“Fak Khao” (Gac fruit), known locally in Northern Thailand as “Phak Khao” or “Phak Khao” (with tonal variation), is a traditional plant commonly found in the northern region of Thailand. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family and has the scientific name Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng. It is native to countries such as China, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh.
Do you know what health benefits gac fruit offers? Today, the Science Library of the Department of Science Service has gathered its benefits for you 🔍👇
🟠 Key compounds found in gac fruit are carotenoids, which are present in high amounts—especially lycopene and beta-carotene. These are most concentrated in the red aril (the fleshy covering of the seeds).
🟠 Lycopene is found in very high levels—up to 380 mg per 100 grams of gac seed aril. Lycopene helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and lowers the risk of various cancers, such as lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer.
🟠 Beta-carotene is found at 17–35 mg per 100 grams of gac fruit. It is a provitamin A compound that is converted into vitamin A in the body, helping to prevent and treat vitamin A deficiency.
The red aril of gac fruit is commonly used to cook rice, giving it an orange color. The young fruit flesh is used in cooking, such as in dried fish curry, or eaten fresh with chili paste as a vegetable.
In addition, mature gac seeds are used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, swelling, fungal skin infections, boils, bruises, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, itching, and various skin infections.
Now that you know its benefits, don’t forget to try incorporating gac fruit into your diet 🍽️
📖 For those interested in more details, please refer to the journal article:
“Gac Fruit,” Mor Chao Ban Journal, 2024, Vol. 45 (539), March, pp. 55–58. clickhere
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