Jackfruit breadfruit of the tropics. Jackfruit - what is it

Tropical fruit - jackfruit is very popular in a limited number of countries in South Asia and South America. It has a peculiar smell and unusual taste, often becoming an obstacle to its spread to other regions. But with proper preparation, using the right products and seasonings, jackfruit turns out to be quite a tasty dish that will appeal to people who are used to European cuisine.

Green jackfruit is odorless and its flesh has few options for use and no pronounced taste. As the fruit ripens, the surface of the fruit turns yellow and it begins to exude a strong unpleasant odor, similar to the smell of rotten onions. This scent is attractive to animals, which the plant needs to spread it, but nauseating to humans. Inside a ripe jackfruit are bulbs of yellow, edible, slippery pulp that envelops the brown seeds. Oddly enough, but the pulp, separated from the inedible part, has a pleasant fruity smell, comparable to the smells of banana and pineapple.

In addition to the pulp, you can also eat jackfruit seeds. They are covered with a thin dense inedible peel, similar in texture to beans or chestnuts, but have a distinctive taste. Jackfruit seeds are often eaten on their own, either baked in the oven or roasted. They are also added to various side dishes or cooked together with fruit pulp.

People who are not accustomed to this tropical fruit will like slightly unripened jackfruits that do not yet have an unpleasant odor. Such fruits are often cooked without peeling, but cut into large circles and boiled in salt water until tender. Then, the edible pulp is removed from the finished pieces of fruit and eaten along with the seeds. When properly prepared, they have a pleasant floury taste and are a completely independent dish.

The pulp of unripe jackfruits can be eaten by making preserves in brine or curry. It is dried to produce dried fruit and extend its shelf life. They can also be marinated with spices and baked. Cutting green jackfruit is associated with some inconvenience caused by the release of a large amount of sticky latex that stains dishes and is difficult to remove even with chemical means. Therefore, cutlery and utensils should be treated with oil before contact with latex.

A mature jackfruit contains practically no latex, but all parts of the fruit, except for edible ones, exude a stench. This means that immediately after cleaning, the entire peel must be placed in an airtight bag so as not to spoil anyone's appetite. Ripe jackfruit pulp bulbs can be eaten raw or cooked using, for example, coconut milk. Ice cream, jam, jellies, syrups, sweet preserves are made from ripe fruit. Ripe fruits in canned form have a more pleasant taste and mild smell, unlike raw dishes.

When boiling ripe onions in milk, after cooling and solidification, some kind of custard is obtained. In India, the pulp of the jackfruit is dried, fried in oil and salt, and in this way chips are obtained. Ripe jackfruits have a minimum shelf life of a few days. Therefore, the best ways of harvesting and storage are canning and freezing of the fruit, in the same form it is possible to supply jackfruit for export.

Tell your friends about it.

Jackfruit is one of the most common plants in Southeast Asia. Thailand is no exception. The jackfruit tree symbolizes health, happiness and well-being, which is why it can often be seen near the houses of Thais. You can often hear that this fruit is called "breadfruit". And the thing is that jackfruit fruits contain a large amount of carbohydrates, which makes the plant very nutritious. Due to their positive qualities, unusual fruits can be found on almost every Thai table.

Jackfruit is the largest fruit in existence. The average fruit weight is 8-10 kilograms, and in some cases they can grow up to 30-40 kilograms. The shape resembles an oval. The peel is quite dense, and its color depends entirely on the variety and varies from yellow-green to light beige. From the outside, the fruits can be covered with pimples, small spines, or be smooth.

The pulp of the fruit is divided into slices of either yellow or orange. Inside each such lobule is a rather large bone.

When is jackfruit season in Thailand

Whenever you go on vacation to the Kingdom of Thailand, you can be sure that you will have the opportunity to try jackfruit. And the thing is that breadfruit is sold all year round. Moreover, the pricing policy remains acceptable 12 months a year. Most of the fruit is harvested between January and May. It is during this period that various fruit preparations are made, and they are also prepared for long-term storage.

If you want to bring jackfruit home to treat your loved ones, then before departure, buy a patch of peeled jackfruit, wrap it in a bag or paper and put it in a suitcase or a special basket. And be sure to read my separate article on. In its peeled form, fjackfruit can be kept warm for only a couple of days.

