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Did you know that fig and breadfruit belong to the same plant family- Moraceae? Some other tropical fruits also belong to this family, and one of them is jackfruit. The jackfruit is the biggest fruit reaching a possible weight of 120 pounds, a length of 90cm, and a diameter of 50cm. It is harvested from the highly prolific jack tree, a tropical tree that belongs to the Asian continent and is usually found between the rainforest of Malaysia and the Western ghats of India.
The widely considered super fruit is the national fruit of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and a state fruit in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu states of India (1). A single jackfruit contains hundreds to thousands of flowers that are very nutritious with a unique sweet taste. This fruit may be used to make a vast assortment of dishes, including chips and noodles.
The benefits of eating jackfruit (usually when it is unripe) and adding it to your dishes, including desserts, are enormous. This fruit tastes like a combination of many others, such as apple, mango, pineapple, and banana. And is loaded with various nutrients that may help improve your skin, hair, and facial appearance – make you more beautiful (2).
Practices that do not protect your health and beauty
Some popular practices are unhealthy for your skin, hair, and face. Avoiding such practices may be a giant step towards protecting and improving your beauty and glow.
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These practices you should avoid to keep your face and other parts of your skin healthy include:
1. Dehydration:
60% of the adult human body is made up of water. So to keep the skin and body in its entirety healthy, you need to always stay hydrated. However, dehydration may make your skin itchy, dull, and unevenly pigmented. To avoid these, take enough water (3).
2. Excessive Consumption of Alcohol:
Too much consumption of alcohol slows down the renewal of the body cells. This action may cause the face and skin to appear dull and unattractive. To protect your face, skin, and every other organ, modest consumption of alcohol is advised.
3. Exposure to Sunlight:
Vitamin D and many other nutrients which are obtained from the sun are essential to the body. However, exposure to sun rays may lead to sunburn and wrinkles, which are not healthy for your skin.
4. Constant Exfoliation:
Exfoliating the skin to get rid of dead cells is a very rewarding practice. This, however, should not encourage excessive exfoliation because it may get your skin irritated.
5. Excessive Washing of the Face:
Too much scrubbing of the face may lead to irritation. It may also affect the body’s production of natural oils, which your skin needs to stay healthy (4).
6. Using Hot Water on skin:
As much as a long steaming shower may be very soothing and relaxing, it is not recommended as healthy for your skin. Hot water dries the skin and may rid the body of natural protein and oil (5).
7. Poor Hair Practices:
The following practices should be avoided to keep your hair healthy
- Brushing and styling wet hair
- Dyeing your hair instead of consulting an experienced hairstylist
- Washing it too often
- Use of the wrong hair products
- Using a particular hair-care product for way too long
- Overexposing the hair to ultraviolet rays, amongst others (6).
These practices should be avoided to keep your hair healthy.
Beauty has numerous benefits, and you may opt to go out of your way to enhance this beauty. A rewarding and sustainable way of enhancing your beauty is the use of natural products. And amongst the natural food groups, fruits have the most significant beauty benefits. One of such amazing fruits with a potential great boon to your beauty is the jackfruit.
Health and Beauty Benefits of Jackfruit
This nutritious fruit is dense in calories, fiber, carbs, Vitamins A and C, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, and proteins. This protein content accounts for its primary uniqueness. A cup of sliced Jackfruit flowers contains over 3 grams of protein, which is tremendous, compared to other fruits such as mango and apple (7).
Proteins are essential for the skin, hair, and nails as it supplies the body with keratin-producing amino acids. In addition to this, Jackfruit is rich in antioxidants responsible for a major part of its beauty benefits. The beauty benefits of Jackfruit include its impact:
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1. On the skin:
Jackfruit is rich in antioxidants that may liberate the body from free radicals. These free radicals are very unfriendly to every part of the body, including the skin. Sufficient antioxidants in your system (which may be gotten by eating this fruit) combine to neutralize these free radicals. This action may prevent damage to cells and tissues. Furthermore, research at the University of agricultural sciences, Bangalore supports that jackfruit contains flavonoids that fight free radicals responsible for aging (8). These antioxidant properties of Jackfruit make it useful in:
- Reducing inflammation and acne
- Preventing sunburn
- Promoting skin glow.
2. For the Hair:
Jackfruit has great antioxidant benefits, which the hair, just like the skin, requires. It also contains a substantial amount of probiotics that facilitate blood circulation around the body, including the scalp and Vitamin A needed to rid your hair of dryness and brittleness (9).
