Passion fruit is also known as passion fruit is the fruit of a legume tree; a beautiful flowering vine native to South and Central America, the West Indies, and Australia.
There are more than 550 different species of passion fruit harvested around the world. The most common is the purple or light yellow passion fruit.
When buying passion fruit, choose ones with slightly wrinkled skin – that’s a sign that the fruit is ripe.
1. Nutritional value of passion fruit
Passion fruit is a nutritious food.
Passion fruit provides excellent fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins C and A.
Calories: 17 Carbohydrates: 4.2g Fiber: 2g Protein: 0.4g Vitamin C: 6% daily value (DV) Vitamin A: 5% DV Iron: 2% DV Copper: 2% DV Potassium: 1% DV Magnesium: 1% DV
A study from Reunion University (France) showed that passion fruit is also a rich source of polyphenol antioxidants, more than bananas, mangoes, litchi and pineapples,…
2. Eight health benefits of passion fruit
Due to their high phytochemical fiber content, passion fruit has a wide range of health benefits, from preventing a number of common ailments to promoting optimal health. Let’s take a look at some of the best attributes of this tropical fruit and how the plant compounds present in passion fruit affect health.
2.1 Passion fruit contains a lot of vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that your body can’t produce and store on its own – so you need to get plenty of it through your diet. Vitamin C is needed for various functions of the body, including the growth and repair of tissues and bones. Vitamin C also enhances iron absorption. This is important, as your body often doesn’t absorb iron from plants well.
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin needed by the body.
2.2 Passion fruit is rich in vitamin A
Passion fruit contains an impressive amount of vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain a healthy immune system. Vitamin A is needed for vision, skin, bones and cell regeneration. Vitamin A is stored in your body, mainly in the liver. Passion fruit also contains beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in our bodies when needed.
2.3 Passion fruit contains a lot of fiber
Fiber is important for a healthy gut. One passion fruit provides 2g of fiber, most of which is soluble fiber, which converts to a gel-like substance during digestion. This slows down digestion, preventing blood sugar spikes. Soluble fiber also reduces the amount of fat your body absorbs. Diets high in fiber aid digestion and reduce the risk of metabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.
2.4 Passion fruit is a rich source of antioxidants
Passion fruit contains many antioxidants. Antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, which are unstable and potentially harmful molecules. When free radicals build up, they cause a state known as oxidative stress, which can damage fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins in your body. Free radicals contribute to the aging process and have been linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
The most prominent antioxidants in passion fruit are:
Vitamin C: Also known as ascorbic acid, consuming more vitamin C can increase your blood antioxidant levels by 39.5%. Beta-carotene: As a provitamin A, it can be converted to retinol in the liver. Polyphenols: These are anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Passion fruit seeds are rich in piceatannol, which has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in overweight men.
Passion fruit contains many plant compounds that act as antioxidants.
2.5 Passion fruit is rich in potassium
Potassium is an essential mineral that your body cannot make on its own, and must be obtained through dietary sources. Potassium is needed for nerve and muscle functions as well as your blood pressure. As an electrolyte – an electrically charged mineral – potassium conducts electrical impulses that control vital body functions, such as the muscles that control heart rate and breathing.
2.6 Passion fruit contains a lot of magnesium
Every cell in your body needs magnesium to function. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 important chemical reactions, from turning food into energy to repairing DNA, and magnesium deficiency has been linked to a number of chronic diseases. With just 100g of passion fruit you will absorb 7% of your daily magnesium requirement.
2.7 Passion fruit has a low glycemic index
Passion fruit has a low glycemic index value, which means that its carbohydrates are absorbed slowly, preventing blood sugar spikes.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a certain food raises blood sugar. Foods are classified as low, medium or high glycemic index foods and are rated on a scale of 0 to 100. Passion fruit has a value of 30, which is in the ‘low’ range, which means carbohydrates. Its absorbed slowly.
As a result, your blood sugar rises slowly, rather than spike. Over time, sudden and high blood sugar levels can damage organs, nerves and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
2.8 Passion fruit against inflammation
In a study by McMaster University (Canada), people with knee osteoarthritis who took purple passion fruit peel extract had less pain and stiffness as well as better physical function than the control group. This issue needs more research, but it’s certainly promising.
3. Side effects of passion fruit need to be careful
Although passion fruit is generally safe to eat, it can cause allergic reactions in some people. People with latex allergies are most at risk for a reaction to passion fruit, because some plant proteins are structurally similar to latex proteins.
Do not eat the pulp of passion fruit to avoid poisoning.
In addition, passion fruit contains small amounts of a toxin called cyanogenic glycosides. It is most concentrated in some types of passion fruit rind, as well as unripe passion fruit pulp. Cyanogenic glycosides can cause cyanide poisoning in large amounts, so avoid eating a lot of unripe fruit and don’t eat the peel unless it’s extracted and processed as a dietary supplement.
Eating passion fruit and things you need to be very careful about
Although very good for health, if eaten in excess, improperly used, passion fruit can be a danger to your health.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Soha.vn – Read the original article here
