What is breadfruit?
Pacific bread tree (scientific name: Artocarpus altilis), other names are called bread tree, also known as bread fruit, honey tree, maple nut, flour tree, and Hawaiian locals call it Ulu . Coming from the Moraceae family (which also includes jackfruit, mulberries, and figs), the breadfruit tree is officially classified as a "panapen" in various types of research .
Breadfruit fruit comes from the nutritious breadfruit tree and grows abundantly on the branches during the season. These highly useful plants originated in the South Pacific (particularly New Guinea) and have made their way into other parts of Oceania as well as many other tropical areas as labor-saving, low-cost staple foods.
This fruit contains a wide range of essential nutrients and can be eaten raw (in some cases) or cooked in a variety of ways, greatly extending the life of the fruit.
It is considered a staple food for the people of Jamaica and many other tropical areas. Over the past few decades, its popularity has continued in places such as Hawaii (where it is often called "ulu"), where breadfruit was first grown in 1978.
Due to its incredible yields (a single tree can harvest 450 pounds of fruit in a single growing season), various agencies and organizations have been established to promote breadfruit cultivation, especially in poorer countries such as Haiti where cheap nutrients are needed. poor countries.
nutrient content
One cup of breadfruit (about 220 grams) contains approximately:
- Calories: 227
- Total carbs: 59.6 g
- Fiber: 10.8 grams
- Sugar: 24.2 grams
- Total fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated fat: 0.1 grams
- Polyunsaturated fat: 0.1 g
- Monounsaturated fat: 0.1 g
- Trans fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 2.4 grams
- Sodium: 4.4 mg (0.2% Daily Value*)
- Vitamin C: 63.8 mg (71% DV)
- Potassium: 1,080 mg (23% DV)
- Copper: 0.2 mg (22% DV)
- Pantothenic acid: 1 mg (20% DV)
- Thiamine: 0.2 mg (17% DV)
- Magnesium: 55 mg (13% DV)
- Niacin: 2 mg (13% DV)
- Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg (12% DV)
- Folic acid: 30.8 mcg (8% DV)
- Riboflavin: 0.1 mg (8% DV)
- Iron: 1.2 mg (7% DV)
- Phosphorus: 66 mg (5% DV)
- Manganese: 0.1 mg (4% DV)
*Daily Values: Percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet.
health benefits
1. Rich in amino acids, helping the body store nutrients
According to research, breadfruit provides "a full range of essential amino acids." Further research published in 2023 confirmed that "the particularly high content of leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and valine makes it a good source of essential nutrients, especially in countries struggling with malnutrition."
2. Helps prevent and reverse oxidative stress
Another nutrient important for preventing disease is antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in a variety of food sources and can prevent and reverse oxidative stress, the damage caused by free radicals to body functions.
Free radicals can enter the body through excessive sun exposure, chemicals in the environment, and a variety of other sources, but when you eat a diet rich in high-antioxidant foods, you can slow age-related cell breakdown and reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and cancer. disease and risk of stroke (and other diseases).
All edible parts of the breadfruit tree fruit contain an impressive antioxidant load and offer the potential for many positive bioactive processes due to their high phenolic content.
One animal study focused specifically on the antioxidant activity of breadfruit because of its association with the toxicity of cadmium, a common environmental toxin and endocrine disruptor. This particular study investigated the effects of cadmium on changes in sperm count and motility and found that the methanol extract of breadfruit tested significantly improved sperm count and motility and hormone levels.
One important antioxidant found in breadfruit is vitamin C. People whose diets are rich in vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of cancer and may be protected against heart disease, stroke and cancer and live longer than people who don't get enough vitamin C in their diets.
3. Can keep your heart strong
Among other things, breadfruit is rich in antioxidants and good for your heart. Studies have found that it contains phytochemicals that may protect the heart from atherosclerosis, a heart disease characterized by the slow formation of pockets of white blood cells in artery walls, causing them to thicken. Eventually, atherosclerosis leads to myocardial ischemia, which blocks the blood supply to the heart, leading to a heart attack. Breadfruit is considered to hold good promise for pharmaceutical protection against this very common disease.
Another way it’s good for your heart is its ability to fight high cholesterol. In a rat model, methanol extract of breadfruit reduced all serum levels and symptoms associated with high cholesterol. This shows its potential as a cholesterol-lowering food.
Breadfruit is also very high in fiber. A high-fiber diet is strongly associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure, high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors, as well as metabolic syndrome.
Because breadfruit is high in potassium, it may also prevent hypokalemia, a leading cause of congestive heart failure. Deficiencies in potassium and magnesium can complicate and exacerbate heart problems, so anyone at risk for heart disease should be very careful about supplementing their diet with these essential nutrients.
4. Enhance human immunity
Eating the fruit from the breadfruit tree can also help your immune system function properly. For example, since inflammation is the root cause of most diseases, the anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids present in breadfruit are beneficial.
