What is Jackfruit and is it Healthy?
What weighs nearly 40 pounds, has been cultivated for nearly 6,000 years, and is making appearances on menus and grocery stores around the globe? I’ll bet your first guess wasn’t jackfruit. Jackfruit? There’s a good chance this may not have been your second or third guess or even on your radar.
What is this ancient monster of a fruit?
Unless you’re a vegetarian or vegan or take adventurous dives on restaurant menus, there’s a likely chance you have not heard of jackfruit. Be assured, though, that this sideline fruit is quickly becoming mainstream in Western culture.
What is jackfruit?
It is a large – a very large – fruit that grows on trees along tropical climate zones. The fruit can weigh as much as 40 pounds. The fruit has a bumpy rind, and depending on how ripe it is, the fruit’s flavor profile can vary. Unripe jackfruit has a neutral flavor and can be used in many dishes. When ripe, it has a more sweet, tropical flavor like that on bananas, mangos, or pineapples. Jackfruit trees can be found in Africa, Asia, and South America. And while it may be new to Western diets, this fruit has been utilized for millennia.
Dietitian Mira Ilic, RD, LD, with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, breaks down the uses and nutritional value of jackfruit. “The combination of potassium, fiber, and antioxidants can benefit heart health,” Ilic says. “Jackfruit also contains flavonoids and lignans, plant compounds that may help fight inflammation.” She also points out jackfruit’s rich history. . “Ancient people used jackfruit as medicine,” Ilic said. “In folk medicine, where jackfruit is grown, people have used it for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. But no large studies have proven that it has medicinal value, so don’t use it to treat health conditions.”
Jackfruit can add fiber to your diet as well as several micronutrients. A half-cup of jackfruit is 40 calories and contains 2 grams of protein. It also has iron, vitamin C, potassium, and calcium. It provides food security to millions who live in developing countries.
How to incorporate jackfruit into your next meal plan
The good news is many grocery stores, or markets have done the hard work and packaged the flesh in much more convenient-sized containers instead of you having to lug around a piece of fruit the weight of a toddler.
Unripe jackfruit is used as a meat substitute for many dishes. Think of it as tofu. The unripe jackfruit has a neutral flavor and can be used in several savory dishes as it will take on the flavor profile of added spices.
Jackfruit recipes to try for your next meatless Monday menu:
Vegan BBQ Pulled “Pork” https://fitmencook.com/vegan-bbq-pulled-pork/
Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/easy-vegan-jackfruit-tacos/
Teriyaki Jackfruit Sushi Bowl https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/teriyaki-jackfruit-sushi-bowl/
Ripe jackfruit, with its sweeter, tropical flavor, can be used for many refreshing dishes such as smoothies or tropical salads or as a sweet touch to just about any baked good.
Why not try one of the following for a Sunday brunch option?
Jackfruit Smoothie https://gastroplant.com/3-ingredient-jackfruit-smoothie/
Jackfruit Pancakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7F7oeuqRlo
Jackfruit Banana Muffins https://thejackfruitcompany.com/recipes/jackfruit-banana-muffins/
Jackfruit has been a staple in diets across the globe for centuries. As Western culture moves towards reducing meat consumption, increasing plant varieties in diets, and generally broadening its palate, expect jackfruit to become more commonplace. Now that you’re more familiar with the giant of the fruit world, why not incorporate this versatile fruit into your culinary repertoire?
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What is Jackfruit and is it Healthy?
What weighs nearly 40 pounds, has been cultivated for nearly 6,000 years, and is making appearances on menus and grocery stores around the globe? I’ll bet your first guess wasn’t jackfruit. Jackfruit? There’s a good chance this may not have been your second or third guess or even on your radar.
What is this ancient monster of a fruit?
Unless you’re a vegetarian or vegan or take adventurous dives on restaurant menus, there’s a likely chance you have not heard of jackfruit. Be assured, though, that this sideline fruit is quickly becoming mainstream in Western culture.
What is jackfruit?
It is a large – a very large – fruit that grows on trees along tropical climate zones. The fruit can weigh as much as 40 pounds. The fruit has a bumpy rind, and depending on how ripe it is, the fruit’s flavor profile can vary. Unripe jackfruit has a neutral flavor and can be used in many dishes. When ripe, it has a more sweet, tropical flavor like that on bananas, mangos, or pineapples. Jackfruit trees can be found in Africa, Asia, and South America. And while it may be new to Western diets, this fruit has been utilized for millennia.
Dietitian Mira Ilic, RD, LD, with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, breaks down the uses and nutritional value of jackfruit. “The combination of potassium, fiber, and antioxidants can benefit heart health,” Ilic says. “Jackfruit also contains flavonoids and lignans, plant compounds that may help fight inflammation.” She also points out jackfruit’s rich history. . “Ancient people used jackfruit as medicine,” Ilic said. “In folk medicine, where jackfruit is grown, people have used it for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. But no large studies have proven that it has medicinal value, so don’t use it to treat health conditions.”
Jackfruit can add fiber to your diet as well as several micronutrients. A half-cup of jackfruit is 40 calories and contains 2 grams of protein. It also has iron, vitamin C, potassium, and calcium. It provides food security to millions who live in developing countries.
How to incorporate jackfruit into your next meal plan
The good news is many grocery stores, or markets have done the hard work and packaged the flesh in much more convenient-sized containers instead of you having to lug around a piece of fruit the weight of a toddler.
Unripe jackfruit is used as a meat substitute for many dishes. Think of it as tofu. The unripe jackfruit has a neutral flavor and can be used in several savory dishes as it will take on the flavor profile of added spices.
Jackfruit recipes to try for your next meatless Monday menu:
Vegan BBQ Pulled “Pork” https://fitmencook.com/vegan-bbq-pulled-pork/
Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/easy-vegan-jackfruit-tacos/
Teriyaki Jackfruit Sushi Bowl https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/teriyaki-jackfruit-sushi-bowl/
Ripe jackfruit, with its sweeter, tropical flavor, can be used for many refreshing dishes such as smoothies or tropical salads or as a sweet touch to just about any baked good.
Why not try one of the following for a Sunday brunch option?
Jackfruit Smoothie https://gastroplant.com/3-ingredient-jackfruit-smoothie/
Jackfruit Pancakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7F7oeuqRlo
Jackfruit Banana Muffins https://thejackfruitcompany.com/recipes/jackfruit-banana-muffins/
Jackfruit has been a staple in diets across the globe for centuries. As Western culture moves towards reducing meat consumption, increasing plant varieties in diets, and generally broadening its palate, expect jackfruit to become more commonplace. Now that you’re more familiar with the giant of the fruit world, why not incorporate this versatile fruit into your culinary repertoire?