What Is Jackfruit? Where Does It Grow?
Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. Although they are close relatives, jackfruit is not the same as breadfruit, which is another spiky tropical fruit that grows in the Pacific and Caribbean islands with some similar characteristics. Jackfruit is much larger than breadfruit and it is higher in natural sugars and fat. One jackfruit tree can produce up to three tons of food per year. If you’re curious about jackfruit, I invite you to read on.
The jackfruit tree originated in southwest India, where it grows abundantly, both farmed and found wild. Throughout history, jackfruit spread to other tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The huge trees produce massive, green, oblong fruits with a bumpy, fleshy exterior. On the inside, jackfruit is filled with many pale yellow plump bulbs, which are edible and joined at the core. The seeds can also be cooked, eaten on their own, or ground into flour. This large and spiky fruit can be found in grocery stores (especially Asian markets), fresh, frozen, dried, or canned. A jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds and grow up to three feet long, but the average size of the fruit is 10–25 pounds. A ripe, unopened jackfruit has a strong, smelly odor — like a combination of fruit and onions. But the pulp of the opened fruit smells sweet.
What Does Jackfruit Taste Like?
When eaten ripe, the taste is similar to pineapple, mango, and banana, all mixed together. When it’s unripe, the jackfruit has more of a neutral vegetable-like flavor, similar to a potato, and works well in savory dishes. Unripe jackfruit soak up herbs, spices, and other flavorings. This allows the fruit to be made into plant-based versions of shredded chicken, pulled pork, or other meat-like meals. The seeds are often boiled or roasted and eaten as snacks, with a taste similar to chestnuts.
CLICK HERE: 7 Delicious Jackfruit Recipes to Try
Jackfruit Nutrition
Jackfruit are rich in nutrients:
Jackfruit seeds are especially nutritious as they’re high in protein, potassium, calcium, and iron. They’re also a source of resistant starch, and creates prebiotic activity in the gut.
Recent studies reveal jackfruit’s promising role in managing type 2 diabetes. One study demonstrated that incorporating jackfruit flour into the diets of individuals with type 2 diabetes significantly improved markers of blood sugar control. This result indicates that jackfruit flour could serve as an effective component of medical nutrition therapy for diabetes. Another study showed that jackfruit seed extract could significantly reduce blood glucose levels and possibly enhance the effects of diabetes medications. (
The jackfruit leaves may have medicinal qualities. In Indian Ayurveda tradition, consuming hot water extracts of (jackfruit) kathal leaves is said to help treat type 2 diabetes. Collectively, these studies and traditional uses suggest that different parts of the jackfruit — be it the flour, seeds, or leaves — could be beneficial in the dietary management of diabetes.
Jackfruit is a rich source of phytochemicals, especially carotenoids. Both provitamin A carotenoids like beta-carotene and non-provitamin A carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin are found in jackfruit. These plant compounds are known for their eye health benefits, with the latter two accumulating in the macula of the eye, which protect against age-related macular degeneration.
Jackfruit’s antioxidant content may have beneficial properties for your heart. Oxidation in the body can contribute to inflammation and can elevate blood cholesterol and blood pressure. The antioxidants in jackfruit work to combat oxidation and free radicals, preventing their accumulation in cells and organs like the heart.
The soluble fiber content of jackfruit may also have a cholesterol-lowering effect. Higher amounts of fiber intake are associated with lower overall cholesterol levels and lower LDL cholesterol.
Jackfruit is a remarkable fruit that offers a multitude of benefits for health, sustainability, and culinary versatility. Depending on whether you eat it unripe and green or ripe and yellow, it can be savory and “meaty” or a sweet and delicious fruit. As a sustainable crop that grows in huge quantities, it holds promise as a food security solution in tropical regions. Its nutritional profile and potential health benefits make it a worthy addition to most dietary patterns. It also offers an interesting way to expand culinary horizons around the world — especially as a plant-based meat substitute.
Have you tried jackfruit? What is your opinion on it? I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. Although they are close relatives, jackfruit is not the same as breadfruit, which is another spiky tropical fruit that grows in the Pacific and Caribbean islands with some similar characteristics. Jackfruit is much larger than breadfruit and it is higher in natural sugars and fat. One jackfruit tree can produce up to three tons of food per year. If you’re curious about jackfruit, I invite you to read on.
