Frequently Asked Questions

What is Noni?

Noni (Morinda citrifolia), also known as Indian mulberry, was one of the 25 “canoe plants” brought to Hawaii in ancient times by the sea-faring Polynesians. A bushy plant that can reach more than 30 feet in height, it fruits nearly year ’round. It is extremely hardy and one of the first plants to establish itself on recent lava flows. Mature fruits are four to seven inches across and yellow to white in color. Immediately upon being picked the fruit starts a process of natural fermentation which will release a strong odor. Both leaves and fruit are used as food in areas where it grows; in Hawaii a yellow dye was extracted from the roots. It has a long history of medicinal use among the Hawaiians and is popular today as a fermented juice akin to vinegar, light to dark brown/black in color and with a strong smell and taste not, shall we say, to everyone’s liking.

Are you really a monastery?

We are indeed a traditional Saivite Hindu monastic order headquartered on the Garden Island of Kauai. Among our many activities, we maintain 300 acres of agriculture land on long-term lease from the State of Hawaii on which we grow native Hawaiian hardwood trees, other hardwoods, specimen palm trees for landscapers and eight acres of noni. There’s also two large pastures for our “retired cows” that earlier in their life produced milk for the monks. To learn more about us, go to: www.himalayanacademy.com

Where is the fruit grown?

It is grown on the Hawaiian island of Kauai (which you’ve seen in many movies, such as Jurassic Park) at 400 foot elevation in sight of Mt. Waialeale, one of the wettest places on Planet Earth.

What does Noni taste like?

Noni’s unique taste is definitely not to everyone’s liking. It is first of all a strongly acidic type of vinegar, and that with a pungent smell and taste depending on how it is processed. Backyard methods of fermenting noni tend to allow yeasts and molds to contaminate the juice, which leads to truly unpleasant off flavors and contributes to noni’s reputation as unpleasant. This doesn’t happen with our processing, but still noni is noni. Wine afficianadoes, while not claiming they enjoyed the taste, do point out it is exhibits an impressive array of complex flavors one can come to enjoy. For those who can’t come to appreciate the flavor, it can be diluted with water or mixed with other fruit juices.

Do you add anything to your noni juice?

No, it is 100% pure noni juice

Why is there sediment in the bottle?

We do not filter the noni, consequently some sediment remains after the noni is left in a settling tank for several weeks. It is fine to drink and a sign of a natural organic product that has not been highly processed.

How much should I take a day?

An ounce a day, ideally on an empty stomach.

What is the shelf life of your Noni juice?

Two years from date of bottling. The “best by” date is printed in black ink on the neck of the bottle above the label. Noni should be refrigerated after opening.

Is your juice pasteurized?

Yes. It isn’t an absolute requirement of the health department, but retailers prefer it. Juice that has not been pasteurized, will also continue to ferment in the bottle, even to the point of building up enough pressure to pop the cap.

What’s the difference between your juice and others?

Noni is often sold as a reconstituted juice drink made from a puree or concentrate to which water and fruit juices such as grape and blueberry are added. Ours is unadulterated, natural, fermented, pasteurized juice. Wailua River Noni Juice is guaranteed to be 100% pure, organic Hawaiian noni juice.

Where can I learn more about noni?

Here are some useful websites:

Can I distribute your Noni or buy wholesale?

For distributors or wholesale buyers inside or outside the US, please see our distributor’s page.