Jackfruit

If you were to skim over any plant-based eatery's menu, you'd know to expect dishes such as tofu nuggets, seitan burrito bowls, and even faux-meat burgers — regardless of your dietary preferences. To the uninitiated, however, pulled "pork" sandwiches made from jackfruit can make your head spin. Turns out, jackfruit is a common meat substitute — but not for the reasons you might expect. Unlike many other meat substitutes, jackfruit isn't used for a high-protein content, but rather because of its shredded, meaty texture, says And while it may not pack the same punch of protein as legit pork, for example, the tropical fruit does come with a few good-for-you nutrients. Here, Munro breaks down the jackfruit health benefits that'll convince you to add it to your plate — even if you're mostly a carnivore. What Is Jackfruit? While researchers aren't 100 percent certain of jackfruit's origin, it's thought to be indigenous to India and is commonly grown throughout Asia, Africa, and South America today, according to a review published in the Though fresh, whole fruits are available in some grocery stores, you'll typically find unripe (aka young or green) jackfruit in canned form or ripe jackfruit available in slices — both of which have unique textures and uses, says Munro. "When fruit ripens, the starches go down and the sweetness goes up," she explains. Consequently, the unripe fruit has a milder flavor and can take on other flavors while cooking, and ripe fruit is sweet enough to ...

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What Is Jackfruit? Jackfruit is the common name for the fruit born on an evergreen tree known botanically as Artocarpus heterophyllus. It is presumed native to India but found across the Malaya Peninsula; it's also common in Indonesia and the Philippines and can be cultivated in tropical regions in Africa, South America, and Mexico. Jackfruit can grow in most subtropical and tropical climates; stateside, it is cultivated in Hawaii and Florida. Interestingly, jackfruit resembles—on a grand scale—its relative, the cold-hardy North American native Maclura pomifera), whose fragrant green fruit drop from their branches like small bombs in late fall. Both are members of the mulberry— Moraceae—family. When ripe the knobs on jackfruit skin are soft, the whole fruit yields to pressure, and its distinctive, musky—sometimes sulphuric—perfume is present. The individual segments each enclose a seed, and these are yellow to pink in color, depending on the cultivar. Their flavor is like a strong-smelling tropical-fruit-salad-meets-candy. The mature seeds are considered a delicacy and are traditionally eaten after roasting or long boiling—do not eat them raw. Their texture and flavor fall somewhere between a cooked gingko and Know That Prepared Jackfruit Is the Easiest Route There are other ways to try jackfruit, minus the drama and beauty of the whole fruit, but also without the bulk and the clean-up: You can buy jackfruit canned, and, more recently, in portion-sized, vacuum-sealed plast...

Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. What Is Jackfruit? Native to Southeast Asia, jackfruit is said to be the largest tree fruit in the world. A single jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds. A fresh one is oval-shape and fairly large with a bright green and dully-spiked exterior. Jackfruit is surprisingly versatile because it's edible at its varying Getty Images How to Cut Jackfruit It is fairly time-consuming to prep jackfruit from a whole fruit. Each jackfruit is large and needs to be cored—and the core is quite sticky. Then you have to pluck out the fruit pods (a darker yellow flesh nestled in-between whiter strands), and remove the seeds and their skin from inside each fruit pod. • Coat a large knife blade with oil and line a cutting board with plastic wrap or parchment paper. (Jackfruits are sticky!) Wearing plastic or rubber gloves, cut jackfruit crosswise into 2-inch slices; then cut the slices in half. • Run a paring knife along ...

Jackfruit is a large, spiky, yellow fruit that comes from the fig family. It grows largely in Asia, though it can also be found in South America and parts of Africa. Jackfruit has not always been widely eaten in the U.S. In recent years, jackfruit has taken the internet by storm. The new trend towards eating jackfruit is due, in part, to the fact that it provides a source of Health Benefits Fresh jackfruit is large, and it can be intimidating to try to tackle this massive fruit for the first time. But when you consider its nutritional impact, you'll understand the reason so many choose to enjoy this fruit. Packed with Here are just a few of the many health benefits of jackfruit: Boost Your Immune System Jackfruit is loaded with antioxidants that can help boost your immune system. It contains carotenoids, which can help reduce inflammation and decrease your risk of developing certain chronic diseases. Jackfruit also contains Improve Skin Health The antioxidants found in jackfruit have another benefit as well: they may keep your skin looking fresh and young. Vitamin C has been shown to help keep skin looking young, especially when consumed via fruits and vegetables rather than applied topically to the skin. Regulate Blood Sugar The high levels of fiber in jackfruit slow digestion, giving jackfruit a relatively low Jackfruit is also packed with protein, which can help prevent blood sugar levels from spiking after eating a meal. This combination makes jackfruit a good choice f...

