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BREADFRUIT
Breadfruit is unlike any other fruit you’ve eaten before.
That’s because breadfruit does not have the look, feel or
consistency of a typical fruit, but like its name suggests,
looks much like bread. When the breadfruit is ripe it is
relatively soft and the inside has a yellow, cream coloured
flesh that resembles bread. The flesh of the breadfruit is
somewhat sweet and has a nice fragrant smell.
Health Benefits of Breadfruit
Not only is breadfruit a rich source of energy, breadfruit
also contains significantly high amounts of fiber. According
to the American Heart Association fiber decreases bad
cholesterol and triglycerides which increases heart attack
risks. An increased intake of fiber lowers LDL (bad)
cholesterol levels in the body, while elevating HDL (good)
cholesterol levels in the body. Breadfruit protects the body
against heart disease and heart attacks.
Additionally, the fiber found in breadfruit can help those
with diabetes to control the disease. Research shows that
fiber can control diabetes by reducing the absorption of
glucose from the food we eat.
Another health benefit of breadfruit is that breadfruit helps
to make our intestines and bowels work properly. Fiber
regulates bowel movements and cleans out the buildup of
junk from our intestines; eating breadfruit on a regular basis
can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.
Breadfruit benefits the body as it contains favourable
amounts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. These
essential fatty acids help the body and mind to develop
normally. Fatty acids also stimulate skin and hair growth,
regulate our metabolism, promote reproduction and
stimulate bone health.
In addition to these health benefits breadfruit also contains
Vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron and phosphorus.
Further research is being done to uncover even more
health benefits of breadfruit. But in the meantime, you can
start eating more breadfruit and take advantage of the
many health benefits we know it has now.
