Jackfruit : real breadfruit tree

Oranges became common in our country in the late 1800s. Grapefruit and mango were familiar a few decades later. But many other fruits are still rare. One is jackfruit, and it's worth learning about.

Jackfruit has other names, like Indian breadfruit. It is related to breadfruit. Botanists call it Artocarpus heterophyllus. It belongs to the Artocarpus genus and the mulberry family. It is typically a tree in the wild.

Jackfruit likely originated in India and Bangladesh. It was first grown in the Eastern Ghats region. Today, it's culturally important and grows in the wild. The species is quite widespread.

People value jackfruit for its fruits and wood. Both ripe and unripe fruits are used in cooking. Unripe jackfruit works well as a vegetable. The pulp can be fried or stewed. Be aware that it can cause allergic reactions.

The Indonesian dish gudeg uses jackfruit pulp. It has 40% carbohydrates, making it very nutritious. It is even more nutritious than bread. The seeds are also full of nutrients. Fermented and roasted seeds can replace cocoa powder as a flavoring.

Chefs value the pulp, seeds, flowers, and leaves. Flowers are added to sauces after being scalded. Seeds are fried without oil, giving them a chestnut taste. Crushed seeds can be added to curry. Grated leaves can be added to snacks and salads. Jackfruit pulp is a meat substitute in vegetarian restaurants. Sometimes, the juice is made into candy.


Termites and fungi don't attack jackfruit wood. It's used for construction and furniture. In the past, Vietnamese people used it for sculptures. As furniture material, it's better than teak. It's also used to make:

Doors
Windows
Roofing
Barrel lids

---