Jackfruit

Jackfruit The scientific name for jackfruit is Artocarpus heterophyllus. Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit grown in Asia, Africa and South America. Under its thick, bumpy rind is a stringy flesh that you can eat raw or cooked in a variety of dishes. Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, weighing up to 40 pounds or more. Luckily, you dont need to throw this massive fruit into your shopping cart. Some health food stores carry peeled and cut jackfruit portions in pouches or cans, ready to cook or eat. The largest tree fruit in the world, jackfruit -- sometimes called "jak fruit" or "jak" -- can be up to 3 feet long and 20 inches wide. Just one fruit can weigh as much as 110 pounds. But you're not alone if you haven't heard of it. While jackfruit first appeared in the rain forests of India, farmers now grow it in many parts of the world, including Thailand, Australia, Africa, Brazil, and the Philippines. Only in recent years has jackfruit started to become well known in the U.S. The rind of a jackfruit is green or yellow and spikey. Although it gives off a smell of rotting onions when it's ripe and ready to eat, the pulp inside smells and tastes far better: like a cross between pineapple and bananas. You can eat the seeds, too. And a jackfruit has plenty of them -- up to 500. Each can reach an inch and a half in length. There are two main types of jackfruit. One is small and mushy. It tastes sweet, but it's slimy. The other type of jackfruit has crisp, crunchy flesh that's not as sweet. 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. Jackfruits health benefits arent a new discovery. Ancient people used jackfruit as medicine, Ilic says. 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 dont use it to treat health conditions. Vitamins Jackfruit may be higher in some vitamins and minerals than apples, apricots, bananas, and avocados. For example, it's rich in vitamin C and one of the few fruits that's high in B vitamins. Jackfruit also contains folate, niacin, riboflavin, potassium, and magnesium. Antioxidants Carotenoids, the pigments that give jackfruit its yellow color, are high in vitamin A. Like all antioxidants, carotenoids protect cells from damage and help your body work right. They may help prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease, as well as eye problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. Health Benefits The nutrients in jackfruit may help lower your risk for some health issues, including: Constipation. Jackfruit is a good source of fiber, so it could help you feel fuller for longer and help keep your bowel movements regular. Ulcers. The natural chemicals in jackfruit may help prevent these sores from forming inside your stomach. Diabetes. Your body digests and absorbs jackfruit more slowly than some other foods. That means your blood sugar won't rise as quickly as it might when you eat other fruits. One study found that jackfruit extract made it easier for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar. High blood pressure. The potassium in this tropical fruit could help lower your blood pressure, which can help stave off heart disease, stroke, and bone loss. Skin problems. The high amounts of vitamin C in jackfruit may help protect your skin from sun damage. You need plenty of that nutrient to keep your skin firm and strong. Cancer.Phytonutrients, like those found in jackfruit, are natural compounds that might have cancer-fighting benefits, such as preventing cancer cells from forming in your body. How to Prepare It Jackfruit isn't easy to peel because of its sticky sap. To keep it from gumming up your knife and hands, rub them with cooking oil before you slice open your fruit. Once you do, it will take time to separate the fleshy bulbs you can eat from tough strips of membrane, which you can't. You'll then have to remove the seeds from each bulb. You may prefer to eat jackfruit before it's fully ripe and the rind starts to smell like spoiled onions. If you cut it into chunks and boil them in salted water until they're tender, you can easily slice the meaty flesh from the rind. You can roast or boil the seeds like chestnuts. If you don't want to prepare your own jackfruit, look for canned or ready-to-eat jackfruit at the store. You can find it seasoned with a savory BBQ or teriyaki sauce. Some people use these as a meat substitute. You can also get it preserved in a sweet, heavy syrup like other canned fruits. How to Store Once a jackfruit's ripe, it will turn brown and go bad quickly. To keep yours fresh, store it in the refrigerator. When kept cool and dry, a ripe jackfruit can last up to 6 weeks.