Smell and taste of jackfruit

Ripe jackfruits have a sweet taste that can be reminiscent of childhood chewing gum or have a candy flavor. Very often, the first tasting does not cause any enthusiasm, but after trying it for the second or even the third time, it is already difficult to imagine your next trip to Thailand without a juicy exotic fruit.

As for the smell, that's another story altogether. The flesh of a ripe jackfruit has a pleasant aroma, reminiscent of a combination of pineapple and banana. More subtle specialists can feel an artificial shade in the smell, slightly close to acetone. But the thing is, in order to feel the wonderful aroma of the pulp, you first need to get rid of the peel, which, unfortunately, does not smell very good, which repels those who want to taste the jackfruit for the first time.

If the pulp of the jackfruit begins to give off an unpleasant odor, this indicates that the fruit is overripe. It is undesirable to eat such fruits, since you can forever discourage the hunt for exotics.

Useful properties of jackfruit

Like many fruits, jackfruit fruits have many health benefits, including:

1. Immunity boost. The fruits contain vitamin C in large quantities, which makes them an excellent antibacterial and antiviral agent that can support the activity of leukocytes.
2. Prevention of oncological diseases. Phytonutrients found in jackfruit. They have anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.
3. Improved digestion. Regular consumption of fruit helps to get rid of digestive disorders and is the prevention of peptic ulcers. Jackfruit helps cleanse the colon of chemicals and relieves chronic constipation.
4. Improves vision and cleanses the skin, due to the high content of vitamin A.
5. Lowers blood pressure. During the study of the properties of the fruit, an element such as potassium was found in it, which just affects high blood pressure.
6. Strengthening of bone tissue. The high content of magnesium affects the body's absorption of calcium, which is very necessary for our body.
7. Increases hemoglobin. Fruit is desirable to eat for those who have a tendency to anemia. The high content of iron in it helps in the fight against this disease.
8. Affects the thyroid gland due to honey, which is also contained in it in large quantities.

As we can see, the list of useful qualities of jackfruit is very wide. That is why, while relaxing in tropical countries, try to include it in your daily diet, and after a short time you will notice significant changes in your body.

How to choose the right jackfruit?

To enjoy the taste of a ripe and juicy jackfruit, you need to be able to choose it correctly. Initially, pay attention to the peel of the fruit. It should have a yellowish-greenish tint and it should not show any damage.

To the touch, the fruits should be quite dense, but at the same time not too hard. Do not take fruits that have a sharp unpleasant aroma. This indicates that they are overripe. In turn, the green color of the peel have unripe fruits.

It is better to store jackfruit in a cool place. In such conditions, it can lie for about 2 months. In heat, the fruits can deteriorate in a few days. If you have peeled the fruit, then it will lie in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days, and in the freezer for several months.

How is jackfruit peeled and eaten?

Before you start peeling the jackfruit, remove the stem from it. Ideally, it is advised to leave the fruit to lie down for several days, then its peel will become softer and it will be much easier to deal with it. If you do not have these few days, then start carving by first cutting the fruit lengthwise into two large parts.

Then, with a knife, cut the inedible core from the halves. It is advisable to do this whole procedure with gloves or by lubricating your hands with vegetable oil. Jackfruit peel contains a sticky substance that is very difficult to wash off afterwards. Start pulling the fruit slices out of the fibers while removing the pits. Some Thais cut off the green rind and turn the fruit inside out. This makes cleaning a little easier.

Jackfruit fruits are eaten both fresh and actively used in cooking. There are many dishes in which they are an indispensable component. It is better to stew, boil and fry greenish fruits, and ripe fruits are consumed fresh. In India, they often replace regular bread. Breadfruit seeds are also considered edible. They can be eaten fresh or lightly fried.

Plant flowers are often added to salads and sauces, which saturate dishes with unusual tastes.

Contraindications for use

Almost everyone can eat jackfruit, except for those who have an individual intolerance or allergy to one of its components. Of course, not everyone can know about an allergic reaction, so start your acquaintance with the fruit from a small piece. Excessive consumption of fruits sometimes leads to diarrhea or indigestion.

The time when bananas or pineapples were exotic is long gone. On the shelves you can find passion fruit, pamela, dragon fruit and much more. Jackfruit is gaining popularity - breadfruit with interesting and useful properties. It is still poorly represented on the market, but is gradually becoming famous because of its enormous usefulness.

