Did you know that the jackfruit is used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine? This super fruit promotes the health of our eyes, bones, heart, skin, hair and so much more!
The jackfruit or the Artocarpus heterophyllus is a popular fleshy fruit cultivated mostly in South Asian tropical countries like India, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam amongst others. It is probably the largest tree borne fruit in the world. The sweet and aromatic jackfruit is highly beneficial for us because of its energizing nature and medicinal properties.
Jackfruits Are Great Energy Boosters: If you’re tired and need an instant boost of energy, look no further. The jackfruit contains simple sugars like fructose and lactose, which help in rejuvenating the body and regenerate lost energy. It contains high amount of carbohydrates and calories that provides the body more vigour and energy.
Jackfruits Promote Good Eye-Health: Being a rich source of vitamin A, jackfruit improves vision and eye health. The vitamin A rich content also helps in preventing night blindness. It protects the eyes from retina and macular degeneration, free radicals and cataract because of the presence of a large amount of antioxidant compounds like Vitamin C, betulinic acid and various types of carotenoids.
Jackfruits Help In Blood Formation: The jackfruit is rich in vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and minerals like magnesium, manganese and copper which help in blood formation and circulation. The calcium content in the fruit helps in blood clotting. Vitamin C helps in iron absorption, thereby preventing anaemia.
Jackfruits Boost The Immune System: As mentioned earlier, jackfruit is full of vitamin C which helps to strengthen our immune system. The anti-bacterial and anti-viral nature of the fruit prevents frequent colds and infections. It supports the creation of white blood cells that keep us safe from diseases. The copper content in jackfruit helps to maintain the functioning of the thyroid. Asthma and related respiratory problems can be treated effectively using jackfruit extracts and roots.
Jackfruits Prevent Heart Disease: Jackfruits are great for the heart, as its nutrients help to regulate its proper functioning. The potassium content helps to lower blood pressure, regulate the heart rate and maintain sodium levels. The nutrient vitamin B6 reduces the homocysteine levels in the blood. All these can easily lead to heart attacks and strokes. The antioxidants help to prevent coronary heart diseases.
Jackfruits Protect Against Cancer: The jackfruit is an effective bodyguard against cancer. The components in the fruit like Vitamin C, phytonutrients like lignans, isoflavones and saponins have awesome anti cancer properties. The antioxidants help keep away harmful cancer causing radicals. The dietary fats help in cleansing the colon from toxins that can cause colon cancer. It also prevents oral cavity and lung cancer.
Jackfruits Are Great For Skin: Eating jackfruits helps to hydrate the body and maintain the skin’s moisture levels. It helps to detoxify the system which leaves you with a glowing complexion. The seeds of the fruit are very beneficial for healthy skin. They protect the skin against blemishes and hyper pigmentation. Jackfruits also slow down the aging process. The antioxidants destroy the radicals that quicken ageing of the skin. A jackfruit seed soaked in cold milk, grinded into paste and applied on the skin helps to keep it wrinkle-free. The vitamins A and C components promote beautiful skin.
Jackfruits Improve Digestion: The jackfruit has medicinal properties as it helps prevent constipation, cure digestive disorders and treat gastric issues. Having high amounts of dietary fiber, it supports regular bowel movement and helps to bring relief from constipation. It helps to eliminate and flush out harmful toxins and carcinogenic chemicals from the body.
Jackfruits Promote Good Hair Growth: For healthy hair to grow there must be a steady flow of blood to the follicles. Eating jackfruit seeds help improve blood circulation which promotes the growth of healthy hair. Vitamin A content prevents dryness and keeps the hair strong and silky.
Jackfruits Strengthen The Bones: The calcium, potassium and magnesium content in the jackfruit are excellent for the bones. Calcium strengthens the bones and helps prevent osteoporosis. The magnesium helps in the absorption of more calcium in the body and the potassium compliments the work of calcium in increasing bone density and strength.
Jackfruits Are Ideal For Dieting: Jackfruit is an ideal fruit for dieting as it has low saturated fat. It has low cholesterol and sodium levels as well. It contains only a few calories that provide a lot of energy needed for workouts. The fiber content also helps in aiding weight loss. It cleans up the system and speeds up the metabolism helping you burn more calories.
Jackfruits Help In Diabetes Management: Though not recommended by many doctors, recent studies prove that jackfruit can help in improving glucose tolerance in normal and type-2 diabetes patients. Consuming the leaves along with the fruit increases the manganese content in the blood which helps to regulate sugar levels. It is best to consult a doctor before you try this out as it is also rich in sugar.
Not only does it promote great health, but it is also versatile for cooking purposes. The fruit and the seeds can be eaten as part of a variety of amazing recipes in South, South-east Asian and international cuisine.
Surprised by the plethora of benefits that the jackfruit offers? Treat yourself to one today!
