Jackfruit has been big in the vegan community for a couple of years. Now, it's starting to come into the mainstream. But, what is it and why should you eat it?
This versatile fruit, from the fig family, is soft and sweet when ripe and is a delicious raw treat. Unripe, it’s meaty and has a very mild flavor, picking up the taste of what it is cooked in, and is used as a meat replacement, emulating pulled pork or carnitas. Moreover, the seeds can be peeled and boiled or dried and ground into flour. The seeds are comparable to Brazil nuts.
While predominantly found in Asian supermarkets, they are starting to crop up in supermarkets. Trader Joe’s has canned jackfruit on the shelves and recipes on their site. Chefs actually prefer the canned version when cooking with the fruit. "Ripe jackfruit is very tasty and not so difficult to work with, but it is sweet, soft, and doesn’t hold up very well to cooking,” said Danielle Ricciardi, a restaurant chef. “Fresh young jackfruit on the other hand is a messy ordeal, full of a very sticky resin, that is a nightmare to clean. This is the jackfruit that is perfect for savory preparations, but save yourself a disaster in the kitchen, and get a prepared product." Besides being a mess to prepare, jackfruit weights 10-25 pounds on average.
Besides being a great way to spice up your diet with something new, they are great for you! Jackfruit is high in fiber, vitamin C and potassium. Because of its complex carbs, jackfruit doesn’t spike blood sugar and the potassium can help regulate glucose levels. A study from the Univ. of Pennsylvania found that jackfruit extract improved glucose tolerance. Other studies have found jackfruit may help fight obesity, high blood pressure, anemia and more.
Jackfruit is relatively new to the western market and little research has been carried out on the long term effects of eating the fruit. It’s important to note that people who are allergic to latex may be allergic to jackfruit.
You can check out jackfruit recipes by clicking here. If you try, or have already eaten, jackfruit we want to hear what you think. Email us at socialmedia@neulivenhealth.com.