Anna is a writer and editor with two decades of experience in print and digital media. She has contributed finance and lifestyle articles to The New York Times, Men's Health, Women's Health, Glamour, Marie Claire, and multiple other publications. Highlights: * Ghost wrote YA novels for Alloy Entertainment * Former assistant editor at Redbook and senior editor at Cosmopolitan * Former features writer at New York Post * Freelance writer for Victoria's Secret, The New York Times, Men's Health, Women's Health, Glamour, Marie Claire, and others * Currently, financial content marketing specialist for clients such as Citi, Chase, and American Express Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Jackfruit (or jakfruit) comes from the jackfruit tree, a cousin of the figtree, mulberry tree, and breadfruit family that grows in Southeast Asia. The jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh, and looks like an oblong honeydew melon or large mango. The word “jackfruit” comes from the Portugu...

Megan Gordon What Is the Nutritional Value of Jackfruit? Many people are making sweeping statements about the possibility of jackfruit taking the culinary world by storm, and for good reasons. It’s relatively inexpensive, especially in comparison to meat—a can of organic jackfruit runs about $2.99 in my stores. Jackfruit is also versatile, and a good source of calcium, iron and potassium. Megan Gordon How to Cook With Canned Jackfruit Thanks to it's awesome stringy texture, unripe canned jackfruit is getting a lot of buzz for its use in vegan and vegetarian recipes, such as shredded BBQ tacos, sandwiches, and curries. In these kinds of recipes, jackfruit is strikingly similar to pulled pork or pulled chicken. Since canned jackfruit is usually canned with a brine solution, give it a thorough rinse before using. Right out of the can, it’ll likely look like big chunks; shred them before using them in your recipe. (Some people prefer to shred after cooking it, but I find that if you’re working with a sauce, it’s easier to shred the jackfruit first.)

Have you heard of jackfruit? One tree can produce up to three tons of food from this huge and utterly unique fruit per year, providing an almost miraculous source of nourishment for people living in tropical countries! Jackfruit is also increasingly being used in other parts of the world, particularly in the US, as a plant-based meat alternative because the young, unripe fruits soak up flavor well and have a stringy, “meat-like” texture when cooked. You may have seen it popping up in stores and on menus — for example, jackfruit tacos and BBQ sandwiches are popular ways to prepare it. But what do you need to know about this food? And should it be something you look for and use in your own cooking? What Is Jackfruit? Where Does It Grow? iStock.com/earleliason Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. The plant originated in southwest India, where it grows abundantly. And throughout history jackfruit spread to other parts of India, southeast Asia, the East Indies, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It also grows in Africa and is relatively popular in Brazil and Suriname as well. Jackfruit trees typically grow in tropical and near-tropical conditions, but they can also be produced in The largest tree-borne fruit in the world, jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds and grow up to three feet long. (Though, the average size of the fruit is 10 to 25 pounds.) Its huge trees produce massive, green, oblong fruits with a bumpy, fleshy e...

If you’ve been searching for a healthy What Is Jackfruit? Jackfruit is an ancient fruit grown on trees in tropical climates. It’s native to south and southeast Asia—think Bangladesh, Thailand and India—where it is served regularly. While it’s relatively new on the scene in North America, jackfruit has been used for hundreds of years as both food and medicine. It’s believed to have antimicrobial and antifungal properties, as well as being rich in antioxidants. Jackfruit has thick, bumpy skin and is filled with plump, stringy pods. When ripe, these pods have a sweet banana-like quality. However, when used for savory dishes, the fruit is typically underripe and a bit more firm, giving it a meatier texture. Jackfruit is rich in vitamins and fiber. A 100-gram portion of jackfruit contains 95 calories, 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. According to the It’s helpful to remember that while jackfruit has the same consistency as meat, the nutrient profiles are quite different. Like all fruit, jackfruit is relatively low in protein (just 2 grams in a serving) so it won’t fill you up the same way other meatier dishes will—to compare, one serving of a What Does Jackfruit Taste Like? When it comes to flavor, underripe jackfruit is very mild. Its neutral flavor typically pairs well with more savory dishes—it’s often used as a substitute for pulled pork or chicken. Once chopped or shredded, the starchy fruit is ready for flavorful sauces or marinades. While jackfruit does h...

There are so many big things to love about jackfruit, we almost don’t know where to start. How about with the fact that the amazing tree not only produces the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, it also produces tons of them? Literally. Because one jackfruit tree can produce up to 200 jackfruit a year, and each jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds. The jackfruit tree is also hardy, easy-to-grow, and resistant to drought and heat, so it’s well suited to adapt to our changing climate. And though they’re native to southern India, jackfruit trees thrive in tropical regions around the world, which is why it’s a staple ingredient in many Asian cuisines. But of course, the biggest deal of all about jackfruit is that it’s nutritionally dense and unusually versatile. Jackfruit is high in sustaining fiber, low in calories, and has a texture and flavor that evolves during its ripening process. The flavor of young jackfruit is subtle, so it absorbs and complements the spices and seasonings it’s cooked with. It also has a meaty, dense texture that shreds like pulled pork (the Bengali word for jackfruit means “tree mutton”). This makes young jackfruit a wonderfully versatile centerpiece for whole food, plant-based diets in nearly every cuisine—from spicy Asian curries to savory southern BBQs to comforting Italian pastas. And as jackfruit becomes more mature, it softens, sweetens, and its flavor becomes more distinctly tropical–like a blend of pineapple and banana. Fully ripened jackf...