Breadfruit contains a considerable amount of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. Thiamine is part of the muscle tone that maintains the walls of the digestive tract, the primary seat of the immune system. It also aids in the secretion of hydrochloric acid, which helps your body fully digest food and absorb as many nutrients as possible.
Together, these properties make thiamine a valuable nutrient for maintaining a healthy immune system.
5. May help prevent certain cancers
Because breadfruit has some incredible anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it has been studied as a potential cancer-fighting food. A Taiwanese study found that it has great potential in fighting skin cancer in mouse models. Extracts of this fruit applied directly to the skin can reduce the number, size and malignancy of skin tumors. The evidence is preliminary but potentially groundbreaking.
Another type of cancer that the powerful nutrients in breadfruit can fight is pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer works differently than many other types of cancer because it is not as susceptible to "nutrient deprivation" as other cancers. This means that anticancer drugs typically used to starve cancer cells of nutrients are even less effective against pancreatic cancer than usual drugs.
Therefore, when studying possible treatments for pancreatic cancer, scientists must pay attention to substances that can kill these cancer cells and prevent them from absorbing nutrients from nearby blood vessels and cells. A preliminary study investigating the effects of breadfruit tree leaf extract found that the compound was 100% "preferentially cytotoxic" against the human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 under nutrient-deprived conditions.
This means that the extract successfully killed 100% of pancreatic cancer cells in a nutrient-poor environment.
One study examined the effects of breadfruit plant extract on liver cancer cells. The findings are also interesting because the researchers found that the extract did not cause traditional apoptosis (programmed cell death) commonly seen in anti-cancer nutrients and drugs.
In contrast, liver cancer cells died autophagicly when exposed to breadfruit extract. This alternative method of cell death occurs naturally in the body as it processes proteins and breaks down damaged cells, and in some cases is a more effective way to stop cancer.
6. Helps relieve joint pain and muscle pain
Studies indicate that breadfruit is a medicinal food "effective against rheumatism and muscle pain." This is believed to be true due to its phenolic compounds, including flavonoids.
7. Has antibacterial properties
One study determined that breadfruit "has antibacterial and antioxidant properties." It has also been shown to help fight Streptococcus mutans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and other bacteria.
8. Good for diabetics
A study points out: Breadfruit has a low glycemic index (GI) and is known as a traditional diabetes-friendly fruit. In fact, breadfruit flour is considered a healthy option, especially for people with diabetes, and can help provide food security for some people.
Its ability to "reduce diabetes" has also been studied in Oceania and shows potential to achieve this goal.
how to use
Because breadfruit is sensitive to physical disturbance, such as damage from falling, breadfruit is not typically exported from tropical climates for sale in temperate regions. However, it is not impossible to find it in many major metropolitan areas.
For cooking or stewing, ripe but unripe fruits are preferred. Since breadfruit continues to ripen after picking, you can choose to eat it when it's most ripe, which is when it applies thumb pressure. This fruit should never be refrigerated as it may suffer chilling damage at temperatures below 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
Many breadfruit lovers know that it has many uses. You can eat it ripe and it may taste similar to cherimoya. It can also be stewed, fried, roasted, roasted or ground into powder.
Generally speaking, you should peel off the skin and cut the fruit into quarters, discarding the center core, which you can then cut into appropriate sizes to suit whatever dish you are growing. When baked, the taste is closer to freshly baked bread.
You can also safely eat the nuts from the breadfruit plant. They are usually roasted or boiled like nuts or lentils. Lentils.
Breadfruit has incredible potential in many areas, including creating better-tasting gluten-free gluten-free varieties than many currently popular varieties. Interestingly, breadfruit is also an extremely effective insect repellent, according to the USDA. The USDA actually found it to be "significantly more effective" at repelling insects than the main chemical repellent, DEET.
Another fascinating feature of the breadfruit tree is the medicinal properties of its bark and leaves. Leaf extract may be able to effectively treat high blood pressure without the side effects associated with the most dangerous blood pressure medications.
The wood of the breadfruit tree is also rich in antioxidants, especially those that may support skin health. On a cosmetic level, the bark can be used to create safe anti-wrinkle treatments as it prevents typical damage and degradation of the skin.
Furthermore, in preliminary tests, the extract was shown to be effective in preventing melanin from mutating into melanoma cells, suggesting it could be an important component in treating or preventing skin cancer in humans.
Risks, Side Effects and Allergies
Allergic reactions to breadfruit are uncommon but not impossible. Typical allergic reactions include hives and/or inflammation and swelling of the lips, tongue, and mouth. If you experience this reaction after eating breadfruit, stop eating it immediately and see your doctor.
Additionally, you can only eat unripe green stage breadfruit after first cooking it. Eating unripe raw breadfruit may pose a choking hazard.
