Leizhou Green Jujube

Leizhou Green Jujube

　　Leizhou Green Jujube -- A Famous, Special, and High-quality New Agricultural Product of Guangdong Province

　　 The green jujube (ZIZYPHUS MAURITIANA LAM), also known as velvety jujube, Taiwanese honey jujube, Taiwanese green jujube, or Indian jujube, is a fruit tree of the genus Ziziphus in the Rhamnaceae family. Green jujube is an excellent tropical and subtropical rare fruit, cultivated in provinces such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan, and Fujian in China. Under the guidance of the South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, the Leizhou Taiwanese Honey Jujube Technology Association conducted trial planting in Qindou in the spring of 1997 and gradually promoted cultivation throughout Leizhou City. Over the past decade, with the attention and support of the South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, the Leizhou Agriculture Bureau, and the Leizhou Science and Technology Association, besides large-scale planting in Qindou Town, Taiwanese honey jujube has expanded to other towns such as Wushi, Beihe, Yingli, Longmen, Tangjia, Qishui, Jijia, Yangjia, Kelu, Baisha, Legao, Tiaofeng, and Dongli.

　　 From 2005 to 2006, the Leizhou Taiwanese Honey Jujube Technology Association was designated by the Provincial Department of Agriculture as a pilot unit for rural civil economic organizations in Guangdong Province. In 2008, the association’s project "Introduction and Promotion of Excellent Varieties of Taiwanese Honey Jujube" won the Third Prize for Excellent Science and Technology Projects from the Leizhou Municipal Committee and the People’s Government of Leizhou City. In 2009, the Leizhou Taiwanese Honey Jujube Technology Association was recognized as an Advanced Unit by the Zhanjiang Science and Technology Association. In 2010, the Leizhou Taiwanese Honey Jujube Technology Association was awarded the title of Advanced Rural Professional Technical Association in Guangdong Province by the Provincial Science and Technology Association and the Provincial Department of Finance.

　　 According to preliminary statistics, the current planting area of green jujube in Leizhou City has reached over 45,000 mu, making it the county with the largest green jujube planting area in the province. The city’s annual income from green jujube amounts to 300 million yuan, establishing it as an important agricultural economic industry in Leizhou and a new pathway to prosperity for farmers, with promising development prospects. In September 2013, green jujube was named one of the Eight Famous Fruits of Zhanjiang.

　　Green jujube fruit is highly nutritious, crisp, sweet, and delicious, containing abundant vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B, carotene, fructose, dietary fiber, and more. It is often referred to as the "vitamin pill" and is associated with the saying, "Eat three jujubes a day, and you’ll live forever." Tests have shown that fresh fruit can contain up to 243 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, 20 times that of apples, earning it the title of "Vitamin C Fruit." It has antioxidant properties, purifies the blood, promotes blood circulation, aids digestion, helps prevent iron-deficiency anemia, promotes wound healing, prevents allergies, lowers cholesterol, and contributes to skin beautification. The nutritional value of green jujube is reflected in several aspects:

　　 1. Contains a large amount of sugar substances, mainly glucose, fructooligosaccharides, arabinose, and galacturonic acid polysaccharides, which have strong nourishing effects, can enhance human immune function, and boost disease resistance.

　　 2. Enhances muscle strength and increases body weight.

　　 3. Has liver-protecting and liver-nourishing effects.

　　 4. The flavone diglucoside A contained in green jujube has sedative, hypnotic, and blood pressure-lowering effects.

　　 5. Green jujube contains various triterpenoid compounds, among which betulinic acid and maslinic acid have been found to possess anti-cancer activity, offering certain effectiveness in cancer prevention, anti-cancer efforts, and maintaining the function of internal organs.

　　 Through the consumption of fresh green jujube, it has been observed that some patients with respiratory, digestive tract diseases, and hypertension show significant improvement in symptoms after consuming large amounts of the fresh fruit. Moreover, ordinary people who consume the fruit in large quantities have not reported any adverse reactions. This indicates that the fruit is neither cold nor drying in nature, making it suitable for all groups to consume and a typical health-promoting fruit.