3. General Protection
The powerful antioxidants protect the body from oxidative stress. Vitamins A and C, which it contains in abundance, boost the immune system and help prevent sickness. Its fiber and potassium content has also proven to be beneficial for heart health.
Ways to use Jackfruit
Consumption:
This is the conventional use of Jackfruit. As a plant product with a unique taste and meat-like flesh, jackfruit may be eaten raw or used when it is ripe to prepare delicacies and dessert. The seed may be used to add flavor and a crunchy finish to your food after it’s been boiled in water for 20-30 minutes. Additionally, it is present as an ingredient in some chips and noodles (10).
As a Skin/Haircare product:
Jackfruit may be used topically as a remedy for oily skin, skin pigmentation/blemishes, tans, and wrinkles. You may also use the jackfruit to produce a beauty mask for the skin or hair. Here is the guideline –
- Dip the jackfruit seed in milk for 10-15 minutes
- Then sieve it out and grind to a thick paste
- With these few steps, your highly effective face and hair mask
- To use this mask, gently massage your face or hair for 2-3 minutes with a generous portion
- Leave it for 30 minutes
- Rinse it with soap and tepid water to reveal beautifully nourished skin and hair.
Possible Side effects of using Jackfruit
There is no recorded side effect from eating or cosmetically using jackfruit. However, people who are allergic to birch pollen (they may have asthmatic symptoms and allergic rhinitis when they eat it) are advised not to eat Jackfruit as they may be allergic to it too. Jackfruit also has a high sugar content level that may make it unhealthy for diabetic patients. However, they may be permitted to eat it under the supervision of a health expert.
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Summary
Jackfruit with its abundant antioxidant makeup has amazing beauty benefits which may be evident on your skin, hair, and face, irrespective of the way you choose to use it. Unlike many other minerals and nutrient-dense fruits, this tropical fruit which is grown in the land area between India and Malaysia is very tasty. You may eat it raw or cooked and can also use it to produce hair & skincare masks. All of these would invariably contribute to the cleansing of free radicals from your body, and get you looking as beautiful as you are.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is jackfruit a superfood?
Especially in India, where it is most cultivated, jackfruit is regarded as a superfood because of its many health benefits and meat-like texture.
Is Jackfruit healthy for diabetic patients?
It contains natural sugar that may increase your blood sugar level. However, it also contains many nutrients and benefits, which are not commensurate to this disadvantage. Hence diabetic patients are allowed to eat it with the advice and guidance of a health worker.
What can you not eat with Jackfruit?
While using Jackfruit seed to prepare masks, it is first soaked in milk for some minutes, but for direct consumption, it shouldn’t be eaten with milk products as it may cause indigestion and skin diseases.
Does Jackfruit make you sleepy?
Research is yet to confirm this, but drowsiness and sleepiness are usually associated with the consumption of Jackfruit.
Is the Jackfruit seed poisonous?
The seed may be roasted or boiled before consumption. However, if not properly cooked, this sweet source of carbohydrate may be poisonous to the body, so it must be properly prepared.
Can you eat Jackfruit on an empty stomach?
Some fruits like pineapple are advised not to be eaten with an empty stomach. On the other hand, jackfruit is difficult to digest and shouldn’t be eaten on an empty stomach for maximum benefits.
Is Jackfruit anti-inflammatory?
Studies have identified phenolic compounds and phytochemicals, which are pathogen-fighting chemicals in Jackfruit. It is thus proven that Jackfruit has anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Is dried Jackfruit healthy for consumption?
This is the most healthy form for diabetic patients. Dry jackfruit is low in sugar and high in fibers. In this state, it is healthy to be consumed by anyone.
Can you microwave Jackfruit?
Yes, you can microwave Jackfruit. To do this, heat it on a stovetop in a saucepan for 4-6 minutes or 2-3 minutes in a microwave dish.
References –
- “Jackfruit” – wikipedia.org
- “Why Is Jackfruit Good for You? Nutrition, Benefits and How To Eat It” – healthline.com
- “Is My Skin Dehydrated?” – healthline.com
- “Things you should never do to your skin” – notorious-mag.com
- “Is a Hot Shower Bad for Your Skin?” – upmc.com
- “The 16 Worst Things You Can Do to Your Hair” – brightside.me
- “Know Your Food Groups” – nia.nih.gov
- “Jackfruit Contains Anti-ageing Flavonoids, Rich in Nutrients” – itfnet.org
- “What are the health benefits of jackfruit?” – medicalnewstoday.com
- “Jackfruit Seeds: Nutrition, Benefits, Concerns, and Uses” – healthline.com
