

Jackfruit contains moderate levels of vitamin C, an antioxidant which helps your body fight free radicals and protects you from colds and other illnesses. Here are eight ways jackfruit may benefit your health: They are high in protein, potassium, calcium, and iron. Vitamin A: 20% of Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).Two cups contain 310 calories and boast the following lineup of vitamins and minerals: One researcher even called it a “miracle” food because it provides so many nutrients and calories. It’s also packed with nutrients, including fiber and antioxidants.Īnd the benefits of this tropical fruit are impressive. Jackfruit Nutrition /BeyondTheRoadĮating jackfruit isn’t only a fun and meatless way to add something new to your usual meals. They are similar to chestnuts or macadamia in taste and flavor. And the seeds are often boiled or roasted and eaten as snacks. Jackfruit can be made into a wide variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. This allows the fruit to be made into plant-based versions of shredded chicken, pulled pork, or other meat-based meals. When it’s unripe, it has more of a neutral flavor, like a potato, and works well in savory dishes.Ī great thing about green jackfruits is they don’t have a strong flavor on their own, so they’re able to soak up herbs, spices, and other flavorings. What Does Jackfruit Taste Like?Įaten ripe and raw, the taste of jackfruit is sweet and similar to pineapple, mango, and banana. But the pulp of the opened fruit smells sweet. The seeds can also be cooked, eaten on their own, or ground into flour.Ī ripe, unopened fruit has a strong, unpleasant odor. On the inside, it contains many pale-yellow, plump bulbs, which are edible and joined at the core. Its huge trees produce massive, green, oblong fruits with a bumpy, fleshy exterior. (Though, the average size of the fruit is 10 to 25 pounds.) The largest tree-borne fruit in the world, jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds and grow up to three feet long.


Jackfruit trees typically grow in tropical and near-tropical conditions, but they can also be produced in Florida, Hawaii, and Australia. It also grows in Africa and is relatively popular in Brazil and Suriname as well. And throughout history jackfruit spread to other parts of India, southeast Asia, the East Indies, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The plant originated in southwest India, where it grows abundantly. Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. You may have seen it popping up in stores and on menus - for example, jackfruit tacos and BBQ sandwiches are popular ways to prepare it.īut what do you need to know about this food? And should it be something you look for and use in your own cooking? What Is Jackfruit? Where Does It Grow? /earleliason Jackfruit is also increasingly being used in other parts of the world, particularly in the U.S., as a plant-based meat alternative because the young, unripe fruits soak up flavor well and have a stringy, “meat-like” texture when cooked. Have you heard of jackfruit? One tree can produce up to three tons of food from this huge and utterly unique fruit per year, providing an almost miraculous source of nourishment for people living in tropical countries!
