Health Benefits of Jack fruit
Jack fruit is a cornucopia of nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin B 1 (or thiamine) vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, niacin, phytonutrients, potassium and riboflavin.
WELLNESS
Jack fruit is a delightfully sweet tropical fruit that also happens to have a wealth of health benefits and therapeutic capacities including but not limited to the prevention and treatment of:
Anemia Ingesting iron is a great way of preventing anaemia
Anti-cancer properties With its plethora of vitamin C and phyto nutrients, jackfruit has some powerful antioxidant abilities that rid the body of damaging free radicals and decrease the rate of cell degeneration. Thiamine (B1) has been shown to slow down, and in some cases, even halt the progression of cervical cancer.
Asthma The root of the jack fruit, particularly when boiled,has been touted to be an effective natural means of treating asthma.
Digestion The jack fruit purportedly has anti-ulcer properties and due to its high fibre content (3 grams per serving), it promotes bowel regularity, eases constipation and prevents various other stomach disorders. Thiamine is crucial to proper digestion and can also remedy bladder infections, colitis, constipation, diarrhoea, diminished appetite, dysentery and stomach ulcers.
Eye health Vitamin A is known to increase visual acuity, improve night blindness and stave off macular degeneration.
Healthy bones Magnesium is a crucial element in the absorption of calcium and works closely with it in order to strengthen bones and fend off osteoporosis.
Heart health Potassium is helpful in lowering blood pressure, which can decrease the likelihood of suffering a heart attack or stroke. Iron improves blood circulation.
Immune system Vitamin C is the ultimate warrior against bacterial and viral infections including the common cold and influenza.
Thyroid There is a good deal of copper in jack fruits and this mineral does wonders for proper thyroid metabolism.
BEAUTY
Vitamin A, vitamin C and the phyto nutrients inherent in jack fruit have amazing antioxidant capacities and can ward off or slow down the ageing process and promote smoother, more taut skin, healthy locks and stronger nails.
Jack fruit has 155 calories per serving, no saturated fat and a whopping 3 grams of fibre. Its natural deliciousness will keep dieters feeling full and satisfied between sensible meals. That fibre will also keep your body regular and flushed off wastes, resulting in a healthier, steadier loss of weight.
Energy Jack fruit is bursting with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose. Enjoy a jack fruit during an afternoon slump or right before a workout and you will feel an almost instant burst of energy. This, of course, is great news for steadfast dieters who might need that extra workout incentive.
COOKING
Jack fruit can be eaten raw, sauteed, baked, fried, blended and juiced. Just beware that they can be messy when opened, so do lay down some paper first. But jack fruit is one of those natural delights that is well worth any mess and effort. They are a popular worldwide substitute for meat.
For breakfast or a tasty afternoon snack, you can make a jackfruit dosa, which is, essentially, an Indian-style crepe.
As a lavish entree, whip up a pot of jack fruit curry with peppers, onions, coconut milk and curry paste or try your hand at a boiled and mashed jack fruit and potato cutlet that is seasoned to taste, coated with breadcrumbs and pan-fried to perfection.
If you allow shredded jackfruit to simmer low and slow in BBQ sauce, it becomes a supremely pleasing alternative to pulled pork and can be piled high on a sandwich or stuffed into a burrito or soft taco.
Jackfruit Vadai are deep-fried dumplings made from a combination of dal, chopped jackfruits, banana, coconut, dates, lentils and cardamom powder and served drenched in a very easy simple sugar syrup.
Interesting fact about jackfruit: It is one of the largest fruits in the world with some of these tropical wonders weighing up to 68 kilograms!
