Health benefits of jackfruit
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The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh (bulbs) with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly.
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Jackfruit is rich in dietary fiber, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.
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Fresh fruit has small amounts of vitamin-A and flavonoid pigments such as carotene-ß, xanthin, lutein and cryproxanthin-ß. Together, these compounds play vital roles in antioxidant and vision functions. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining integrity of mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A and carotenes has been found to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
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Jackfruit is also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C; provides about 13.7 mg or 23% of RDA. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
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It is one of the rare fruits that is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. It contains very good amounts of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid.
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Fresh fruit is a good source of potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
Jackfruit seeds
Jackfruit seeds are indeed very rich in protein and nutritious. In general, the seeds are gathered from the ripe fruit, sun-dried and stored for use in rainy season in many parts of South Indian states. Different variety of recipes prepared in Southern India where they are eaten either by roasting as a snack or added to curries in place of lentils.
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 95 Kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 23.5 g | 18% |
| Protein | 1.72 g | 3% |
| Total Fat | 0.64 g | 3% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.5 g | 4% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 24 µg | 6% |
| Niacin | 0.920 mg | 6% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.329 mg | 25% |
| Riboflavin | 0.055 mg | 4% |
| Thiamin | 0.105 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin A | 110 IU | 3.5% |
| Vitamin C | 13.7 mg | 23% |
| Vitamin E | 0.34 mg | 2% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 3 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 303 mg | 6.5% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 34 mg | 3.4% |
| Iron | 0.60 mg | 7.5% |
| Magnesium | 37 mg | 9% |
| Manganese | 0.197 mg | 8.5% |
| Phosphorus | 36 mg | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 21 mg | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.6 mg | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.42 mg | 4% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 61 µg | -- |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 5 µg | -- |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 157 µg | -- |
Selection and storage
Jackfruit is the summer season fruit that coincides with other tropical commoners like mango, durian and mangosteen.
In the store, buy the fruit that emits mild yet rich flavor and just yields to thumb pressure. Thorn like projections becomes soft in the ripened fruit. Once ripen, the fruit deteriorates rather quickly unless stored in the refrigerator.