Superfood jackfruit in demand

The latest superfood has arrived with a green, spiky skin and a strong, sweet scent.

Jackfruit has been a part of South Asian diets for centuries, where it grows in such quantities that tonnes of it is typically left to rot each year.

But this neglected fruit is growing in popularity, with India, the main global producer, promoting it as an alternative to meat, an approach which is bearing fruit.

Prized by chefs for its versatility, the unripe fruit works well fried, minced or sauteed and goes well in curries. And when ripe, cakes, crisps, juices and ice cream can all be made with the fruit. In the West, it’s used for burgers and tacos.

No longer found only on the plates of vegans and vegetarians, now even meat-eaters are tucking into jackfruit dishes. And its full health benefits are still unknown.

James Josep founded Jackfruit 365, which produces jackfruit flour.

Josep: "Jackfruit is one of the most under-researched superfoods in the world. Nobody has paid attention to jackfruit."

"So for example, 30 grams of jackfruit flour has one gram of pectin. That is the equivalent of three apples. An apple a day keeps the doctor away because of pectin.” View Less