Welcome to gac-seeds.com
We are a global company and one of the largest exporters of viable Gâc seeds on the internet.
We are based in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
|
Contact us by
phone : In Thailand : call Peter @
+66-81-734-0245
(type it as one long word, We
export fresh Gâc seeds by kilogram direct from Vietnam to all countries. 
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We
run germination tests monthly to ensure that we ship only best quality
and viable seed. Please note that we ship in unmarked plain
padded envelopes, and usually there is no issue with Customs.
However, we cannot be responsible if our shipment to you is
confiscated for any reason. Update: we are looking for
distributors for gac seeds and plants in the US and other regions. If
you have a nursery and want your site listed here, please email me and
inform me the details.
Payment
terms are
in advance by PayPal or Western Union. Please email your
order and for payment instructions.
Major website upgrade coming soon!
We
are in the process of designing a major website upgrade. The NotePad
based version just isn't cutting it anymore :). The new site will
include user comments on all sections, classified section for anything
gac related, and easy online ordering. Please bear with us while we
make this transition.
What
is Gâc? And,
you are probably aware that carrots are high in
beta-carotene. But are you aware of a fruit that has 10X
higher beta-carotene than carrots? It
is estimated that there are between 250,000 to 300,000 species of
flowering plants, and regrettably, only about 10% of them have been
investigated for commercial or medicinal potential. Gâc (Momordica
Cochinchinensis Spreng) (pronounced "Geuk"
by native Vietnam speakers) is relatively unknown in western
agricultural circles. Guichard
and Bui first identified carotenoids in Gâc fruit when they traveled to
Vietnam in 1941. The discovery of Guichard and
Bui rocked the scientific world. According to a 2004 USDA paper
(reference below), Gâc aril (the red seed sac) has about 40-70 times
the lycopene of tomatoes, and 10 times the beta carotene of
carrots. West and Poovlet reported a concentration of 18,810
ug of betacarotene, and 89,150 ug total cartenoids per 100g.
This is the real deal. Today, cultivation of Gâc is exceedingly rare
outside its native habitat of SE Asia. This is highly unfortunate and
represents a missed opportunity for the health conscious consumers
worldwide. The
plant can be cultivated either from seeds or root tubers. Leaves are
alternate and deeply three-to-five-lobed with toothed margins. The leaf
stalk is glandular. The gac plant is dioecious,
that is, the male and female plants are separate. The flowers are
pale-yellow and solitary in the axils of the leaves. The production of
parthenocarpic fruits, which is of economic importance, can be
accomplished using growth regulators in the female plant in the absence
of male plants. However, induced parthenocarpic fruits have no seed,
whereas hand pollinated fruits contain 18 seeds per fruit on average. Unfortunately,
cultivation of Gâc is exceedingly rare outside its native habitat of SE
Asia. In Asian households, the red oily pulp is often cooked
with rice. The color and fatty acids from the fruit pulp and seed
membrane are stirred into the rice, giving it a lustrous appearance and
oil-rich, mild nutty taste. The bright red color generates the visual
effect that represents good luck and joy in Vietnamese tradition. What
are the health benefits of Gâc? Recent
scientific analysis of Gâc oil has revealed that gâc contains significant
and extraordinarily high amounts of important
anti-oxidants necessary for good health and slowing the effects of
aging. The impressive graph below compares the amount of lycopene
in Gâc fruit to other common fruits which are already known for their
high lycopene content. Gâc fruit contains 20X-70X higher
lycopene than tomatoes. As such, Gâc is a
commercially viable source of this important phyto-nutrient.
