NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Indian Jujube (Ber)

Ziziphus mauritiana

Vitamin-C-rich desert fruit with metabolic promise

Preliminary evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
9 verified / 9
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 3 fruits (100 g)

100gSERVING
  • Water 77.9 g78%
  • Sugars 5.5 g6%
  • Fibre 1.4 g1%
  • Other carbs 13.3 g13%
  • Protein 1.2 g1%
  • Fat 0.2 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Vitamin C77%Potassium5%Vitamin B65%Manganese4%Iron3%Calcium2%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
79 kcal1.2 g protein1.4 g fiber0.2 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Vitamin C69 mg77%
Potassium250 mg5%
Vitamin B60.08 mg5%
Manganese0.08 mg4%
Iron0.48 mg3%
Calcium21 mg2%
Phosphorus23 mg2%
Magnesium10 mg2%
Riboflavin0.04 mg3%
Niacin0.9 mg6%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Indian Jujube (Ber)?

Indian Jujube (Ber) (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a fruit used for exceptionally rich in vitamin c, supporting antioxidant defense and immune function. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Indian jujube (ber) is a small tropical fruit notable for an exceptionally high and variable vitamin C content (often 60–165 mg/100g), well above most common fruits. Direct human trials on Z. mauritiana itself are essentially absent; the clinical evidence base comes from the closely related Z. jujuba, where small RCTs and two recent meta-analyses suggest jujube consumption can modestly reduce BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, with fasting-glucose benefits concentrated in type-2-diabetic subgroups. These trials are few (4–7 studies, under 500 participants total), short (1–12 weeks), heterogeneous in dose and preparation, and largely conducted in Iran, so confidence is low and effect sizes should be read cautiously. Phytochemical work on Z. mauritiana documents abundant flavonoids and phenolic acids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, but these are mostly in vitro and animal data. Sedative/anxiolytic claims trace to seed jujubosides studied in the distinct species Z. spinosa, not the edible ber fruit, and should not be extrapolated. Overall, jujube is a nutritious, vitamin-C-dense fruit with biologically plausible but preliminary metabolic benefits awaiting larger, rigorous trials.

Purported Benefits

✓Exceptionally rich in vitamin C, supporting antioxidant defense and immune function
✓May modestly lower LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol (evidence mostly from the related species Ziziphus jujuba)
✓May reduce fasting blood glucose and BMI, with glucose benefits concentrated in type-2-diabetic adults
✓High polyphenol and flavonoid content with measurable antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activity in animal models
✓Low energy density and high water content suit weight-conscious diets

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
A typical serving is about 3 fresh fruits (~100 g), providing roughly 69 mg vitamin C. Lipid- and glucose-lowering trials (on the related Z. jujuba) used 5–30 g/day of dried fruit powder or 15 g/day of extract.
Active Compounds
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) — unusually high, roughly 55–165 mg/100g across cultivarsFlavonols & flavones (quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, myricetin, apigenin)Phenolic acids (chlorogenic, gallic, caffeic, ferulic, p-coumaric, ellagic acids)Dammarane saponins / jujubosides A & B (concentrated in seed, not the edible flesh)Triterpenic acids (betulinic, oleanolic, ursolic acid)Cyclopeptide alkaloids (mauritine-type)Carotenoids and provitamin A precursorsSoluble and insoluble dietary fiber (including pectins)Minerals: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese

Safety & Cautions

Generally recognized as safe as a food. Concentrated dried-fruit powders or extracts that lower blood glucose and lipids could theoretically add to the effects of antidiabetic or lipid-lowering drugs—monitor if combining. Ziziphus seed preparations have sedative activity and may potentiate CNS depressants/sedatives; the edible fruit flesh carries little of this. The hard stone (pit) is a choking hazard, especially for children. Pollen and fruit can rarely trigger allergy. Safety of high-dose extracts in pregnancy and lactation is not established. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Indian Jujube (Ber) with any medicine.