What is jackfruit

Indian breadfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus, mulberry family, eukaryotes) originally grew in India. In Bangladesh, this plant has become one of the state symbols. The fruits of this giant (tree height can reach 20 meters, and oval leaves up to 25 centimeters) Europeans called jackfruit. Visually, it is similar to durian, but in terms of aromatic and taste properties it has nothing in common.

What does it look like

Breadfruit is a huge fruit (considered one of the largest fruits in terms of size) that grows right on the trunk of a tree. It can be from 20 to 110 cm long, up to 20 in diameter, and can weigh up to 35 kg. It is a green oblong fruit with a dense green skin covered with small cone-shaped protrusions. A ripe fruit, when tapped, makes an empty sound like a watermelon. The pulp is yellow with juicy slippery fibers. It tastes like a melon or a banana (taste definitions are individual for those who eat the jackfruit fruit for the first time).

Where does it grow

Although Bangladesh remains the birthplace of the Indian breadfruit tree, the modern area of ​​\u200b\u200bdistribution of the plant is Southeast Asia, East Africa, the islands of Oceania, and Thailand. In southern India, jackfruit is rivaled in cultivation only by mangoes and bananas. The evergreen tree does not take root at higher latitudes from the equator because of its thermophilicity. Its cultivation is problematic even in climate-controlled botanical gardens. Wood does not lend itself to rapid corrosion and insect attack, which makes it an excellent material in production.

Useful properties of jackfruit

The fruit contains a large amount of macro- and microelements, vitamins, vegetable fiber, which normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, helps to remove toxins, and cleanses the intestines. Ripe fruits contain up to 40% starch, which is more than in bread. Folic acid, vitamins A, C, magnesium contribute to hematopoiesis. Some experts claim that jackfruit pulp reduces the intensity of the effects of alcohol on the body.

The nutritional value

The saturation of nutritious carbohydrates in jackfruit is high, like in all southern fruits grown in a clean environment. However, you should not switch completely to the fruits of the Indian breadfruit tree. It is important to remember that not every organism can perceive useful elements (carbohydrates, fiber, trace elements) in its natural form. Calorie content of jackfruit - 94 kcal per 100 grams. Other items in the table:

Dangerous properties of jackfruit

In fact, the danger of eating jackfruit comes down to a possible allergic reaction. Experienced travelers warn that any unknown fruit in an exotic country should be tasted in small portions. What can you expect from jackfruit fruit:

• diarrhea
• vomiting;
• nausea;
• urticaria;
• angioedema;
• chills;
• headache;
• increase in body temperature;
• tremor.

How to eat jackfruit

The fruits of the Indian breadfruit are called "bread for the poor" because jackfruit is used in cooking in any form. An unripe fruit will be green in color and make a dull sound, while a ripe fruit will be yellow-brown in color with a sonorous sound. It is important to remember that fruits contain a large amount of sticky latex. When cutting, you need to use rubber gloves or lubricate your hands with vegetable oil.

unripe fruit

The green unripe fruits of the Indian breadfruit tree are cooked like vegetables - fried, boiled, stewed, blanched. Sliced ​​dense pulp is a constant component of salads. Jackfruit stuffed pies are also popular. Young leaves of the tree are added to papaya salad. In its pure form, the pulp has an inexpressive taste, but it can be consumed in small quantities.

Ripe fruits

Ripe jackfruit has a bright sweet taste and goes well with any kind of dessert. It is eaten in its pure form, jam, candied fruits, marmalade, jelly and so on are prepared. Fruit pulp slices are used as an addition to meat and fish dishes or as a filling for chicken. In the fruit, everything is used for food: the core, flowers, peel (even fibers are useful). In fact, it is not recommended to eat only strongly overripe fruits.

Review article about jackfruit: what it is, where it grows, what is useful fruit, taste, chemical composition and calorie content.

Jackfruit is the fruit of an evergreen tropical tree with dense oval leaves up to 22 centimeters in length, the powerful trunk of which can grow up to 20 meters. The fruits are very large and ripen from 3 to 8 months, but not on the branches, but directly on the trunk. Their size: the length of a small jackfruit is 20 cm, and the largest is 110 cm, diameter is up to 20 cm, weight is up to 34 kg. Seeds up to 500 pieces can be in one fruit. There is no doubt that this is the largest edible fruit that grows on a tree.

