Bread Fruit: Health Benefits and Nutritional Values

Fruits are the natural wholesome foods that contain all vital nutrients that help to enhance the health condition. Fruits are the all time favorites of people all over the world due the exceptional properties of easy digestion, availability and nutritional value unlike other foods. They are the types of natural foods that provide instant energy as the nutrients in it are absorbed by the body instantly. Some fruits are seasonal while others are non seasonal. Bread fruit is a tropical tree that belongs to the jack fruit and mulberry family. It is found in all most all tropical regions in the world.
The scientific word of breadfruit is Artocarpus Altilis derived from the Greek Language “artos” meaning bread and “karpos” means fruit though the bread fruit originated in Mexico. This is flowering tree seen plenty in the South East Asia and in most Pacific Ocean islands. About 3,500 years ago Polynesians found this fruit and cultivated it instead of rice. Even today in many tropical regions bread fruit is the staple food. After flowering the bread fruit tree remains productive for decades. Another remarkable property of bread fruit is when it is in the raw form it has the qualities of vegetable and it can be used in cooked form. The ripened flesh of the fruit is creamy yellow that is soft and flavored. This fruit has starchy texture like potato and tastes like fresh baked bread.

Bread fruit contains all essential vitamin helps to improve the immunity of the body. It does not contain saturated fats and high calories. It has saturated fat, low cholesterol and sodium. High quantities of vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber are found abundantly in this fruit. Seven vital vitamins including pantothenic acid, vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin B6, C, E, Niacin and Colin are found in bread fruit. Bread fruit is the rich source of minerals including phosphorous, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and Manganese. It has 70% of water content, protein and 25% of carbohydrate. The high fiber content and other vital nutrients help the digestion process. The low calorie content makes it the favorite dish cooked or uncooked by the people who are health conscious and recommended by dietitians. It is used in many culinary forms in various forms. The raw fruits are used for making fried chips, various curries and in baked forms. The ripened fruit is used in salads, health drinks and deserts.

In addition to the culinary benefits its regular intake prevents major diseases. It improves the digestion process as it is easy to digest and the nutrients are absorbed easily in the body. It is widely used as a popular cholesterol controller due to its ability to lower the LDL cholesterol level. The high fiber content in the fruit reduces the cholesterol and prevents fat deposits and high calories. This helps to reduce the heart attack. The high fiber content also reduces the absorption of glucose from the food that helps to prevent diabetes. The fruit improve the intestinal health and the regular intake of the fruit prevents the colon cancer. The protein content enriches the skin texture, builds body tissues and hair growth. The vitamin sources provide the nerve health and there by enhancing the brain functions. The minerals and vitamins improve the blood circulation as it is absorbed easily in the blood stream. The fruit is used to enhance the respiratory function that prevents asthma and other respiratory allergies. The leaves of the fruit are also having medicinal properties in reducing the blood pressure and asthma. The flowers of the fruit are used as a cure for tooth ache. The rubbing of toasted flowers of the fruits in the gums prevents the tooth ache and retains healthy gum. In many traditional treatment in the South East Asian countries the bread fruits and other parts of the tree is used for treating minor illness, sore eyes and other serious ailments.

The bread fruit has the multiple benefits that make it a sure ingredient in treatments, culinary and in healthy diet.