Key Studies

Systematic review & meta-analysis Ahmadi 2025 ✓ Source
Meta-analysis (7 RCTs, 483 participants): jujube significantly reduced BMI (MD -1.18) and triglycerides (MD -1.87); fasting blood sugar and LDL fell significantly only in type-2-diabetic subgroups (no significant overall effect), while HDL, AST and ALT were unchanged.
Systematic review & meta-analysis Heydarian 2024 ✓ Source
Meta-analysis of 4 RCTs: Ziziphus jujuba significantly lowered BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, with no significant effect on HDL or fasting blood glucose; authors urge caution given the small number of trials.
Randomized controlled trial Mashhadi 2026 ✓ PubMed
Double-blind RCT in 196 infertile PCOS women: 15 g/day Ziziphus jujuba extract for 12 weeks improved total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and fasting glucose vs comparators, but did not significantly raise pregnancy rates.
Randomized controlled trial Farhadnejad 2022 ✓ PubMed
RCT in 48 type-2-diabetic adults: 30 g jujube daily for 12 weeks reduced fasting glucose ~11.4%, triglycerides ~13.6%, total cholesterol ~7.5% and LDL-C ~7.7% vs control; HDL and IL-6 unchanged.
Randomized controlled trial Sabzghabaee 2013 ✓ PubMed
Triple-blind RCT in obese dyslipidemic adolescents (70 completed): 5 g jujube fruit powder three times daily for 1 month significantly lowered total cholesterol (P=0.007) and LDL-C (P=0.004) versus placebo.
Narrative review Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar 2024 ✓ PubMed
Review of Z. jujuba in metabolic syndrome: traditional anti-diabetic and lipid-lowering uses are supported by mechanistic and early clinical data (improved glucose uptake, insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles) but require rigorous clinical validation.
Review Goswami 2026 ✓ Source
Comprehensive review of Ziziphus mauritiana bioactivities reports antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial and hepatoprotective effects, but notes findings are predominantly in vitro/in vivo with no dedicated clinical trials on the fruit.
Phytochemical & in vivo study Khanam 2024 ✓ Full text
Identified phenolic acids (chlorogenic, gallic, caffeic, ferulic, ellagic, etc.) and flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, myricetin) in seedless Z. mauritiana fruit/leaf; fruit extract showed marked in vivo anti-inflammatory activity (carrageenan paw edema) and suppressed IL-6, TNF-alpha and CRP.
In vitro study Aabideen 2024 ✓ Source
Among Ziziphus species, Z. mauritiana leaf/fruit extracts showed strong DPPH antioxidant and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity, correlating with rutin, quercetin and apigenin content.
9 sources cited · 9 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Indian Jujube (Ber)

What is Indian Jujube (Ber) used for?

Indian Jujube (Ber) is most often taken for Exceptionally rich in vitamin C, supporting antioxidant defense and immune function, May modestly lower LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol (evidence mostly from the related species Ziziphus jujuba), May reduce fasting blood glucose and BMI, with glucose benefits concentrated in type-2-diabetic adults, High polyphenol and flavonoid content with measurable antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activity in animal models. Vitamin-C-rich desert fruit with metabolic promise

Does Indian Jujube (Ber) work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Indian jujube (ber) is a small tropical fruit notable for an exceptionally high and variable vitamin C content (often 60–165 mg/100g), well above most common fruits. Direct human trials on Z. mauritiana itself are essentially absent; the clinical evidence base comes from the closely related Z. jujuba, where small RCTs and two recent meta-analyses suggest jujube consumption can modestly reduce BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, with fasting-glucose benefits concentrated in type-2-diabetic subgroups. These trials are few (4–7 studies, under 500 participants total), short (1–12 weeks), heterogeneous in dose and preparation, and largely conducted in Iran, so confidence is low and effect sizes should be read cautiously. Phytochemical work on Z. mauritiana documents abundant flavonoids and phenolic acids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, but these are mostly in vitro and animal data. Sedative/anxiolytic claims trace to seed jujubosides studied in the distinct species Z. spinosa, not the edible ber fruit, and should not be extrapolated. Overall, jujube is a nutritious, vitamin-C-dense fruit with biologically plausible but preliminary metabolic benefits awaiting larger, rigorous trials.

What is the typical dose of Indian Jujube (Ber)?

A typical serving is about 3 fresh fruits (~100 g), providing roughly 69 mg vitamin C. Lipid- and glucose-lowering trials (on the related Z. jujuba) used 5–30 g/day of dried fruit powder or 15 g/day of extract.

Is Indian Jujube (Ber) safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Generally recognized as safe as a food. Concentrated dried-fruit powders or extracts that lower blood glucose and lipids could theoretically add to the effects of antidiabetic or lipid-lowering drugs—monitor if combining. Ziziphus seed preparations have sedative activity and may potentiate CNS depressants/sedatives; the edible fruit flesh carries little of this. The hard stone (pit) is a choking hazard, especially for children. Pollen and fruit can rarely trigger allergy. Safety of high-dose extracts in pregnancy and lactation is not established.

How many studies support Indian Jujube (Ber)?

NutriDex cites 9 sources for Indian Jujube (Ber), graded "Preliminary".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Indian Jujube (Ber) (Ziziphus mauritiana): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/indian-jujube

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_indian_jujube,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Indian Jujube (Ber) (Ziziphus mauritiana): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/indian-jujube},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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