Jackfruit is a tropical fruit which is rich in fiber, minerals, fibers energy, essential vitamins.It is free from saturated fat and cholesterol.
Jackfruit, also known by its scientific name Artocarpus heterophyllus, is a fruit that is usually found in South East Asia finding it origins in India. It comes from the mulberry family.
It has thorny projections outside and bulbs inside which has soft flesh that is very sweet and delicious.
What makes Jackfruits attractive is its high content of calories and lack of cholesterol or fats. Jackfruits are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, electrolytes, fat, protein fibers.
They are found in multiple varieties and are classified by the softness of the flesh.
Jackfruit has a very high fiber content, the advantages, and disadvantages of which will be detailed in the article.
The special texture, as well as the taste of jackfruits, makes it an ideal fruit for jams, cakes, candies, chutneys as well as several other sweet preparations.
Unripe jackfruits are also used for the preparation of curry.As it tastes and feels like mutton with the right spices, it has a huge fan base in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foodies.
We will now explore the health benefits of Jackfruit, its nutritional values as well as its specialized uses.
We will also see how to get the perfect jackfruit and how to store it.We will also see the side effects that consuming of jackfruit can lead to. Enjoy the article and be ready to get your piece of jackfruit once you finish.
We will also see the side effects that consuming of jackfruit can lead to. Enjoy the article and be ready to get your piece of jackfruit once you finish.
Health Benefits Of Jackfruit
It is not just the flesh of the jackfruit that is edible, but the seed of the jackfruit is edible and highly nutritious.
Rich in the digestible starch, minerals, and proteins, the seeds are gathered during summer once the fruit ripens, dried in the sun and then stored for later usage. This practice is observed primarily in the Southern states of India.
Jackfruit is rich in calories and low in saturated fats and contains a high amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients including phytonutrients.
Jackfruit provides some health benefits, and here we have listed a few health benefits of consuming jackfruit.
a. Benefits Of Immunity
1. Boosts The Functioning Of The Immune System
Jackfruit contains a high amount of Vitamin C at 13.8mg per 100 grams.
This makes it a high-grade anti-oxidant which is very useful in scavenging any radicals in the body.This helps in improving the immune system of the body against flu, cold, infections, etc.
2. Prevention Of Seasonal Diseases
The enhancement of the body immunity protects the body from various seasonal diseases such as flu, cold, cough, etc.
b. Benefits Against Cancer
1. Prevention Of Cancer
Jackfruit is a rich source of phytonutrients, flavonoids as well as fatty acids and anti-oxidants. These are nutrients that are highly useful for the prevention of cancer.
2. Rich Source Of Antioxidant
As mentioned earlier, jackfruit contains Vitamin C in high amounts which means it has a high level of anti-oxidants which boosts the prevention of various cancers including colon, stomach, breast, lung, prostate, oral cavity, etc.
3. Prevention Of Oxidative Stress And DNA Damage
The antioxidants in jackfruit prevent oxidative stress as well as DNA damage which is a high cause of cancer cell development which are due to the free radicals.
4. Removes Toxins
The high amount of dietary fiber in jackfruits helps in cleaning out all the toxins from the colon thus reducing the chances of the occurrence of colon cancer.
5. Protects From Lung Cancer And Oral Cavity
Jackfruit is rich in Vitamin A and carotenes. This helps in protection from oral cavity and lung cancers.
6. Prevents Thyroid Gland Disorders
The copper content of jackfruit actively participates in the thyroid metabolism. Thus, it helps in keeping away the disorders of the thyroid gland.
7. Increases Muscle Power
Jackfruit seed’s high protein content helps in enhancing and increasing muscle power
c. Benefits To The Heart
1. Maintaining Electrolyte Balance
Jackfruit is a rich source of potassium. Potassium is required for your body to maintain the sodium levels and body fluids level to balance the electrolyte level in your body. This reduces the risk of hypertension, heart attack or failure as well as other cardiovascular problems.
2. Good For The Heart
Vitamin B6 which helps in reducing the homocysteine level in the blood is found in plenty in jackfruit making it one of the most heart-friendly fruits.