The lycopene is contained in the aril, which is the red oily sacs
surrounding the seeds. Insignificant amounts of lycopene are
found in the orange mesocarp flesh of the fruit. Gâc
fruit oil also contains beta-carotene in significant
and extraordinarily high amounts, approximately 10X
higher than vegetables already known for their high beta-carotene
content, such as carrots. Gâc
also has high levels of fatty acids which creates a lipocarotene to
deliver higher bioavailable carotenoids. Compared to beta-carotene
found in carrots and dark-green vegetables, beta carotene from Gâc
fruit appears to be more easily absorbed. Gâc
extract has been shown effective in colon cancer tumor remediation in
mice (reference below). Carotenoids
in plants are the primary dietary source of vitamin A worldwide. The
most efficient pro-vitamin A carotenoid is beta-carotene which is
abundant in yellow and orange fruits, such as mangoes, papayas, yams,
and of course Gâc, and in green leafy vegetables such as
spinach, kale, sweet potato leaves, and sweet gourd
leaves. In developing countries, thousands of
children go blind every year due to a dietary deficiency of
vitamin A. Consumption of foods rich in b-carotene
theoretically can replete individuals to a healthy vitamin A
status. Gâc is remarkably high in beta-carotene and is an
outstanding potential resource as a natural cure for Vitamin A
deficiency. A
number of studies have shown that each of the each of the carotenoids
(such as alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin,
and cryptoxanthin) can have different functions as well as concentrate
differently in various tissues. For example, lutein levels are highest
in the retina, the liver, and the lungs. Alpha-carotene levels are
highest in the breast and cervix, while lycopene is very high in the
liver, lungs, and breast. Carotenoids
play a major role in cancer prevention and control, and each acts in a
specific organ or tissue. Some of the carotenoids, including
alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and gamma-carotene,
are converted in the body into vitamin A. Others can be metabolized
into a great number of compounds that have also been shown to inhibit
cancer. And because they can be dissolved in lipids as well as water,
they play a major role in protecting the brain. Many
people are aware that very high doses of vitamin A over extended
periods can cause liver and brain toxicity, especially in the very
young. The unique thing about carotenoids converted to vitamin A is
that they will never produce enough vitamin A to be toxic, no matter
how high a dose of the carotenoids taken. There is no known toxic dose
of beta-carotene, even for infants. It
could be said that the Vietnamese people have the lightest, smoothest,
and healthiest skin of all Asian races. Recent scientific
studies have demonstrated the skin rejuvenating, toning, and youth
enhancing benefits of Gâc oil, and recent products have been introduced
to capitalize on this. See references below. What
does Gâc taste like? Gâc
flesh and oily sacs are quite palatable and have very little
taste, it could be described as a very mild taste, in the
same way that a cucumber has very little taste. It is only
slightly sweet or not sweet, and it would definitely not
be described as delicious, more like plain or bland slightly nutty
taste. The aril texture is soft and mushy, similar to raw
chicken livers. The mesocarp (light orange outer fleshy part
under the spiny skin) is about 2 cm thick and has a soft spongy
texture. It is normally discarded (composted!).
When the seeds and oil sac are cooked with rice, they impart a lustrous
appearance and oil-rich, mild nutty flavor to the rice. As
with any pure vegetable oil, pure Gâc oil is not delicious, and it
would not be wise to try to get your family to take it with a teaspoon
in pure form. Soft gels is the preferred method to take pure
Gâc oil. This is similar to many other vegetable oils, which
by themselves are quite unpleasant to ingest. Olives are delicious, but
a spoonful of olive oil, well, you get the picture. For
western diets, a convenient way to prepare Gâc is to drop the seed sacs
into a pot of tomato sauce and cook briefly. Of course if
your tomato sauce has a rich tomato taste and already contains some
other healthy ingredients like olive oil and garlic, the Gâc imparts
almost no detectable flavor to the tomato sauce while turbo-charging it
with phyto-nutrients. Add it to your spaghetti sauce, use it
to make some pizza or lasagna, or slip it into your favorite salsa
recipe! What
are Gâc seeds? Gâc
seeds are brown in color and look like small meteorites with gagged
edges and black lines running through them. They are about
the size of a half dollar piece and about 1/4 inch thick.
Approximately 200-300 seeds in 1 kilogram. They have one
small hole on one end. This is where the vine and roots will
emerge at germination. How
to germinate Gâc seeds? Like
all seeds, Gâc seeds need oxygen, water, and light to
germinate. Clay soils do not allow for passage of
oxygen. Planting any seed deep in wet clay soil is a good way
prevent oxygen and light from reaching it, which will result in poor
germination results and rotted seeds. Do not use straight
potting soil for the same reason. The
seeds should be planted immediately upon receipt. Long term
storage (over 6 months) in the refrigerator (not freezer) is
possible. Gâc seeds have a hard seed coat and after long term
storage they will need extra time to germinate.â
The seeds should be placed half submerged in well
draining
soil mix. We use 1/4 potting soil, 1/4 broken peanut shells,
1/4 peat mos, and 1/4 course sand. The seeds have one opening
and this should be placed down in the soil. This is where the vine and
roots will emerge at germination. The soil should be kept
wet. Do not let it dry out during germination.
