It is tasty because the sight of gelatinous goo when sliced in half, isn’t particularly appetizing. It wouldn’t be that far-fetched to believe that giving it the name passion fruit was a deliberate attempt to make the fruit more appealing to eat, but this isn’t the case. The origins of its name take a completely different path.
Passion fruit is a nutritious tropical fruit that is becoming increasingly common, especially among health-conscious individuals.
Despite its small scale, it is high in antioxidants, vitamins, and plant compounds, all of which can benefit your well-being.
All you need to talk about passion fruit is right here.
What exactly is passion fruit?
The fruit of the Passiflora plant, a kind of passionflower, is known as passion fruit. It has a rugged rind on the outside and a juicy, seed-filled middle.
There are many styles, each with its own size and color. The most popular varieties are purple and pink, like Passiflora edulis. These are small circular or oval-shaped purple-skinned fruits.
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Flavicarpa Passiflora This variety is round or oval in shape, with yellow skin, and is typically somewhat larger than the purple variety.
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Despite their tropical origins, certain varieties will thrive in subtropical climates.
As a result, they are cultivated worldwide, with crops in Asia, Europe, Australia, and South and North America.
How to Choose a Passion Fruit
Heaviness is essential when selecting passion fruit, as it is with other fruits such as watermelon. When the fruit is thick, that ensures it has a lot of moisture. When the fruit is ripe, the skin would be wrinkly, whether it’s the more traditional purple passion fruit or the yellow/green variety. If you buy one with smooth skin, make sure it has some give as you pinch it. If it does, leave it out on the counter for three to five days to ripen.
How to eat a Passion Fruit
It is really easy to cut passion fruit. Simply cut it in half to expose the juicy insides. Since cutting, the pulp and edible seeds can be scooped out with a spoon. They can be consumed on their own or in several recipes. Since the fruit is tart, it is sometimes mixed with other ingredients.
Passion fruit is very nutritious.
Passion fruit is high in nutrients, especially fiber, vitamin C, and provitamin A.
Single purple passion fruit contains the following nutrients: (1Reliable Source):
- 17 calories
- 2-gram fiber
- 9 percent of the Daily Value for Vitamin C (DV)
- Vitamin A: 8% of the daily value
- Iron: 2% of the daily value
- Potassium: 2% of the daily value
While this does not seem to be many, bear in mind that these are the values for a single, small fruit with just 17 calories. It’s a decent source of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A calorie for calories.
Also Read, 6 Benefits Of Including Fruits To Your Daily Diet
The health advantages of passion fruit
Passion fruit can provide a variety of health benefits due to its high nutrient profile.
Antioxidant-dense
Antioxidants shield the body from free radicals, which are reactive compounds that can damage your cells in vast quantities.
Passion fruit is high in antioxidants. It is particularly high in vitamin C, beta carotene, and polyphenols.
Polyphenols are plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, they can lower the risk of chronic inflammation and conditions such as heart disease.
Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that you must obtain from your diet. It benefits the immune system and promotes healthier aging.
Beta carotene is also a strong antioxidant. It is converted by your body into vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining good vision.
Plant-based beta carotene-rich diets have been attributed to a reduced risk of some cancers, including prostate, liver, stomach, and breast cancer.
When used as a substitute, passion fruit seeds are high in piceatannol, a polyphenol that can increase insulin sensitivity in overweight men, possibly lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Contains a lot of fiber.
A single serving of passion fruit contains around 2 grams of fiber, which is quite a lot for such a small fruit.
Fiber is vital for gut health and avoiding constipation, but most people don’t get enough of it.
Soluble fiber slows digestion and can help prevent blood sugar spikes.
Fiber-rich diets are also linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Passion Fruit Recipes
Passion fruit has a wide range of applications. It can be rendered sweet or savory, as an ingredient in a cake or a main dish, or as a juice that can be used in various ways. Here are a few recipes that feature passion fruit as an ingredient:
- Passion Fruit Popsicle: This recipe preserves the seeds and pulp together and adds ginger to make an adult-friendly popsicle.
- Smoothie of Mango and Passion Fruit: Passion fruit is often used in smoothies, either with or without seeds. This preparation strains the seeds and mixes them with the complimentary taste of mango.
- Avocado and Mango Salad with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette: Passion fruit is used as a sauce to bring all the spices together on top of a green salad with avocado and mango slices.
- Passion Fruit Hot Sauce: Passion fruit juice, hot peppers, oil, and lime blend to make a creamy sauce used as a dip for fried plantain chips or chicken empanadas.
- Passion Fruit Sangria: To make a boozy sangria, combine passion fruit juice with wine and fresh fruit.
Passion fruit’s potential drawbacks
Most people are perfectly healthy to consume passion fruit, but allergies do exist in a limited number of people.
Many that have a latex allergy tend to be the most vulnerable to a passion fruit allergy.
This is since some of the plant proteins in the fruit have a composition identical to latex proteins, which can induce allergic reactions in some individuals.
The skin of purple passion fruit can also contain chemicals known as cyanogenic glycosides. These can interact with enzymes to form the poison cyanide, which is potentially lethal in large quantities.
The fruit’s stiff outer shell, on the other hand, is rarely consumed and is widely regarded as inedible.
