All About Jackfruit You Should Know

Are you looking for unique fruit to mix with your drinks or dishes? Go to local supermarkets and buy a jackfruit. You probably never knew about this fruit before, but once you taste it, you will love it.

Jackfruit is believed indigenous to the rain forests of the Western Ghats of India. Later on, it spread early to other parts of India, Southeast Asia, the East Indies, and Philippines. Besides being planted in those areas, it is also planted in central and eastern Africa. In Brazil and Surinam, this fruit is increasingly popular. In tropical areas, it is even a common garden tree.

If you do not have any idea about this fruit, just imagine durian, but in larger shape. Do not get surprised on its size since it is known as the largest edible tree-grown fruit on earth! Can you imagine fruit which size is 350-900mm in length and 250-500mm in diameter? The weight even can reach 80 pounds!

When you first experience tasting this fruit, you may think that the smell is unpleasant. The fully ripe smell is "sharp", although it can not be compared to durian. The fruit is unusual as it is borne on the main branches, the trunks, and occasionally even from surface roots of the tree. The tree grows to an enormous size, like a large eastern oak, so it looks sturdy and massive.

When the fruit ripens, the exterior part, or the skin, turns into green or yellow. After peeling the skin, you will find large edible yellow bulbs with sweet taste. Before peeling a fresh jackfruit, you better oil your knife first because it is very sticky.

Jackfruit is often cooked for main course dishes, desserts, soups, drinks, ice creams, fruit salads, and even chips. For main course dishes, people tend to cook it when unripe and immature, but they use the fully ripe ones for desserts. It is also available canned in sugar syrup, or frozen. Some manufactures worldwide also produce dried jackfruit chips which have unique taste. You can even roast and boil the seeds!

Jackfruit contains many vitamins and minerals. It can help prevent cancer since it contains isoflavones, antioxidants, and phytonutriens. It can also help cure ulcers and indigestion. It is also good for your diet since it is a source of dietary fiber. Now, go to local markets, get a jackfruit, and mix it with your dishes!


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