The jackfruit tree originated in southwest India, where it grows abundantly, both farmed and found wild. Throughout history, jackfruit spread to other tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The huge trees produce massive, green, oblong fruits with a bumpy, fleshy exterior. On the inside, jackfruit is filled with many pale yellow plump bulbs, which are edible and joined at the core. The seeds can also be cooked, eaten on their own, or ground into flour. This large and spiky fruit can be found in grocery stores (especially Asian markets), fresh, frozen, dried, or canned. A jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds and grow up to three feet long, but the average size of the fruit is 10–25 pounds. A ripe, unopened jackfruit has a strong, smelly odor — like a combination of fruit and onions. But the pulp of the opened fruit smells sweet.
What Does Jackfruit Taste Like?
When eaten ripe, the taste is similar to pineapple, mango, and banana, all mixed together. When it’s unripe, the jackfruit has more of a neutral vegetable-like flavor, similar to a potato, and works well in savory dishes. Unripe jackfruit soak up herbs, spices, and other flavorings. This allows the fruit to be made into plant-based versions of shredded chicken, pulled pork, or other meat-like meals. The seeds are often boiled or roasted and eaten as snacks, with a taste similar to chestnuts.
CLICK HERE: 7 Delicious Jackfruit Recipes to Try
Jackfruit Nutrition
Jackfruit are rich in nutrients:
- Fiber: 2.3 grams
- Protein: 2.6 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35.1 grams
- Thiamin (B1) 13% of Recommended Daily Intake (RDI)
- Vitamin B6: 29% of RDI
- Folate (B9): 9% of RDI
- Vitamin C: 23% of RDI
- Magnesium: 10% of RDI
- Potassium: 14% of RDI
- Copper: 13% of RDI
- 1-cup serving is 143 calories
Jackfruit seeds are especially nutritious as they’re high in protein, potassium, calcium, and iron. They’re also a source of resistant starch, and creates prebiotic activity in the gut.
Recent studies reveal jackfruit’s promising role in managing type 2 diabetes. One study demonstrated that incorporating jackfruit flour into the diets of individuals with type 2 diabetes significantly improved markers of blood sugar control. This result indicates that jackfruit flour could serve as an effective component of medical nutrition therapy for diabetes. Another study showed that jackfruit seed extract could significantly reduce blood glucose levels and possibly enhance the effects of diabetes medications. (
The jackfruit leaves may have medicinal qualities. In Indian Ayurveda tradition, consuming hot water extracts of (jackfruit) kathal leaves is said to help treat type 2 diabetes. Collectively, these studies and traditional uses suggest that different parts of the jackfruit — be it the flour, seeds, or leaves — could be beneficial in the dietary management of diabetes.
Jackfruit is a rich source of phytochemicals, especially carotenoids. Both provitamin A carotenoids like beta-carotene and non-provitamin A carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin are found in jackfruit. These plant compounds are known for their eye health benefits, with the latter two accumulating in the macula of the eye, which protect against age-related macular degeneration.
Jackfruit’s antioxidant content may have beneficial properties for your heart. Oxidation in the body can contribute to inflammation and can elevate blood cholesterol and blood pressure. The antioxidants in jackfruit work to combat oxidation and free radicals, preventing their accumulation in cells and organs like the heart.
The soluble fiber content of jackfruit may also have a cholesterol-lowering effect. Higher amounts of fiber intake are associated with lower overall cholesterol levels and lower LDL cholesterol.
Jackfruit is a remarkable fruit that offers a multitude of benefits for health, sustainability, and culinary versatility. Depending on whether you eat it unripe and green or ripe and yellow, it can be savory and “meaty” or a sweet and delicious fruit. As a sustainable crop that grows in huge quantities, it holds promise as a food security solution in tropical regions. Its nutritional profile and potential health benefits make it a worthy addition to most dietary patterns. It also offers an interesting way to expand culinary horizons around the world — especially as a plant-based meat substitute.
Have you tried jackfruit? What is your opinion on it? I want to hear from you!
Blessings,
KJ Landis
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