Jackfruit

We call the jackfruit “langka” in the Philippines.  I consider it as the biggest fruit ever.  When I was young, we  nicknamed it “hog” because sometimes it grows as big as a pig.   I remember my grandma’s jackfruit tree in the farm and the fruit almost touches the ground.  I also remember eating the fruits when it is still pencil size. (We eat everything when I was a kid.)  The flesh of the fruit is golden yellow in color and is segmented.  Each segment has a seed inside and is also edible.  We boil the seeds and eat them like nuts.  There is a thin skin which you need to remove before eating the seeds.  The fruit has a wonderful aroma when it is ripe so you know when it is ready for picking.

I did not know the health benefits of  jackfruit back then.  I just eat the fruit like crazy because it is sweet and delicious.  It is normally used for making desserts like ice cream, halo-halo, guinatan with mochi balls, and the list goes on.  If you can not find fresh jackfruit in your area, it is available in groceries as preserved.  We also used it as a vegetable when it still immature.  The usual recipe for it is cooked in coconut milk with lots of spices.

Jackfruit has Vitamin C which is good for your immune system to protect against common infections like  colds, coughs and fever.  It also have complex carbohydrates which provides energy with its simple sugar content without cholesterol.  It has anti oxidants, phyto-nutrients and flavonoids for fighting cancer.  The high amounts of anti-oxidants from jackfruit neutralizes the free radicals  and acts as a shield to protect your DNA.  It also has potassium for maintaining blood pressure.  It  has a high fiber content for colon health  and aids in digestion.  It also contains Vitamin A for vision and helps to avoid having macular degeneration and cataracts.