Pictured is a tree with jackfruit fruits

The botanical name is Artocarpus heterophyllus, like breadfruit, from the mulberry family, angiosperm department. The very first jackfruit trees appeared in Bangladesh and India. Now it is cultivated in Southeast Asia, East Africa, Brazil, the Philippines, and Thailand. Their popularity is comparable only to bananas and mangoes. The fruit of the plant is nutritious, available to everyone where it grows (cheap), does not require special preparation, because of this it can be called "bread for the poor."

Attention, just do not confuse it with a similar one, also one of the largest fruits in Asia -.

Outwardly, a large jackfruit fruit is oval, with a pimply skin of light brown, yellowish or green color - it depends on the variety. Inside it contains many yellow or orange lobules with a stone. From what kind of jackfruit you have eaten, the slices themselves will be either crispy, or soft, or even very soft, or viscous like rubber. There is also a lot of variety in the taste: the pulp can be pleasantly berry, chocolate, ruminant-vanilla ... In general, sweet! Interestingly, the ripened fruit smells disgusting, like rotten onions, but its pulp is fragrant like pineapple or banana.

There are many recipes for making jackfruit in local cooking. If the fruit is ripe, then it is consumed fresh, crumbled into a salad, dessert dishes. But immature ones are cooked like a vegetable - they are stewed, boiled, fried, etc., they are even used as a filling in pies. The seeds are also edible - they are fried and eaten.

Those who like to eat very sweet overripe fruits need to know that such a jackfruit will soon turn brown and spoil. To keep it fresh, put it in the refrigerator (freezer), where it can be stored for up to 2 months.

On a note: the jackfruit plant itself, the fruit, and each part of it contains sticky latex. And if you bought the whole fruit, then it is better to cut it with gloves or pre-lubricate your hands with vegetable oil.

Choose like this: if you need an unripe jackfruit, it will make a dull sound when tapped. If you want ripe, then the sound will be hollow, sonorous. The peel is also different: in a ripe one, it is dense, elastic, but no longer hard.

Divided for food: cut along this oval large fruit, remove the resin, core and press on the peel, separating all parts of the jackfruit from each other. With the help of a knife, sweet pulp is cut out and seeds are selected.

Video how to cut jackfruit:

The chemical composition of jackfruit and calories

The ripe fruit has a pleasant sweet taste and is very nutritious. It contains vitamins, micro and macro elements, a lot of carbohydrates. Here is another name for jackfruit - Indian breadfruit.

In the photo, peeled slices of jackfruit pulp

Jackfruit calories - 94 kcal per 100 g, the same amount of fresh fruit pulp contains:

• Proteins - 1.46 g
• Fat - 0.29 g
• Carbohydrates - 2.4 g
• Saturated fatty acids - 0.062 g
• Dietary fiber - 1.61 g
• Water - 73.2 g
• Ashes - 1 g

Vitamins:

• Beta carotene vit. A - 15 mcg
• B9 - 14 mcg
• B6 - 0.11 mcg
• B2 - 0.1 mcg
• B1 - 0.03 mcg
• Ascorbic acid vit. C - 6.68 mg
• - 0.4 mg

Macro- and microelements:

• Potassium - 300 mg
• Magnesium - 37.2 mg
• Iron - 0.58 mg
• Calcium - 33.9 mg
• Phosphorus - 36 mg
• - 3.1 mg
• Manganese - 0.2 mg
• Zinc - 0.4 mg
• Copper - 187 mcg
• Selenium - 0.59 mcg

Jackfruit is not just nutritious, it is low in calories and therefore a dietary product. The high content of ascorbic acid makes it useful for the heart and walls of blood vessels, B vitamins will keep the skin and hair in good condition, potassium will support the nervous system. Read more about the greater usefulness of fruits ...

Jackfruit contains a lot of useful elements, including vegetable fiber. It is indispensable for cleansing the intestines, removing toxins and normalizing the work of the entire gastrointestinal tract. For example, locals warn tourists who eat a lot of fruit pulp that it can cause diarrhea.

