I just received my breadfruit from a friend’s farm. It is called Artocarpusaltilis in South India, Neer Phanas in Goa and Rottepandu in Andhra Pradesh, and is local to a few of us who savour it. The nutritional value
of breadfruit can hardly be overstated as it is a good source of antioxidants, calcium, carotenoids, copper, dietary fibre, energy, iron, magnesium, niacin, Omega 3, Omega 6, phosphorus, potassium, protein, thiamine,Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The amount of Vitamin C in this fruit is almost equivalent or even more to our daily dietary recommendation.
Individuals who eat diets rich in food containing Vitamin C have a reduced risk of heart issues, other diseases and cancer as Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants that keeps the body away from oxidative stress, keeping it healthy and fit. Breadfruit contains an array of essential amino acids and is especially rich in phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine and valine. These amino acids create the structure of your body’s cells, work to transport nutrients and support the functioning of all our major bodily systems, and that’s why they are referred to as building blocks.
This suggests that breadfruit also helps to maintain the functioning of the body system. Breadfruit also helps in boosting the immune system, the presence of anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids in breadfruit is especially important to reduce our risk of disease by reducing inflammation in the body, as we know inflammation is the root cause of all disease. So, if that’s taken care of, the immune system starts functioning well.Let’s savour this fruit when it’s in season and gather most of its health benefits!
(The writer is a clinical nutritionist with a focus on healthy lifestyle choices)