Benefits of Jackfruit And Its Nutrition facts
jackfruit is an exotic fruit sometimes called “jak fruit” or “jak” or known as Kathal is a tropical climacteric fruit – Scientific name: Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Botanically this tropical tree fruit is native to the Western Ghats of India – and belongs to the family of Moraceae, which is closely related to figs, mulberry, and breadfruit.
Jackfruit is counted among the largest and heaviest fruits selected in the world. If this fruit is unripe, then as a vegetable and when ripe, this fruit turns yellow from inside, which people eat with great fervor as a fruit.
It is called the meat of vegetarians, because of its texture, vegetarians use this fruit as a meat substitute.
Jackfruit Nutrition facts
The best part of jackfruit is the flesh or pods, that have been found to have a high nutritional value. Although Nutritional value of jackfruit varies depending on the variety.
Jackfruit flesh and seeds provide more protein, calcium, iron, and thiamine compared with other tropical fruits.
The following are the nutrients found in 100 grams of Jackfruit. (study)
- Protein – 1.72 grams
- Fat – 0.64 grams
- Carbohydrate – 23.25 grams
- Fiber – 1.5 grams
- Sugar – 19.08 grams
- Vitamin B6 – 0.329 mg
- Vitamin C – 13.7 mg
- Thiamine – 0.105 mg
- Riboflavin – 0.055 mg
- Niacin – 0.920 mg
- Calcium – 24 mg
- Iron – 0.23 mg
- Magnesium – 29 mg
- Phosphorus – 21 mg
- Potassium – 448 mg
- Sodium – 2 mg
- Zinc – 0.13 mg
jackfruit bulbs are packed with health-benefiting nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 100 g (3oz) jackfruit bulbs hold about 95 calories.
Potassium is present in abundance in jackfruit. Jackfruit has more vitamins and minerals than many fruits, as well as being one of the few fruits that also has higher levels of B vitamins. Along with this, it also contains folate, niacin, riboflavin, potassium and magnesium.
Furthermore, jackfruit is a storehouse of antioxidant vitamin C – a powerful water-soluble antioxidant, that provides about 14 mg per 100 g.
What’s more, jackfruit is richer than other fruits such as apple, apricot, avocado, and banana in some minerals and vitamins.
The carotenoid that gives jackfruit its yellow color is rich in vitamin A. Like all antioxidants, carotenoids protect body cells from damage and help your body function properly.
Health benefits of jackfruit
The Health Benefits of Jackfruit is known for its rich nutrition value such as being high in protein, fiber, and Vitamin C.
Better Digestion
Jackfruit is a good source of fiber and the fiber found in it keeps the intestinal cells healthy.
Consuming fiber rich foods improves digestion and gets rid of other stomach related problems like gas, constipation, diarrhea etc.
The biggest advantage of eating jackfruit is that it contains a lot of fiber which keeps the digestive system better.
Heart Health
Due to the content of vitamin-C, potassium, fiber and antioxidants in jackfruit, it keeps the heart away from diseases and makes it strong.
Vitamin-C present in jackfruit can prevent inflammation, which can lead to chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Apart from this, the potassium present in this fruit can prevent heart attack by controlling blood pressure.
Boost Immunity
Jackfruit is good for immunity. Vitamin C is found in jackfruit and vitamin-C works as an effective antioxidant, which can help strengthen immunity.
A cup of jackfruit provides the body with a sufficient amount of antioxidants and protected from colds and infections.
Cancer Prevention
Jackfruit blub is rich in phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, saponins, and tannins that have been shown to help fight cancer.
The phytochemicals properties may neutralize free radicals and can damage cancer cells.
forthermore, this fruit is excellent source of vitamin-C and vitamin-C antioxidents are highly reactive molecules that may play a role in the reduces the cancer cells .
Jackfruit benefits for diabetes
Jackfruit has an moderate GI (glycemic index) score, which has been shown to help promote blood sugar control.
In addition, jackfruit provides some fiber, which slows down digestion and may be useful in managing diabetes.
Additionally, a study of diabetic mice found that, jackfruit extract helped reduce blood sugar levels. In addition, jackfruit leaf extracts – which are rich in flavonoids, can help prevent cell death in the pancreas. (study)
How To Eat Jackfruit
Jackfruit is quite versatile and can be use variety of ways.
It can be eaten cooked or raw, When the jackfruit is cooked, it turns yellow from inside, which you can easily eat like this. Raw fruits are usually good for savory dishes and ripe fruits for sweetness.
It’s important to note that it can be helpful to wear gloves on both hands before slicing raw jackfruit, as the fibrous part of the raw fruit is incredibly sticky. Use a sharp knife to slice the fruit and cut it carefully.
Also note that jackfruit seeds should not remove, they are edible.
In addition, you can add jackfruit to curries, pickles or soups, make raw jackfruit pulp chips, add ripe fruit to yogurt or porridge, and use the seeds to make hummus, mix with vegetables and seasonings.
Conclusion
Jackfruit is a unique tropical fruit that is more popular for vegetables.
It is high in nutrients, vitamin C, and antioxidants and may have prevent a number of health conditions, including improved blood sugar control.
You can easily add jackfruit into the diet by eating it ripe or unripe, and meat alternatives in various vegetarian dishes.
