Jackfruit: Rich in nutrients

by Shari Jayawardhana

Jackfruit is a tree species belonging to the mulberry family which is native to Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The fruit is also found in East Africa and Brazil. The jackfruit is mainly cultivated in tropical climates, and is considered as the largest tree-borne fruit in the world which could reach 36 kg in weight, 90 cm long and 50 cm in diameter. When the jackfruit is cut in half, you will find the bright yellow pods (when ripe) which can be eaten raw or cooked. When unripe its flesh is green. The ripe fruit has a strong, sweet, fruity smell. The fruit is available from March through May and November through January.

Jackfruit is used in a variety of ways in Sri Lanka. It is commonly used as a staple food (alternative to rice). The tender fruit known as polos is made into a curry. The jackfruit chips are a popular snack in Sri Lanka. Jack is also being used in Sri Lanka to make soups, drinks, salads and sweets.

Apart from its delightful taste, jackfruit is also rich in important nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium and many other nutrients. The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh (bulbs) with simple sugars such as fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalises the body instantly. Jackfruit is rich in dietary fibre, which makes it a good laxative. The fibre content helps protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.

In addition, the excessive fibre content in jackfruit stops constipation and also helps with smooth colon movements. These nutrients also offer you protection from colon mucous tissue layer. Vitamin A in the jackfruit aids in maintaining mucus membranes and skin and protects against lung and oral cavity cancers.

Jackfruit is an excellent source of vitamin E, a vital nutrient which often helps protect against viral infections and transmissions. Vitamin E helps strengthen the body's defence mechanism function by supporting the way your white blood cells operate. Just one pod of jackfruit can provide you with a good amount of powerful antioxidant. Jackfruit has loads of vitamin E content, a potent nutrient which is well known in aiding good vision by vision-related problems such as muscular deterioration and night blindness.

Along with it also helps in attaining flawless and beautiful skin. Jackfruit is also known for its anti-ulcer properties which help cure ulcers and also digestion related problems. The potassium content in Jackfruit helps in lowering high blood pressure thereby reducing the danger of heart related ailments like an attack or a stroke.

Jackfruit is known as an energy generating fruit due to the presence of simple glucose like fructose and sucrose which is known to boost your strength instantly. Though it's energy rich fruit yet it contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, thus making it a healthy fruit for everyone.

Jackfruit contains iron which helps in preventing anaemia and also in regulating blood circulation in our body. The nutritional content found in jackfruit is known to help those suffering from asthma. One can extract the nutrients from the root of the fruit by boiling it, which acts as a great source to regulate asthma.

Jackfruit contains loads of magnesium, a nutrition that helps the body in absorbing calcium that in turn helps in strengthening our bone and at the same time stop bone related disorders (such as osteoporosis). Jackfruit is loaded with crucial micro minerals such as copper which plays a vital role in increasing rate of metabolism and maintain a normal thyroid.

Typically, the jackfruit bears fruit after three years from planting. The jackfruit is the largest edible fruit in commerce. It is sold fresh or canned with sugar syrup in United States and Europe. Sweet jackfruit chips are also often available in most Asian supermarkets in Western countries. The wood of the jack tree is used for the production of musical instruments and for the manufacture of furniture.

In Sri Lanka, food processing companies have started producing value added products from jackfruit. Most of these products are produced for export to USA and Europe. These products include canned jackfruit, jam, nectar, chips, pickle, polos preserve, jackfruit in syrup, flour, and cake.

It is suggested that Sri Lankan food processing and packaging companies initiate events to promote this world's largest fruit. Sri Lanka can draw inspiration from events such as the "National Jackfruit Festival" in India which attracted millions of visitors. Events such as these boost the popularity of the jackfruit while providing a platform for the promotion of pioneering products made from jackfruit. Some of the contemporary products made from jackfruit at the event included jackfruit cutlets, jackfruit sandwiches and jackfruit ice cream.