Benefits and concerns of Jackfruit Seeds

Jackfruit Seeds: A fruit found in many parts of Asia is nutrition, benefits, concerns, and uses jackfruit. Because of its delicious, sweet taste and various health benefits, it has gained popularity.

The flesh is not, however, the only part of the fruit you can eat — a single jackfruit can contain 100–500 edible and nutritious seeds (1). The seeds are typically discarded in spite of their beneficial nutrients.

This article describes all you need to know about seeds from jackfruit, including their health benefits, potential concerns, and how to add them to your diet.

Jackfruit seeds are nutritious Compared to other tropical fruit seeds, jackfruit seeds pack a lot of important nutrients.

They contain high levels of starch, protein, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants (1, 2Trusted Source, 3).

Calories: 53

Carbs: 11 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Fat: 0 grams

Fiber: 0.5 grams

Riboflavin: 8% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)

Thiamine: 7% of RDI

Magnesium: 5% of RDI

Phosphorus: 4% of RDI.

These seeds also contain high concentrations of two B vitamins — thiamine and riboflavin.

Both help give energy to your body and perform other important functions (4, 5).

In addition, jackfruit seeds offer fiber and resistant starch, both passing undigested through your body and acting as food for your beneficial gut bacteria (6Trusted Source).

Fiber and resistant starch has been associated with many powerful health benefits, including hunger control, lower blood sugar levels, and increased digestion and insulin sensitivity (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).

Jackfruit seeds are an excellent source of important nutrients, including starch, protein, thiamine, riboflavin, and antioxidants.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jackfruit seeds have been used as an aphrodisiac and treatment for digestive problems, among other applications.

Modern research has found that other useful properties may have been found.

Could have antimicrobial effects Sometimes jackfruit seeds were used to relieve diarrhea in traditional medicine.

Studies have actually shown that seeds from jackfruit may have antibacterial effects (2Trusted Source).

One study found that small particles acting as antibacterial agents cover the surface of jackfruit seeds. These particles were tested against common bacteria, like E. Coli concluded that jackfruit seeds could be transformed into therapeutic agents for the prevention of foodborne disease (10).

However, to investigate the effectiveness of jackfruit seeds for these uses, more studies are needed. Some studies suggest that seeds of jackfruit may have multiple anticancer properties. It is believed that this is due to their impressive plant compound and antioxidant levels.

They are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, saponins, and phenolics in particular (11). Studies have shown that these plant compounds can help combat inflammation, improve your immune system, and even repair damage to DNA (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

A recent test-tube a study found that seed extract from jackfruit reduced blood vessel cancer formation by 61% (14). Research, however, is limited to studies of test-tube and animals.

To investigate whether jackfruit seeds have anticancer effects in humans, more research is needed. Jackfruit seeds, like other seeds, contain both soluble and insoluble fibre.

Fibre goes undigested through your digestive tract and helps to normalize bowel movements by adding bulk to your stools, making them softer and more frequently. Moreover, fibre is considered a prebiotic, which means it helps feed your gut's beneficial bacteria (2Trusted Source, 3, 15). These beneficial intestinal bacteria support healthy digestion and immune function (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).

Many studies have found that increased intake of fibre can help relieve constipation (18Trusted Source). In addition, fibre can help protect against inflammatory intestinal disease and relieve haemorrhoid symptoms (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source). Research also suggests that seeds from jackfruit may improve your cholesterol levels. This effect is most likely due to its high content of fibres and antioxidants (22). High blood pressure, diabetes and increased risk of heart disease (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source) are associated with high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. In contrast, it has been found that higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol have heart-protective effects (25Trusted Source). A rat study found those eating more jackfruit seeds had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increased HDL (good) cholesterol compared to rats eating fewer jackfruit seeds (26).

Research in this area is limited to animal studies, thus requiring further human studies. Some health benefits are associated with SUMMARY Jackfruit seeds. Research supporting these claims, however, is weak and limited to test tube and animal studies for the most part. More research is needed in humans.

Possible health concerns Although seeds from jackfruit are associated with various health benefits, some potential concerns exist. May increase bleeding if taken with certain medicines Individuals taking medicines that increase the risk of bleeding should be careful to consume jackfruit seeds. A jackfruit seed extract has shown in one study the ability to slow blood clotting and even prevent the formation of clots in humans (27). Therefore, when taken with these drugs, jackfruit seeds can further increase the risk of bleeding. If you take medicines that may increase the risk of bleeding, you should avoid using seeds from jackfruit (3). The following drugs are known to increase the risk of bleeding: aspirin blood thinners (anticoagulants) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen or naproxen) contain antinutrients Raw jackfruit seeds contain powerful antinutrients called tannins and trypsin inhibitors. These may interfere with the absorption and digestion of nutrients (1, 3). Tannins are a type of polyphenol commonly found in many foods from plants. They can bind to minerals like zinc and iron and form an insoluble mass which reduces your ability to absorb these minerals (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source, 30). Trypsin inhibitors are a type of protein found in different foods, including soybeans, papaya seeds, and seeds from jackfruit. Like tannins, they interfere with protein digestion, making digestion of food difficult (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).

For these reasons, raw seeds from jackfruit should never be eaten:

♦ The good news is that these antinutrients are inactivated by heat. Cooking jackfruit seeds will, therefore, reduce their anti-nutritional effects by roasting or boiling them .

Studies have found that tannins and trypsin inhibitors may inhibit protein, zinc, and iron absorption in jackfruit seeds. When taken with certain drugs, jackfruit seeds may also increase bleeding. Jackfruit seeds can be easily added to your diet similarly to other seeds. Here are a few easy ways to add to your diet: with them, top salads.

♦ Make homemade hummus jackfruit seed

♦ Grind into flour for baking or cooking purposes

♦ Add to smoothies.

♦ Make butter from homemade jackfruit seed.

♦ Eat them as a snack on their own. Because of their antinutrient content,

Jackfruit seeds should not be eaten raw. Boiling or roasting is one of the most popular methods of preparation. Jackfruit seeds can be boiled for 20–30 minutes in a large pot of water. Drain the pot and let it cool and dry once the seeds are tender. Jackfruit seeds can also be roasted by preheating the oven to 400°F (205°C) and placing it on a pan flat. Bake the seeds until brown and toasted for 20 minutes. To add extra flavor and a crunchy texture to the dishes, you can use jackfruit seeds. They can be consumed in many different ways because of their large size.

♦ You can eat seeds from jackfruit in many ways. Always cook them before eating them, though.

The Jackfruit seeds of the bottom line are edible as well as highly nutritious. They were associated with a number of health benefits, including increased levels of digestion and cholesterol. That said, if eaten raw, they can hinder the absorption of nutrients and increase the risk of bleeding in people taking certain medicines. The next time you eat jackfruit, enjoy the seeds along with the delicious, sweet fruit to take full advantage of everything it has to offer.