The Jack Of All Fruits
Jackfruit is an exotic, tropical fruit found in tropical regions such as Uganda, South India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.
It is part of the Moraceae plant family that encompasses plants like the breadfruit, mulberry, and fig tree.
In terms of size, the one fruit can weigh just over 35 kg thus making it the world’s largest tree fruit.
It is green or yellow and has a spiky outer skin. When tapped, it produces a hollow sound when ready to be eaten.
The jackfruit has a sweet and fruity flavor and can be enjoyed alone or introduced to other fruits or meals.
Consumable parts of the fruit are the fruit pods and the seeds.
Jackfruit Nutrition and benefits
Nutrition
The Jackfruit is rich in vitamins and minerals.
It has earned itself a place among the “miracle” foods in the world thanks to its rich calorie and nutrients content.
The recommended daily value (DV) below is measure in grams or %.
Some important nutritional information for a 2 cup serving:
| Calories | 310 |
| Fiber | 6g |
| Protein | 5.6g |
| Vitamin A | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 36% |
| Riboflavin | 22% |
| Magnesium | 30% |
| Potassium | 28% |
| Copper | 30% |
| Manganese | 32% |
The above nutritional value is for the fruit pods although the seeds are also rich in potassium, iron, calcium, and protein.
Benefits
There are numerous health benefits of eating Jackfruit, some of which include:
- It helps improve the immune system thanks to the presence of vitamin C.
- It helps improve digestion thanks to the presence of fiber
- May help prevent cancer thanks to the presence of phytonutrients such as isoflavones, saponins, and lignans, which have anti-cancer properties.
- It can help boost energy levels without spiking blood sugar levels thanks to the presence of B vitamins such as vitamin B6.
- It helps regulate blood pressure thanks to the presence of potassium.
- It helps support healthy vision thanks to the presence of vitamin A.
- It helps keep the skin moisturized and young-looking thanks to the high water content
- It helps boost bone health thanks to the presence of calcium.
- It can aid in weight loss since it is low in calories and fat.
- It can help treat ulcer disorder thanks to the presence of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-ulcerative properties.
Jackfruit For Diet And Weight Loss
Jackfruit is great for a healthy diet and if you have the opportunity to buy this awesome fruit you shoul try use it as meat substitute.
You will be surprised how similar the texture is.
In 100g (3.5Oz) of Jackfruit you have:
- 95 Calories
- 0.6g Fat
- 23g Carbs
- 1.7g Protein.
Considering the low-fat content it is ideal for weight loss and controlling cholesterol levels.
How To Prepare Jackfruit
Slicing through the thick, spiked skin of jackfruit is no easy task.
You have to have a sharp knife, some good elbow grease, and oil your hands to avoid them sticking together thanks to all the gummy sap that oozes out of the fruit!
You can also use gloves, although bare hands get the job done faster and better.
Once open, you have to separate the fruit pods from the string-like attachments and the skin.
Then you have to separate the pods from the seeds and you will be good to go to eat!
Luckily, there is frozen or canned jackfruits in-store to avoid all this hustle.
Fresh fruit however is the best. It has a meaty texture when raw which makes it a vegan’s paradise.
The fruit texture is similar to shredded meat.
Cooked raw, it is much like tofu, with no flavor to speak of. It can be added to different dishes such as chili, soups, and stir-fries.
Not convinced you can do it? Whatch this video from Indian Food 99
Jackfruit Related Research
- Nutritional and Health Benefits of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.): A Review
- Evaluation of Phytochemical, Nutritional and Antioxidant Activity of Indigenously Grown Jackfruit
- Jackfruit and Its Many Functional Components as Related to Human Health: A Review
Jackfruit Known Risks
Jackfruit risks are rare.
Although, you may want to steer clear of it if you have a birch pollen allergy or if you have a latex allergy.
It may also not be a good idea to eat jackfruit if you have blood disorders, tissue transplants, or if you are undergoing immunosuppression therap
