Grandma used to say that all strong, sturdy, and muscular men in my village had grown up purely on Jackfruit, Coconut, and Leafy greens. Let’s say there is a certain, strange truth behind these words that is hard to ignore. Jackfruit has been considered everyday food by some of the older generations in my village, and they seldom had to suffer health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or cancer.

Jackfruit is consumed at three stages – Very young green fruit, mature unripened fruit, and ripe fruit. Young green fruit is called Polos and eaten as a curry. Polos curry is a very popular, traditional dish prepared in Sri Lankan households. This is cooked with a lot of spices and curry powder, similar to the way a meat curry is prepared. You can check out the Recipe for Young Jackfruit Curry (Polos Curry) here.

Matured, unripened Jackfruit is called Kos and can be cooked the same as rice, and eaten as a main with dried fish curry and grated coconut. Also, Kos can be eaten as a side dish called Kiri Kos, which is a curry made with Coconut milk. Check out the Recipe for Tasty Jackfruit Curry (Kiri Kos Maluwa) here.

Jackfruit seeds are very nutritious, and they are eaten boiled or prepared as a curry. Jackfruit seed curry is called Kalu Pol Maluwa, which is made by adding roasted coconut shreds, roasted rice, spices, and curry powder to partly crushed seeds. Check out the Recipe for Jackfruit Seed Curry (Kalu Pol Maluwa) here.

Ripe Jackfruit has a unique, noticeable smell and sweet-flavored, yellow flesh. Its flavor can be defined as a cross between pineapple and bananas. There are two main types of Jackfruit. One is small and mushy. It tastes sweet, but it’s slimy and called Wala. The other type of Jackfruit has crisp, crunchy flesh that’s not as sweet and called Waraka.

Nutrients per Serving

One cup of sliced Jackfruit flesh has:

• Calories: 157
• Fat: 2 grams
• Carbs: 38 grams
• Protein: 3 grams
• Calcium: 40 milligrams

Vitamins

Jackfruit is richer in some vitamins and minerals than apples, apricots, bananas, and avocados. It’s high in vitamin C and one of the few fruits that’s rich in B vitamins.

Jackfruit also contains folate, niacin, riboflavin, potassium, and magnesium.

Antioxidants

Carotenoids are the pigments that give jackfruit its yellow color, and they are high in vitamin A. Like all antioxidants, carotenoids protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and help your body perform right. They also help prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease, as well as eye problems like cataracts and macular weakening.

As a jackfruit ripens, its carotenoid levels increase, enriching ripe jackfruit with more vitamin A.

Jackfruit contains many other antioxidants that encourage delaying or preventing cell damage in your body. Although the inside flesh is high in these disease-fighting compounds, the seeds contain even more nutrition.

Check out the Native Forest Organic Jackfruit, Vegan Meatless Alternative, 14 Ounce Cans (Pack of 6)

Health Benefits

The breakthrough of Jackfruit lies in its rich and unique components, as seen above, that have the ability for curing and providing solutions for various health concerns, ranging from cancer to weight loss and more. Here are some miraculous benefits for major health concerns.

Heals cancer

Due to its richness in antioxidants and phytonutrient properties, plus its abundance of Vitamin C, jackfruit can cure a diverse range of cancer such as lung cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, skin cancer, and prostate cancer. These properties treat cell damage and develop resistance.

Improves digestion

Jackfruit helps in improving the digestive system when eating it regularly due to its high density of fibers (3.6 g per 100 g). It causes no stomach pain even if eaten in large quantities and supports the bowel movement. It also protects the colon by removing harmful, carcinogenic chemicals out of the large intestine.

Eye and skin maintainer

With its abundance of vitamin A, jackfruit is good for maintaining healthy eyesight. It enhances eye vision and acts as a blocker against cataract and macular decay. It’s also an active anti-aging component helping for glowing skin. It protects against skin damage caused by sun exposure and treats wrinkles.

Promotes weight loss

As obesity rates are on the rise, Jackfruit aids in weight loss because it’s free of fat and low in calories that allow dieters to safely and comfortably consume it and fully benefit from all its other nutrients.

Nerve system booster

Fatigue, stress, and weakness in muscles can also be treated by eating jackfruit in regularly for its density of vitamins such as thiamine and niacin (A 100 g of jackfruit pulp provides 4 mg of niacin). It is a perfect source of energy.

There is definitely more to discover about jackfruit as researches are still being conducted for discoveries of its unique properties that benefit urgent health issues.

Improves bone health

As an excellent supplement of calcium for healthy bones, eating jackfruit is highly recommended. It is also rich vitamin C and magnesium, which further assists in calcium absorption.

Cures insomnia

Sleeping disorders can be treated with jackfruit, due to its rich abundance in magnesium and iron that help in fixing the overall quality of sleep. Magnesium helps in preventing anemia, which is one of the major root causes of insomnia.