Jackfruit ('Kathal' in Hindi) is a tropical tree fruit rich in vitamins and minerals and can be a healthy addition to your diet. It is a popular meat substitute as the unripe flesh gets an exact texture like chicken or pulled pork when cooked. The Canned jackfruit (canned in brine) is primarily used as vegan meat.
Jackfruit meat is being preferred by many people no matter if they are vegan or not due to its number of benefits.
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Helps in losing weight
For a successful weight loss journey, skipping meat in favor of a plant-based diet has been very effective. Jackfruit meat contains high fiber, an essential nutrient for meeting the weight loss goals as it adds bulk to your diet. This makes you feel fuller for a longer time, and thus you can avoid unnecessary snacking and grazing. Eating jackfruit meat saves your consumption of calories due to its lesser caloric content than most meats. As a result, it can naturally reduce caloric intake when used as a meat substitute.
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Protects your skin from sun damage
Kathal is a fruit that gives benefits of several nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, that help improve the health of your skin naturally. Vitamin C is best for boosting antioxidant protection, which neutralizes damage done by UVA and UVB. Eating it can visibly reduce the slow down your skin's aging process by destroying free radicals.
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Helps to lower your blood pressure
Canned jackfruit can act as the best source of potassium, and potassium-rich foods are recommended for reducing blood pressure. Potassium in jackfruit tends to lower blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium and reducing tension in the walls of blood vessels.
Healthy adults should consume 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium a day. Despite it being said, a potassium-rich diet can be harmful to people suffering from any kidney disease or any condition that alters how the body regulates potassium.
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Good source of fiber
Jackfruit is rich in two kinds of fibers- soluble and insoluble and hence helps improve digestion. It is essential to eat a healthy amount of fiber in your daily meal. The soluble fiber is quickly broken down by our body to produce energy, and the insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool, thereby easing up your bowel movement.
This is because it contains 2.5 g of fiber per serving, which is not an incredibly high amount compared with options like green peas. So, it can help you reach the recommended fiber intake.
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Jackfruit is a source of other vital nutrients.
As mentioned before, the flesh part of jackfruit is a good source of vitamin C and its seeds are a source of calcium, protein, potassium, and iron. Jackfruit also contains B vitamins, including vitamin B6 and niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid, which are essential for a healthy nervous system.
Jackfruit meat is packed with dietary fiber and minerals, and research suggests that compounds in the flesh, seeds and other parts of the plant may have the potential to treat or prevent several health conditions.
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Lower Inflammation in the Body
Vitamin C-rich foods can help you reduce inflammation in the body and lower the risk of chronic disease. Ideally, men should consume about 90 mg of vitamin C, and for women, it is 75 mg per day. As One cup of sliced jackfruit gives you 22.6 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, just a single serving gets you more than 20 percent of what you require.
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Enhances Vision
Jackfruit provides healthy nutrition for our eyes because of its rich content of vitamin A (Beta-Carotene). This nutrient protects our eyes from bacterial and viral infection and reduces the harmful effects of free radicals. Your eyes can be protected from intense and harmful light waves like ultraviolet rays (UVA & UVB), improving eyesight. Regular consumption of jackfruit effectively prevents degeneration of the retina and reduces the risk of cataracts.
Conclusively, jackfruit is safe and highly nutritious for most people. But for, those with an allergy to latex or birch pollen should be careful when eating or handling the fruit.