange We all know how beneficial Vitamin C is in preventing or reducing everything from the common cold to cancer.

Not sold yet? How about when I tell you that Gac also contains 20 times the beta carotene as carrots? Gac actually contains, by far, the highest amount of Vitamin A of any known fruit or vegetable.

Gac is full of antioxidants, specifically carotenoids. Carotenoids protect Vitamin C and Vitamin E from free-radical damage. Carotenoids are so resilient, it can withstand twenty hits from free radicals before being destroyed. Bound in long-chain fatty acids (22% by weight), Gac produces carotenoids which are readily bioavailable.

Natives use Gac oil to treat dry eyes, night blindness, wounds, skin infections, burns, and to improve children’s growth.

What can Gac Help With?

In addition to what I already mentioned, Gac has been credited with the following:

defends against cellular damage
protects against the effects of aging
supports healthy blood flow
is anti-inflammatory
destroys cancer cells
decreases prostate cancer
boosts immune system
fights bacteria and viruses

(scroll down for scientific studies)

Where does Gac come from?

Popular for centuries, Gac comes out of Southeast Asia. The size of a cantaloupe, Gac is bright red and spiky. Locals recognize the health benefits of Gac and due to its limited growing season serve it during weddings and other festive occasions.

Where can I get Gac?

You can always fly over to Vietnam and pick your own!

I’ve seen Gac sold in powder form, but unfortunately the heat that is used to get this into a powder destroys many of the beneficial nutrients. And it ain’t cheap - $45 per jar. Not to mention, many of the nutrients that Gac is renown for is contained in the oil of the fruit, which is lost when you turn it into a powder.

I’ve also seen Gac capsules from various (in my opinion questionable) websites. A month’s supply (taking recommended 2-4 caps a day) would cost around $28/month.

Where does Lea get Gac?

I personally choose to get my Gac in extract form via eXfuze’s Seven+ as it also contains many other botanical superfoods extracts including Acai, Goji, Mangosteen, Noni, Fucoidan, Sea Buckthorn, Grape Seed, Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry, and Aloe.

Seven+’s botanical superfood supplement combines potent, organically-grown and wild-crafted extracts to ensure maximum absorption.

Why are extracts so important? Unlike juices which take nutrients from the pulpy fruit part, extracts also retrieve the nutrients from the rind where most of the beneficial properties lie.

And sometimes as important is what a supplement does NOT have. Seven+ does not have sodium benzoate (toxic when combined with Vitamin C), MSG, high fructose corn syrup or any other artificial sweeteners, chemicals, synthetic vitamins. Seven+ is Kosher Certified, non-GMO, Gluten-Free and Vegan.

As a more economical option, I prefer the concentrated liquid botanical extract version that eXfuze makes because I am confident the quality can’t be beat - and hey, who doesn’t like their dollar stretched?

Retail customers can get a bottle of Seven+ Classic for $40 (although I personally use the PRO version for $45). Preferred customers only pay $37 for a bottle of Seven+ Classic (PRO is $42). At one concentrated 3/4 ounce dose per day, a bottle lasts a full month.

Or, get yours free when you Take the eXfuze Challenge and get four friends to join with you. I am using the Get Up & Go Pak and am loving it! Learn more here.

Learn more about Seven +: What is Seven+, Why Do I Need It, and How Do I Get Some?

What Does Science Say About Gac?

Inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis by water extract of Gac fruit

The antitumor activity of the crude water extract from Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis) was investigated in vivo and in vitro. A water extract prepared from 0.75 and 0.25 mg dry weight of Gac fruit per gram body weight was given daily to Balb/c mice (n=15/group). The water extract inhibited the growth of the colon 26-20 adenocarcinoma cell line, transplanted in Balb/c mice, reducing wet tumor weight by 23.6%. Histological and immunohistochemical results indicated that Gac water extract reduced the density of blood vessels around the carcinoma. The water extract also produced a marked suppression of cell proliferation in colon 26-20 and HepG2 cells. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated a significant accumulation of cells in the S phase by water extract. Immunoblotting showed that cyclin A, Cdk2, p27waf1/Kip1 were down-regulated, whereas the protein level of p21waf1/Cip1 was not decreased. Treatment of colon 26-20 cells with Gac extract induced necrosis rather than apoptosis. The antitumor component was confirmed as a protein with molecular weight of 35 kDa, retained in the water-soluble high molecular weight fraction. Thus, the bioactive antitumor compound in Gac extract is a protein, which is distinct from lycopene, another compound in Gac fruit with potential antitumor activity.

Fatty acid and carotenoid composition of Gac

In this study, we analyzed fatty acid and carotenoid composition of fruit tissues, including seed (which are surrounded by a bright red, oily aril) of Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng, known as gac in Vietnam. Carotenoid content was analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC, using a C(30) column and a method separating cis- and trans-isomers of the major carotenoids in this fruit. Mean values obtained in aril tissues were 1342 microg trans-, 204 microg cis-, and 2227 microg total lycopene; 597 microg trans-, 39 microg cis-, and 718 microg total beta-carotene; and 107 microg alpha-carotene/g FW. Mesocarp contained 11 microg trans-, 5 microg cis-beta-carotene/g FW, trace amounts of alpha-carotene, and no lycopene. Gac aril contained 22% fatty acids by weight, composed of 32% oleic, 29% palmitic, and 28% linoleic acids. Seeds contained primarily stearic acid (60.5%), smaller amounts of linoleic (20%), oleic (9%), and palmitic (5-6%) acids, and trace amounts of arachidic, cis-vaccenic, linolenic, and palmitoleic, eicosa-11-enoic acids, and eicosa-13-enoic (in one fruit only) acids.

Plasma beta-carotene and retinol concentrations of children increase after a 30-d supplementation with the fruit Momordica cochinchinensis (gac)

In rural Vietnam, vitamin A deficiency is a concern. Among the indigenous fruit and vegetables, Momordica cochinchinensis (gac) fruit has been identified as having the highest beta-carotene concentration. Locally, it is mixed with rice in a preparation called xoi gac.OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study was to assess this beta-carotene- rich rice preparation as a source of provitamin A for children in rural Vietnam.DESIGN:
Preschoolers (n = 185) participated in a 30-d controlled supplementation trial. Children with low hemoglobin concentrations were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: a fruit group, who received xoi gac that contained 3.5 mg beta-carotene per serving; a powder group, who received rice mixed with 5.0 mg synthetic beta-carotene powder; and a control group, who received rice without fortification.RESULTS:
The mean increase in plasma beta-carotene concentrations in the fruit and powder groups was significantly greater than that in the control group (P < 0.0001). After supplementation, the mean plasma retinol concentration in the fruit group was significantly higher than that in the control (P = 0.006) and powder (P = 0.0053) groups. Among the children with initial hemoglobin concentrations CONCLUSIONS:
beta-Carotene from xoi gac is a good source of provitamin A carotenoids. Severely anemic children might particularly benefit from routine xoi gac consumption.