Comments on: Bignay / Bugnay / Chinese Laurel

By: Andylane

Andylane — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:40:31 +0000

Bignay is plentiful in my home province of Occidental Mindoro and perhaps in other parts of the country. It is found specifically at secondary growth forests and an important food of endemic birds.

It is sometimes cultivated by local folks who knew about their several economic uses: I have tried products from bignay fruits such as bignay juice, jam or sweets. I’ve heard the leaves are medicinal. Most interesting of all, in one of our chemistry activity, I used the fruit as an ingredient for making wine…and oh, it’s great!

By: Tere

Tere — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:13:58 +0000

hi! We have a Bignay tree on our yard.
Its fruit darkens its color as it ripens…the darker the color, the sweeter…
It’s an excellent ingredient for Sinigang and as a fruit juice… Just this week we have harvested piles of it. We have extracted the juice and have it frozen in icebag so whenever we need it for cooking or as a fruit juice we can get it right away.

Well, according to research alkaloids are present on the bark of the said tree, the leaves are believed to be edible too, and the fruit is rich in Vitamin C.

By: MAC

MAC — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:06:48 +0000

At Lemery Batangas I was advised to take Bignay Tea from the bark or leaves of male Bignay Tree for my diabetes. Have been taking it for half a year already almost like my daily water until my friend emailed me that bark can be toxic. Doctors differ in their opinions and I can’t really have a solid basis. Hope someone can shed light on the matter. It somehow regulated my sugar levels but I discontinued because of its toxic alkaloids. help.

By: Kristoffer

Kristoffer — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:08:45 +0000

I’m located in Arizona and need to find this fruit – ASAP. Any clues or ideas? California is my best bet?

By: salwaki

salwaki — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:06:32 +0000

teka pala, bakit napapunta sa aratiles usapan natin? di ba bignay ang topic? siguro part ng childhood memories kasi ang aratiles. masakit na tuhod ko ngayon. he he he

By: salwaki

salwaki — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:02:37 +0000

memorable ang aratiles experience. part ng adolescent years. dun kami sa mga sanga ng aratiles. sarap ang pakiramdam kung kasama mo crush mo sa ibabaw ng puno ng aratiles. tapos, baon mo sandwich na palaman bignay jam at binigyan mo crush mo hmmm.

erleen, saya ng experience mo. palagi pinutakti ng mga bata ang aratiles trees sa baranggay namin. pati ibon masaya. Salamat pala sa mga ibon na masipag kumain ng aratiles kasi naging ipot yon tapos, tutubo, bagong aratiles tree na naman. yehey!

By: juice

juice — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:15:42 +0000

Hi, wag magkamali: bugnay or bignay is not aratiles. Aratiles is mansanitas in Cebu. aratiles is sweet with hairy leaves. Bugnay or bignay is sour. its leaves are like the leaves of guayavano or jackfruit. We have big bignay tree in my hometown.
di pinapansin kasi maasim. we only make it into jam or jelly. aratiles is sweet and seedy parang lisa, yak!

By: Kenny Mari Argos

Kenny Mari Argos — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 10:25:58 +0000

We make bugnay jam from the fruits in our backyard and mountain. We have a few jars now, because the fruit is in season now. Please contact us if you want some.

By: madeline

madeline — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:32:48 +0000

I am a vendor of fruit wines here in Swamp La Trinidad, Benguet. Thats just 6 kms from Baguio City proper. I suggest you buy the Benguet Tasty brand its kinda sweet and smooth. The Annies and Maureen for half dry and super dry bignay wine. Just look for me and I’ll give you a free taste of all quality fruit wines sold here. Or better yet contact me in my mobile # 09198629847.

By: Mona_C

Mona_C — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:54:54 +0000

My mom once put ripe bignay in vinegar so it would impart that warm red color. She even put it in a fancy bottle. It didn’t add anything to the taste though. However, she realized that exposure to sunlight oxidized her lovely reddish vinegar and turned it dark brown.

I tried a ripe bignay on its own and it’s kind of on the sour side. But bignay tea, which I tried at a trade fair in Megamall… was soooo bitter one sip made me choke. That’s the one that’s supposed to aid the libido (the marketing materials mentioned something about getting the tea from either a male or a female tree)… Talk about medicinal! There’s wine too, but I’ve never tried it.

In the end, a bignay sprig makes a nice table ornament.