JACKFRUIT LEAVES - Artocarpus heterophyllus
While the fruit is becoming widely used in the west for its culinary uses, the leaves really do pack a healthy punch
Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry and breadfruit family – Moraceae. It is native to parts of South and Southeast Asia and is believed to have originated in the southwestern rain forests of the Western Ghats in the Indian subcontinent.
The jackfruit tree is well suited to tropical lowlands, and its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, reaching as much as 35kg (80lb) in weight. The jackfruit tree can produce about 100 to 200 fruits in a year. The jackfruit is a multiple fruit, composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers, and it is the fleshy petals that are eaten. The jackfruit tree is a widely cultivated and popular food item throughout the tropical regions of the world and it is the national fruit of Bangladesh. In Indonesia, jackfruit is called nangka.
The ripe fruit is usually sold separately and consumed on its own, or (in Indonesia), it is sliced and mixed with shaved ice as a sweet concoction dessert such as 'es campur' or 'es teler'. The ripe fruit might be dried and fried as kripik nangka, or jackfruit cracker. The seeds are boiled and consumed with salt, as it contains edible starchy content which is called beton. Young (unripe) jackfruit is used in several kinds of curry, such as gulai nangka and gudeg and it's become a popular and delicious vegetarian swap in for meats such as pulled pork. I often use young jackfruit instead of 'mince' in nachos.
Health benefits of the leaves:
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Lactation: facilitates breast feeding
• Anti-oxidant
• High in: calcium, phosphorus, iron
• Strengthens teeth and bones
• Aids digestion
• Leg wounds and ulcers
• Respiratory: tonic, cough
• Hypertension
• Immunity: anti-infection