Health Benefits of Jackfruit
Jackfruit is the world’s largest tree fruit, with a sweet, tropical flavour when ripe (think banana meets pineapple) and a stringy, meaty texture when young and green. It provides vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, fibre and antioxidant carotenoids.
Wellness
Immune health Jackfruit provides vitamin C, which supports normal immune function.
Heart health Its potassium and fibre support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol.
Digestive health A cup of jackfruit provides around 2.5 grams of fibre, which keeps you regular.
Energy Ripe jackfruit’s natural sugars and B vitamins make it an energising snack.
Antioxidants Yellow jackfruit flesh contains carotenoids and flavonoids that help protect your cells from oxidative stress.
Blood sugar Ripe jackfruit is sweet, so enjoy it in moderate portions if you are managing diabetes. Young green jackfruit is much lower in sugar.
A note on the thyroid You may have read that jackfruit helps thyroid metabolism. It contains a little copper, which the body uses in many processes, but there is no evidence it treats thyroid problems; please see your GP for thyroid concerns.
Allergy note People allergic to birch pollen or latex may react to jackfruit.
Beauty
From the inside Vitamin C helps your body make collagen for firm, healthy skin.
Weight management
Young green jackfruit is low in kilojoules and makes a lighter alternative to pulled pork. Ripe jackfruit is more energy-dense (around 650 kJ or 155 calories per cup), so enjoy it as a sweet treat.
Cooking with jackfruit
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. Young green jackfruit has become a popular meat substitute thanks to its shreddable texture, though it is low in protein, so pair it with beans, lentils or tofu for a balanced meal.
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 40 kilograms or more!
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
