Jackfruit Nutrition Guide: From Meat Substitute to Tropical Fruit

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a fruit native to Southeast Asia and is gaining popularity as a meat substitute in kitchens across the United States. Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit in the world, weighing up to 80 pounds. Its exterior is covered in spiky, greenish-yellow skin; inside, you'll find edible bulbs surrounded by fibrous, sweet-tasting flesh.

This article examines jackfruit's nutritional profile, its health benefits, and how to use it to make delicious plant-based recipes.

Jackfruit Nutrition Profile

Jackfruit is low in calories but offers a variety of essential nutrients. Jackfruit provides fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals like other plant-based foods. For example, it's a good vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6 source and contains small amounts of magnesium and folate. It also has some protein.

One cup (165 grams) of sliced jackfruit has the following nutritional makeup:

• Calories: 157
• Protein: 2.8 grams (g)
• Total Fat: 1 g
• Total Carbohydrates: 38 g
• Fiber: 2.5 g
• Total Sugars: 31 g
• Vitamin C: 23 milligrams (mg)
• Potassium: 739 mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.5 mg
• Magnesium: 48 mg
• Folate: 40 micrograms (mcg)
  

Health Benefits of Jackfruit

Jackfruit is a unique and interesting food to experiment with in the kitchen. It also has numerous potential health benefits, thanks to its nutrition profile and compounds.

Rich in Nutrients

Jackfruit offers a wide array of nutrients. It contains high vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and B6 levels. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, helping protect your cells from damage and oxidative stress that can promote disease. Vitamin C also supports immune function and the production of collagen, the main structural protein in your body.

Potassium helps balance sodium, regulates blood pressure, and maintains fluid balance. Getting enough fiber from plant foods like jackfruit is essential for digestive health and promotes satiety (feeling satisfied). Vitamin B6 helps support metabolism and brain health.

Supports Digestive Health

Jackfruit is a rich source of dietary fiber, which is crucial for digestion. Surveys have found that only 5% of American adults consume the minimum recommended daily amount of fiber. Therefore, nearly everyone could benefit from eating jackfruit and other fibrous foods.

Fiber adds bulk to stools, helping to move stool through the digestive tract and prevent constipation. Additionally, fiber acts as a prebiotic; think of it as fuel for the good bacteria in your gut. By supporting regular bowel movements and gut health, eating jackfruit can contribute to overall digestive well-being.

Boosts Immune Function

Jackfruit is a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage that could otherwise promote disease. It also plays a crucial role in supporting the immune system by boosting the function of immune cells that work to fight off infection and illness. Consuming vitamin C-rich foods like jackfruit may help provide a natural boost to your body's defenses.

Regulates Blood Pressure

Jackfruit contains significant levels of potassium, a mineral essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Potassium also helps counteract the effects of sodium, which helps your blood vessels relax and, in turn, lowers blood pressure. This is important because having high blood pressure levels is a known risk factor for heart disease and damage to your kidneys, eyes, and brain.

Aids in Weight Management

Despite being relatively low in calories, jackfruit is a satisfying and nutrient-dense food due to its high fiber content. Fiber promotes feelings of fullness and satiety, which can help control appetite and minimize overeating. This can help prevent unintentional weight loss and benefit those looking to lose weight.

Promotes Heart Health

The combination of fiber, potassium, and antioxidants in jackfruit makes it a great addition to a heart-healthy diet. Fiber helps support normal cholesterol levels, an important factor in heart health, by removing cholesterol from the body. Potassium helps support normal blood pressure levels, reducing strain on the heart and lowering the risk of stroke and heart attack.

In addition, antioxidant compounds in jackfruit help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, further supporting cardiovascular function. By including jackfruit in your diet, you can take proactive steps toward protecting your heart and overall well-being.

Jackfruit Culinary Uses

While you can purchase whole jackfruit in some places, buying it canned or shredded and packaged in water is more common (and convenient). Some people enjoy adding the soft flesh of ripe jackfruit to smoothies, fruit salads, or other sweet dishes. Unripe or green jackfruit, on the other hand, works best in savory dishes due to its more neutral flavor.

Jackfruit may be best known as a plant-based substitute for meat. It's often used in curries, stews, tacos, and sandwiches. For example, soft shredded jackfruit can be marinated to make a convincing pulled-pork suitable for a vegan diet. The mild flavor and porous texture of jackfruit allow it to take on the flavor of various spices, seasonings, and sauces.

Jackfruit seeds, which are found in the flesh, are also edible. They can be boiled, roasted, or mashed to create dishes ranging from soups and curries to snacks and desserts, like puddings. People in some countries even puree jackfruit to make vegan ice cream.

Who Shouldn’t Eat Jackfruit?

Jackfruit offers numerous health benefits for most people. Still, some people may want to avoid it.

People with latex allergies, particularly those with a sensitivity to certain proteins found in latex, may experience cross-reactivity with jackfruit due to similarities in protein structure in latex and jackfruit. While rare, eating jackfruit in these cases could lead to allergic reactions ranging from mild itching or swelling to anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that causes difficulty breathing.

Additionally, the high fiber content of jackfruit may trigger digestive symptoms among people who don't typically consume high-fiber foods. Overall, it's important to listen to your body and speak with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian if you're concerned about adding jackfruit to your diet.

Jackfruit Varieties and Seasonal Availability

Jackfruit comes in several varieties, each of which has unique characteristics, flavors, and best uses. The most common types include the "sweet" jackfruit, known for its juicy, fragrant flesh, and the "crisp" jackfruit, known for its firmer texture and slightly tart taste, often preferred for cooking. Jackfruit also comes in "soft" and "hard" types, which have their own sweetness levels.

Jackfruit grows on large evergreen trees that are in the same family as figs and mulberries. These trees thrive in tropical areas of the world. The largest producers of jackfruit include countries like India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

While jackfruit is available year-round in tropical regions, its availability in other parts of the world may vary depending on the season. In India and Thailand, jackfruit is usually harvested in the summer. It may be available sporadically throughout the year in milder climates, like the United States, where it's generally imported from tropical climates.

Summary

Jackfruit is a unique fruit and has gained popularity in the United States within the last decade. It's best known for its diversity as a plant-based substitute for meat. While it's not particularly high in calories or protein, jackfruit offers fiber, antioxidants, and several vitamins and minerals that support your overall health. Jackfruit is a nutritious and versatile food.