3. Lowers Bad Cholesterol
Intake of jackfruit prevents the formation of blockages or plaques in the arteries by reducing the level of bad cholesterol.
d. Benefits Of The Digestive System
1. Improves Digestion
The high amount of dietary fibers in jackfruit gives it a laxative property. Regular ingestion of jackfruit will improve digestion.
2. Prevents Digestive Disorders
Constipation, Piles, and other digestive disorders can be prevented by a regular intake of jackfruit.It helps in rebuilding the bowel movements.
Jackfruit is said to be strongly anti-ulcerative. It helps to cure any form of the ulcer.
e. Benefits For Skin
1. Prevents From Aging
The nutrient components of jackfruit protect the skin from the symptoms of early aging. Early aging is caused by environmental pollution, UV rays, smoke, tension, oxidative stress, free radicals, etc.
2. Nourishes Skin
The antioxidants in jackfruit help in nourishing the skin. This is accomplished by the eradication of free radicals as well as the destruction of other causes of aging.
3. Keeps Skin Hydrated
Regular intake of jackfruit will keep the skin hydrated and moisturized.
4. Maintains Skin Integrity
The vitamin A in jackfruit helps in maintaining the mucous membrane integrity and the skin integrity.
5. Makes Skin Smooth And Glowing
Massaging the skin with either the pulp or the ground seed of jackfruit will leave the skin smooth and glowing. This can provide relief from dryness as well as pigmentation.
6. Smoothing Wrinkles
Jackfruit seeds have the ability to smoothen out wrinkles on your skin. Just soak a seed in cold milk and grind it to make a paste. Apply this paste for four to five weeks on the affected area to get a wrinkle-free skin.
7. Glowing Complexion
Jackfruit seeds are highly fibrous making it perfect for clearing constipation. Removal of constipation helps in detoxifying the system which in turn gives you a glowing complexion.
8. Perfect Skin
Finely ground jackfruit seed mixed with some milk and honey to make a paste, gives you the perfect, flawless skin you have been dreaming about.
f. Benefit To Bones
1. Strengthens And Supplements Growth
Jackfruit is a rich source of calcium and phosphorous. This makes it an excellent source for strengthening and promoting healthy growth and development of the bone.
2. Increases Calcium Density
Regular intake of jackfruit can prevent any bone related issues like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis as well as joints problems.It does so by increasing the calcium density in the bones.
g. Other Health Benefits
1. Energy Booster
Jackfruit contains a high amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and calories. Therefore, it acts as an energy booster.
2. Contains Simple Sugars
Jackfruit contains fructose and sucrose which are simple sugars and can burn easily and get easily converted into energy.
3. Prevents Eye Disorders
Vitamin A is one of the most important requirements for healthy vision. Lack of vitamin A can lead to diseases like night blindness. Vitamin A constitutes a major portion of the jackfruit and helps to prevent retinal degeneration, macular degeneration, cataract, etc.
4. Prevents Respiratory Disorders
Regular intake of jackfruit has been observed to be beneficial in preventing respiratory diseases such as asthma.
5. Weight Management
It is useful as a component in your weight management strategy as it is an excellent source of simple sugars as well as fibers with nearly no saturated fats.
6. Treatment For Brain Disorders
Jackfruit is said to have properties that help in alleviating disorders such as blood pressure, neurosis, sleeplessness, memory loss, etc.
Nutritional Facts And Nutritional Values
The jackfruit is made of soft, easily digestible bulbs with a seed inside. The flesh is made up of single sugars like fructose and sucrose. They replenish the body with energy and revitalizes it instantly.
Jackfruit is highly fibrous and hence is an excellent bulk laxative. The high fiber content in jackfruit protects the mucous membrane of the colon by binding to it.
It also has significant amounts of Vitamin- An as well as flavonoid pigments like carotene ß, Xanthin, Lutein, etc. They come together to carry out the anti-oxidant and visionary functions.
Jackfruit also contains Vitamin C which has excellent anti-oxidant properties. It helps the body to build resistance against several infectious agents.It assists in scavenging harmful free radicals.