Warmth, air circulation, and bright light are required for
germination. Seeds are easy to germinate and they will
germinate in 7-30 days. Germination rate is usually >
80%. The seed will swell and crack open at the edges and the
vine root will emerge from the small opening. Gâc
seeds are quite easy to germinate, they grow vigorously, and do not
usually succumb to any diseases. During drought the leaves
will shrivel, but they will come back after watering.
Therefore they are quite suitable for children and beginning gardeners.
For our germination tests, we do not even use any soil, we just keep
the seeds wet and airated, and they sprout and grow vigourously. Another
very efficient way to germinate gac seeds is to put them all in one
small flower with NO SOIL. In other words, all 20 seeds go into
one small pot with NO SOIL. Then keep them wet by sprinkling
water on them twice a day. This provides moisture and good air
circulation, and the seeds will swell and roots will emerge.
Then they should be planted immediately. Pictures coming soon to
show
gac seeds growing in a pot with no soil at all.
You are probably aware that tomatoes are high in lycopene.
But are you aware of a fruit that has 70X
higher lycopene than tomatoes?
Gâc is a bright-red fruit that grows as large as a cantaloupe and
covered with short spines, hence it is sometimes referred to in English
language as "Spiny Cucumber" or "Balsampear". It grows
abundantly on attractive, vigorous tropical vines all over sub-tropical
Asia, especially in Vietnam. The vine is mildly drought
tolerant, and reportedly hardy to 10 degrees F. The large
seeds cannot be spread by birds and the plant is considered
non-invasive. A fountain of antioxidants, as recent
scientific research unveiled, this fruit is grown in home gardens and
valued for its medicinal potentials.
.
Pollination
of Gâc flowers? Gâc
vines are dioecious, that is the male and female plants are
separate. The flowers are pollinated by insects.
Since not all the flowers and vines will mature at the same time,
several vines (10+) should be grown together in close proximity to
ensure at least one mature male flower for the maturing female flowers
nearby. In areas in which have low insect populations, or if
the insects refuse to participate in the pollination process for
whatever reason, many people have good luck hand pollinating
the flowers. This involves clipping the male flower and
brushing the stamen of the male flower (the part with the pollen)
against the carpel of the female flower. The female flower can be
identified by a bulge at the base of the flower, which is the unformed
fruit. Please note that even in the case of hand pollination,
you still need 1 mature male flower at a suitable time when the female
flowers are maturing. More vines helps to ensure
this. Too few vines and there is a good chance that you will
not be able to get fruit due to male flowers being unavailable at the
appropriate time. Gâc
vines will generally flower the first year, but they may not be large
or mature enough to support fruit formation. We have seen and
experienced flowering, but no fruit, the first year. The
second year, fruits formed easily and without intervention.
If you do not get fruit the first year, please be patient until the
second year. Growing
Gâc in Northern Climates? Gâc
is a tropical vine and therefore loves heat and moisture. However,
after root tuber formation in about 2 years, Gâc is not easily killed
and can survive a prolonged dry season by dropping about half of its
leaves and going dormant. In cold regions, Gâc will survive anywhere
the ground does not freeze solid, and a good layer of mulch and reduced
watering will help it survive the winter in cold regions. The
established root system and root tuber will propel vigorous growth in
the spring, however, in very short growing seasons, the fruits may not
have enough time to form completely. We
have had customers as far north as Canada try to grow it, but
unfortunately no feedback yet on success or failure. Please email me
with your experiences and I will update this section accordingly. Availability
of Gâc seeds? Gâc
fruits ripen in December-January and fresh seeds are readily available
at these times. At other times seeds are available from our
stock and germination tested monthly by us for your assured
satisfaction. There are several plantations in Vietnam
growing Gâc for the purpose of harvesting the Gâc fruit oil and seed
concentrate. The problem with seeds from these companies is that the
seeds have been killed by the heat that is used to dry the oil sacs
(been there, done that). Therefore they are usable for
boiling with rice and preparing Gâc seed extract, but useless for
growing. Our seeds are hand harvested and no heat is
used. Large quantities are normally available. Like
all governments of the world these days, the Vietnam Government is
concerned about bio-piracy of indigenous plants and animals by foreign
corporations, as well as the very real danger of over-harvesting of
wild populations by irresponsible profiteers, resulting in
population stress, endangerment, and possible
extinction. Gâc is a particularly valuable bio-resource due
to its vigorous growth, non-invasiveness, outstanding health
benefits and scientifically verified high concentrations of
anti-oxidants. There is discussion about the need to ban
exports of Gâc seeds. This danger is not immediate, however
