Thorny yet sweet: Jackfruit – Erakina

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a fruit that belongs to the family Moraceae. The origin of the fruit is in the region between western ghats of Southern India and all of Srilanka, rainforest of Malaysia and Philippines. The fruit is of two types, the green unripe fruit is cooked as a vegetable and the brownish ripped fruit is eaten fresh without cooking. The fruit has a thorny skin on the outside and a soft fleshy skin on the inside. The center of the fruit is white in color and the edible fleshy fruit is surrounded around the white layer. Edible fruit consists of a seed that is 2-3 cm long and yellow flesh that can be eaten. A whole Jackfruit consists of around 500 seeds if it’s well grown. Let’s see the steps to grow a Jackfruit and the health benefits of Jackfruit.

Steps for plantation:

 Jackfruit hanging in a tree

Jackfruit trees can be grown easily and it isn’t tough to grow. The Jackfruit requires a warm and humid surface and surrounding for good production. The cold temperatures affect the growth of trees growth. The seeds are cleaned and soaked in water for a few days before sowing. It can be sowed in a small pot first, after sowing the seed in the pot and watering it we can able to see the germination process in 3-8 weeks. The stem grows along with branches and it is recommended to cut the branches to make the stem firm. After 3 months the stem produce leaves in thicker green. After considerable growth, the plant is vacated from pot to bigger land for the final upcoming growth stage. The plants should be sowed in the soil with a 6 m gap radius. The Jack tree requires good irrigation. After the plantation, the plant should be watered daily. During the first year of the plant, the fertilizer can be used under certain conditions. Like 30 grams of Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium can be used every 6 months for 2 years.

By following the instruction we can anticipate the full growth of the fruit in 3-4 years. The fruits will be hanging and waiting for the harvesting time. And then we can able to get the sweet and thorny fruit for tasting.

The edible Jackfruit flesh

Health benefits:

The Jackfruit not only has the sweetest taste it also consists of many vitamins and other nutrients a human requires.

• Jackfruit contains a good source of potassium. According to the American Heart Association, foods rich in potassium can reduce blood pressure. Potassium helps to reduce the tension in blood vessels. 
• The phytochemicals such as flavonoids, saponins, and tannins are in the fruit. According to the Institute of cancer research, phytochemicals can counter the effects of free radicals which lead to cell damage. 
• The fruit has a good Vitamin C content that is good for a healthy Immune system. Also, Vitamin C consists of special qualities like maintaining healthy skin, bones, connective tissues, such as blood vessels cartilage Collagen which helps in healing wounds.
• Jackfruit and the seeds contain soluble and insoluble fiber content. According to Food and Drug Association, soluble fiber helps in lowering LDL cholesterol and slows the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream, which will help in the prevention of high blood sugar levels.
• The probiotics in Jackfruit helps in the growth of good bacteria in the gut. 

A bowl of Jackfruit contains 157 calories, 2.84g of protein, 38.36g of carbohydrates, 2.5g of dietary fiber, 31.48g of sugars, etc. which gives a power-packed breakfast along with cereals gives a perfect breakfast for a hard-working day.

Every good thing is not for everyone. Likewise, the Jackfruit has some drawbacks for people who are allergic to it. Jackfruit can trigger birch pollen allergies for the people who consume it. 

A perfect dietary plan with fruits and Jackfruit can be beneficial and tasty too. Let’s eat healthily and stay healthy.

By Mukesh Kumar U M

28/01/2022