Monday 16 September, 2019

Botanical Roots: Why you should eat breadfruit

Breadfruit is a staple in most Caribbean diets. It is enjoyed roasted, boiled and fried in Jamaica with a variety of meals.

The fruit tree was brought to the region by British Captain William Bligh in the late 18th century. It is related to the jackfruit.

Apart from its edible fruit, the breadfruit tree also provides glue, construction materials, medicine, fabric, insect repellant and animal feed among other things.

But let's turn to its nutritional value, which helps one to maintain optimum health.

Breadfruit is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It has high Vitamin C, dietary fibre and potassium. These qualities make the breadfruit a cholesterol controller.

Breadfruit protects the body from heart diseases and heart attacks. The fibre present in breadfruit helps to control diabetes by reducing the absorption of glucose from ingested food.

Consuming breadfruit on a regular basis can also reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. The breadfruit leaf is believed to lower blood pressure and is also believed to reduce asthma. Toasted flowers of the breadfruit tree are also rubbed on the gums as a cure for toothaches.