one should not assume that gâc seeds (or any
seeds for that matter) will be available in the future. At
some point in time there will definitely be a ban on export of Gâc
seeds (we predict that at some future time, exports of any
seed from any country will be banned). Growing
list of plants and animals which are endangered and/or banned for
export by well meaning governments around the world : Other
net resources and info on Gâc : Nutritional
and health information on Gâc : Products
containing Gâc : Recipies
for Gâc : Other
Interesting Links : Customer
Feedback : Hi
Peter, I received the Gac seeds in today's mail. They are in good
condition. I am surprised to see the germinating seeds. They look
great. You have done good work as promised. Please let me know about
the other seeds you are selling. - C.P., USA Peter,
That's a very kind of you. Thanks a lot. I will forward your
email address to my other contacts who are also interested in what you
have. Thanks again Peter for your kindness. P.L., Philippines Hi,
Peter. The gac seeds arrived today registered mail. They seem to be in
great shape! Thanks. - S.K. USA. Dear
Peter, Thanks for the info, the seedlings are doing well, going to have
to transplant them soon. - J.J. USA Hi
Peter, They arrived ! Just when I thought they were lost :
) I hope they grow ok now, I'll get some started asap. Thanks
a lot, - M.S. France I
gave Gac capsules to 2 friends and they were on it for same time. All
three of us noticed some outstanding results and now we dont have
anymore. There is no doubt in our minds that Gac has so much to
offer. It is an incredible plant. I just can not
believe it has been a secret for so long. For me, every man, woman, and
child should be taking Gac. - E.J. USA. I
really appreciate your regular followup on the order, and keeping in
regular touch. You are indeed a very special supplier. - A.G.
India And
now of course, the ubiquitous
DISCLAIMER. And
Lastly, My Favorite Quotes Insightful
: "The
ultimate test of a man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice
something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not
be heard." - Gaylord
Nelson. "The
greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add a useful
plant to its culture." -
Thomas Jefferson, 1813 âThe
Central Bank (Known as the FED) is an institution of the most deadly
hostility existing against the Principles and form of our
ConstitutionâBankers are more dangerous than standing armies â [and] If
the American People allow private banks to control the issuance of
their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and
corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the People of
all their Property until their Children will wake up homeless on the
continent their Fathers conquered.â- "A
population that grows in response to abundant but finite resources
tends to exhaust these resources completely. By the time individuals
discover that remaining resources will not be adequate for the next
generation, the next generation has already been born. And in its
struggle to survive, the last generation uses up every scrap, so that
nothing remains that would sustain even a small population." -
Dr. David Price. "I
have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -
Thomas A. Edison. "The
greatest feeling in the world is loving someone, and knowing that
person loves you back." - Jeff
Goldblum in Holy Man. "When
the white man discovered this country, Indians were running it. No
taxes, no debt, women did all the work. White man thought he could
improve on a system like this." "When
all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been
hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to
breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money." - Cree
Prophesy "Be
without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God
may love thee. Speak the truth, always, even if it leads to your death.
Safeguard the helpless. Do no wrong. That is your oath. Rise a Knight."
- A
Knight's Oath "If
we can survive the next 200 years, we should be ok." -
Steven Hawking. âBe
thankful for what you have; youâll end up having more. If you
concentrate on what you donât have, you will never, ever have enough.â
- Oprah
Winfrey. "Here's
the trick: Try not to take your time on earth for granted. ... Death
waits for us all. The only answer is to get out there and live each
day." -
Bruce Willis. "There
exist no train wrecks except the ones where the conductor thought it
safe." - Peter
G. Humor
: "Red
wine is good for men, especially when women drink it." -
Unknown. "I've
been married for 17 years, and I'm still in love with the same
wonderful woman. And if my wife finds out, she'll kill me." -
Unknown. "The
secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that,
you've got it made." - Groucho
Marx. "If
you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten." - George
Carlin. "I've
found the problem. It's either a fuse or something else." -
Unknown. "When
all else fails, read the manual." -
Unknown. All
text and pictures Copyright 2008-2011 by www.gac-seeds.com
Lodoicea
maldivica, worlds largest seed, export banned by Seychelles Islands
Government, some info at link
Copaifera
langsdorfii - Diesel tree, native to Brazil, produces sap which can be
used directly in diesel engines, export limited to 100 grams of seed. link
Pistachio
- Iran has previously denied the world access to its gene stock from
its pistachio collection.
