Showing Food Ginkgo nuts
| General Information | |||||||||||
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| Name | Ginkgo nuts | ||||||||||
| Scientific Name | Ginkgo biloba | ||||||||||
| Description | Ginkgo nuts, Ginkgo biloba, are a nut-like gametophyte that grows inside the seeds of the female maidenhair tree, native to China (PMID: 13678141). The seeds, which contain the Ginkgo nuts, have a strong odor similar to rancid butter or vomit due to the presence of butyric acid. The nuts are traditionally used in Chinese cuisine, particularly in congee, a type of rice porridge, and are often served at special occasions such as weddings and Chinese New Year as part of a vegetarian dish called Buddha’s delight. They are also used in some Japanese dishes, like chawanmushi. The nuts have a soft, pale yellow color and a sweet, slightly bitter taste. Ginkgo nuts are rich in antioxidants and have been associated with several health benefits, including improved memory and cognitive function (PMID: 31376068). The most notable chemical in Ginkgo nuts is 4'-O-methylpyridoxine (MPN), which can be toxic in large quantities. Ginkgo nuts have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, particularly in China, to treat various ailments. However, they must be cooked carefully to avoid food poisoning, as MPN is not destroyed by heat. | ||||||||||
| Primary ID | FOOD00367 | ||||||||||
| Picture |  | ||||||||||
| Classification | |||||||||||
| Group | Herbs and Spices | ||||||||||
| Sub-Group | Other seeds | ||||||||||
| Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Superkingdom | Eukaryota | ||||||||||
| Kingdom | Viridiplantae | ||||||||||
| Phylum | Streptophyta | ||||||||||
| Class | Ginkgoopsida | ||||||||||
| Order | Ginkgoales | ||||||||||
| Family | Ginkgoaceae | ||||||||||
| Genus | Ginkgo | ||||||||||
| Species | biloba | ||||||||||
| Variety | Not Available | ||||||||||
| External Links | |||||||||||
| ITIS ID | 183269 | ||||||||||
| Wikipedia ID | Ginkgo biloba | ||||||||||
| Composition | |||||||||||
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| References | |||||||||||
| Content Reference | — Duke, James. 'Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. United States Department of Agriculture.' Agricultural Research Service, Accessed April 27 (2004). — U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2008. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page. — Shinbo, Y., et al. 'KNApSAcK: a comprehensive species-metabolite relationship database.' Plant Metabolomics. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2006. 165-181. | ||||||||||