Jackfruit

Today Alicia tried a new fruit - jackfruit! I thought she'd dislike it because of its strong flavour and smell but she ate it with relish! In fact, she liked it better than her favourite longan and watermelon... she kept picking out the jackfruit from the bowl and pushing aside the rest of the fruits... :D

It's really funny but I've never bothered to even stop to ponder what the nutritional benefits of jackfruit are when I pop jackfruit into my mouth all these years!

Here's what I gathered about the health benefits of eating jackfruit (from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/jack_fruit.html):

Health benefits of jack fruit

• The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh (bulbs) with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly.

• Jack-fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.

• Fresh fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-A, which has powerful antioxidant properties and is essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining integrity of mucus membranes and skin and to boost immunity. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

• It is also rich in antioxidant flavonoids like β-carotene and lutein. These antioxidants are found to be protective against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

• It is one of the rare fruit that is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. It contains very good amounts of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), niacin, riboflavin and folic acid.

• Jack fruit is also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
  
• Fresh fruit is a good source of potassium, magnesium, manganese and iron. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.