Pueraria
Mirifica - root tuber native to Thailand, contains high concentrations
of phyto-estrogens, clinically proven to make women's breasts larger
(which makes this plant absolutely essential right?), also shows
positive results to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men,
breast cancer in women, export banned by the Thai government due to
over-harvesting, lots more info at link
and link
Philippine
Eagle, national bird of the Philippines, considered one of the largest
and most powerful eagles in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one of
the world's rarest and certainly among its most critically endangered
vertebrate species, population estimated at 250.
Baiji
- Yangtze River Dolphin, last confirmed sighting in 2004, likely to be
extinct. link.
Vaquita
- extraordinary-looking porpoise is the world's smallest cetacean, and
probably the one that exists in the smallest numbers. About 150 remain.
link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gac
- Wikipedia page on Gâc.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MOCO5
- Gâc plant classification info from USDA website.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=153965
- From USDA website, "Fatty Acids and Carotenoids in Gâc (Momordica
Cochinchinesis Spreng) Fruit"
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6770585.html
- Patented process for b-carotene extraction from Gâc oil.
http://www.pharmcast.com/Patents100/Yr2004/Aug2004/080304/6770585_Carotene080304.htm
- Another process patent.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15753981?dopt=Abstract
- Medical study where gâc was found to inhibit and reduce colon cancer
tumors in mice.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15753981?dopt=Abstract
- Inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis by water extract of Gac
fruit
http://www.aseanfood.info/Articles/13005361.pdf
- Article by Cancer Research Center of Hawaii analyzing Gâc carotenoid
content.
http://www.vietnamjournal.org/article.php?sid=5
- Excellent information page on nutritional study of Gâc among local
population with tons of references.
http://www.nuskin.com/ns/sg/images/g3/new/page_gac.html
- NuSkin G3 Gâc superfruit blend.
http://www.purefruittechnologies.com/gacchi/
- GacChi fruit juice.
http://www.fzrm.com/herbextract/cochinchina%20momordica%20seed%20extract.htm
- Gâc seed extract powder.
http://www.stpaulbrands.com/redgac.php
- Gâc skin revitalizer.
http://www.stpaulbrands.com/rg_antiaging_gac.php
- Gâc anti-aging cream.
http://www.stpaulbrands.com/rg_antiaging_gac.php
- Gâc anti-aging cream.
http://juiceduplife.info/?page_id=2
- Exfuze Seven health drink.
http://pwmf.blogspot.com/2006/05/xi-gc-coconut-sweet-rice-dyed-with.html
- Recipe for Vietnamese Red Rice using Gâc.
http://anhsfoodblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/firstly-let-me-explain-what-tt-is.html
- Another recipe for Vietnamese Red Rice.
http://www.seed-finder.com
- Very useful seed and plant search for any plant or seed, searchable
by geographic area.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/downloads/forms/ppqform587.pdf
- Link to form to apply for Small Seed Lot Import to USA.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080728192946.htm
- Unexpected Key To Flowering Plants' Diversity
http://www.cancerdecisions.com/082903_page.html
- Very sensible commentary of the potential anti-cancer properties of
Graviola (aka Soursop, PawPaw).
All
the provided information on this page and for that matter, this
website, is only for educational purposes.
The information presented here is not intended (nor should it be used
as such) to diagnose, prescribe, prevent, treat or cure any disease or
condition.
Use of information on this website is not a replacement for proper
medical consultation and / or care.
Consult your physician or other health care provider concerning
possible interaction with other drugs and / or adverse side effects.
Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed by your
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Links provided for educational purposes only. gac-seeds.com
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Information presented here is not intended to treat or cure any disease.
Thomas
Jefferson
"The hardest thing in the world to understand is the Income Tax." - Albert
Einstein.
- Old
Cherokee Saying
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