Vitamins A and C, folic acid and magnesium are good helpers for hematopoiesis. They nourish our capillaries and blood vessels, support vision.

From the pulp of this Indian breadfruit healers of oriental medicine prepare medicines for pharyngitis, stomach ulcers, to normalize digestion. If you believe the connoisseurs of all the properties of this tropical fruit, then you can avoid intoxication when drinking alcohol: before the feast, you need to eat jackfruit pulp.

Contraindications

Individual intolerance to the product may be the reason for not tasting this nutritious and very sweet tropical fruit.

With a large amount of jackfruit pulp eaten, diarrhea can occur, and subsequently an upset stomach that requires treatment. It is better to start trying a tropical fruit with small portions and gradually increase them.

The wood of the jackfruit trunk is not damaged by termites or fungi, which is why it is widely used as a building material for the home, furniture, and even musical instruments.

In places where this plant is common, they believe that jackfruit brings good luck and wealth, so they plant it near their homes.

The fact is not confirmed, but in Eastern countries it is believed that the pulp of jackfruit is able to increase the number of spermatozoa, therefore it is very useful for men.

Video about the beneficial properties of jackfruit, how to eat it and how to choose:

Jackfruit belongs to the mulberry family. The plant is found in the tropical climate of South (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka) and Southeast Asia (Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia), East Africa and Brazil. This fruit is especially popular in countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados.

It is safe to say that the jackfruit is the record holder in terms of the size of the fruit, which reaches a weight of 36 kg, a length of 90 cm and a diameter of 50 cm. Their thick yellow-green peel is equipped with thorns.

Ripe fruits are very sweet and tasty. To get to the edible part, you need to open the jackfruit and extract bright yellow pods from the very core. By the way, unripe fruits with uniform green flesh can also be eaten.

In addition to the delicious exotic taste and aroma, reminiscent of the pungent aroma of a banana, jackfruit is endowed with useful properties. It is rich in important nutrients (vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid, niacin and magnesium).

Niacin is good for the skin and the nervous system, and vitamin B6 reduces the level of homocysteine ​​in the blood (a relationship has been established between high levels of homocysteine ​​and cardiovascular disease).

And all these benefits at a surprisingly low calorie content: 94 calories per 100 g of fresh product.

Healing qualities

For immunity

Jackfruit is an excellent, albeit very exotic, source of vitamin C, which is famous for its antiviral and antibacterial properties, strengthens the immune system, and supports the activity of leukocytes.

From cancer

In addition to vitamin C, jackfruit is also rich in phytonutrients such as isoflavones, saponins, and lignans with strong anti-cancer and anti-aging properties. These substances slow down the degeneration of cells, which can lead to degenerative diseases.

For digestion

Helps fight peptic ulcers and digestive disorders. The high fiber content in these fruits prevents constipation and helps cleanse the colon of chemicals.

For healthy skin and good vision

Contains vitamin A, known for its beneficial properties for the eyes and skin cells. It also prevents other vision-related problems such as macular degeneration and night blindness.

natural energy

Along with many other fruits, it gives a person energy due to the presence of simple sugars (fructose and sucrose). At the same time, it does not contain fats and harmful cholesterol, which makes it an excellent source of strength.

Reduces blood pressure

Scientists have found potassium in jackfruit (approximately 300 mg per 100 g of product), which plays an important role in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of a heart attack.

Strengthens bones

Rich in many minerals. One of them - magnesium (37 mg per 100 g of product), is involved in the absorption of calcium, which is very important for strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis.

Prevents anemia

The iron (0.6 mg per 100 g of product), which is rich in these exotic fruits, prevents anemia and controls healthy blood circulation in the human body.

Beneficial for the thyroid gland

Copper plays a significant role in thyroid metabolism, especially in the production and absorption of hormones. It's good that jackfruit is literally "loaded" with this important trace element.

If you have the opportunity to introduce this exotic fruit (fresh, canned, dried or frozen) into your diet, be sure to do it. Jackfruit is a great vegetarian substitute for meat. No wonder its modification preserved in sea water was called "vegetable meat".

Seeds hidden in sweet pods (bulbs) can be roasted like chestnuts or boiled in water.

The root also has medicinal properties. Its extract is used to treat fever, asthma, and diarrhea, and when used topically, it can help with skin problems.