A review: The physical, nutritional, bioactive properties and health benefits of jujube fruit

Jujube, which grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions of world and has been commercially cultivated in China for 4000 years. Jujube is a juicy and crispy fruit, resembling a large olive and tasting like an apple. Moreover, jujube has been used for treatment of several diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Jujube has antioxidant, anticancer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial activities due to bioactive components such as phenolic compounds, saponins, polysaccharides and ascorbic acid. It is also an attractive fruit in terms of its nutrient content including carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. In recent years, the tendency towards natural therapies has increased, due to increase in incidence of certain diseases and adverse effects of drugs used in the treatment of such diseases. Jujube could be considered as a natural therapeutic material because of bioactive and nutritional properties. The aim of present review is to introduce jujube fruit in terms of chemical composition, effects on health and bioactive properties