Jackfruit is absolutely one of a kind tropical fruit recognized for its unique shape, and size. The fruity flavor of its sweet arils (bulbs) can be appreciated from a distance. In common with other tropical fruits such as durian, banana, etc., it is also rich in energy, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins and free from saturated fats or cholesterol; fitting it into one of the healthy treats to relish!
Botanically, this popular Asian tropical fruit belongs to the family of Moraceae, of the genus: Artocarpus and is closely related to figs, mulberry, and breadfruit. Scientific name: Artocarpus heterophyllus.
Jackfruit is a huge tree that grows to as high as 30 meters, larger than mango, breadfruit, etc. It is believed to be indigenous to the Southwestern rain forests of India. Today, it widely cultivated in the tropical regions of the Indian subcontinent, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil for its fruit, seeds, and wood. The tree grows best in tropical humid and rainy climates but rarely survives cold and frosty conditions.
In a season, each tree bears as many as 250 large fruits, supposed to be the biggest tree-borne fruits in the world.The fruit varies widely in size, weigh from 3 to 30 kg, and has oblong or round shape, measuring 10 cm to 60 cm in length, 25 to 75 cm in diameter. While unripe fruits are green, they turn light brown and spread a strong sweet, fruity smell once ripe.
Nutritional Value
Jackfruit contains a high amount of nutrients like vitamin, minerals, electrolytes, phytonutrients, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, and protein. Jackfruit is a good source of calories but contains no cholesterol or saturated fats. The nutrition data below gives a detailed picture of Jackfruit’s nutrient value.
Jackfruit is rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B6 content in Jackfruit fulfills about 25% of our daily requirement. The fat content of Jackfruit is very low at just about 0.64 grams. Though water is not a nutrient, it is important to mention that Jackfruit is made up 80% of water.
Selection and storage
Jackfruit is a summer season fruit coinciding with other tropical favorites like mango, durian, and mangosteen.
In the stores, buy fruit that emits mild yet rich flavor and just yields to thumb pressure. Thorn-like projections become softer in the case of the ripe fruit. Once ripen, the fruit deteriorates rather quickly unless its processed arils (bulbs) stored in the refrigerator.
Source : http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/jackfruit.html http://wiki-fitness.com/jackfruit-health-benefits-nutrition-facts/
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