A jackfruit contains a high amount of nutrients including vitamins, phytonutrients, fat, fiber, protein, minerals and carbohydrates. It contains nearly no trace of cholesterol or any saturated fats.
Jackfruit has about 94 calories/100gm of weight while the fat content is just about 0.64 grams.
Jackfruit also has an 80% water content.The following chart gives a detailed picture of the nutritional content of a jackfruit.
|Principle||Nutrient Value||Percentage of RDA|
|Total Fat||0.64 g||3%|
|Dietary Fiber||1.5 g||4%|
|Vitamin A||110 IU||3.5%|
|Vitamin C||13.7 mg||23%|
|Vitamin E||0.34 mg||2%|
Jackfruit For Pregnant Women
A lot of experts recommend not to eat jackfruit during pregnancy. But it has been proven by research that jackfruit is highly beneficial for health during the period of pregnancy. Though over consumption is not advised due to health implications.
Over consumption of jackfruit may cause diarrhoea in pregnant women and may hamper the health of the mother as well as the child. There is a popular myth that jackfruit causes a miscarriage when consumed by a pregnant woman.
This is a false myth, and contrary to this popular belief jackfruit, consumed in limited quantities jackfruit provides the following advantages:
- Jackfruit contains a high amount of Vitamin which is essential for healthy fetal development including proper cell production and eyesight.
- It is also a good source for Vitamin B3 also known as Niacin, which normalizes the hormone levels in women during pregnancy.This leads to stress relief during pregnancy as well lactation period.
- It boosts immunity.
- It also improves the hemoglobin levels, preventing anemia in women during pregnancy.
- It is a rich source of Vitamins A, C, E, K, folate, Vitamin B3, B6, and minerals like copper, manganese, magnesium, etc. which helps in blood formation.
Selection And Storage Of Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a summer fruit like mango, durian, and pineapple. Here, we give you a few tips on how to buy and store jackfruit.
a. Unripe Jackfruit
- While buying unripe jackfruit take care that the thorn-like projections are solid, dark green and hard.
- Make sure that the skin is intact.
- Avoid buying bruised, spotted or wrinkled pieces.
b. Ripe Jackfruit
- Take care that the skin is intact.
- Ripe jackfruits usually have softer thorns than the unripe ones which are quite prickly.
- Buy the fruit that emits a rich flavor and yields to thumb pressure.
- Take care to buy from a hygienic vendor as jackfruit being a bulky fruit is sold in cut pieces.
- A jackfruit can be stored at room temperature for three to ten days without getting spoilt.
- But as it quickly turns brown after ripening, it is always advisable to refrigerate to preserve the original texture and flavor.
- Jackfruits can be stored for up to two months if it is frozen and preserved in sugar syrup (water and sugar added in equal parts boiled under low flame).
Side Effects And Disadvantages Of Jackfruit
Jackfruit has innumerable health benefits. But much like everything else in this world, it also has some side effects. Some of them are mentioned below:
- It might cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to jackfruit or suffer from birch pollen allergies.
- Jackfruits have immuno-stimulative properties which might interfere with patients who have undergone immunosuppression or tissue transplants.
- It might interfere with the glucose tolerance levels of diabetes patients.
- It might be dangerous to those with blood disorders as it can enhance the coagulation process.
- It should be avoided by those who are trying to get pregnant as it may interfere with sexual arousal, energy level, libido, etc.
- Though it is considered safe to consume jackfruit during pregnancy and even beneficial, over-consumption might lead to diarrhea caused by the extreme laxative nature of jackfruit.
- Those who take aspirin or any other blood thinners shouldn’t eat jackfruit as it may cause a risk of bleeding.
- It is also high in carbohydrates so weight conscious people should probably go slow on their jackfruit consumption.
Here we have presented to you the various health and nutritional benefits of jackfruit as well as the side effects of the fruit.
Now, grab your piece of jackfruit and enjoy a nutritious and healthy meal. If you have any queries or suggestions, then do write to us.