Don’t be fooled by the creepy vine tree of passion fruit because behind that mysterious appearance this fruit has so many beneficial qualities for your health. With more than 500 varieties which are spread around the world, passion fruit is very popular fruit, though mostly passion fruit is easily found in almost all tropical and sub-tropical countries. In Africa and some countries, passion fruit is also well known with its other name, purple granadilla, but surely it won’t applicable for passion fruit with yellow peel variety. Besides the appearance, the differences of yellow or golden passion fruit and dark purple passion fruit is lying on its flavor, golden passion fruit is tasted more acidic compared to dark purple passion fruit which is much richer in aroma.
Passion fruit is not only delicious as juice but also could be turned into several dishes and desserts. Furthermore, passion fruit is also rich of certain nutrients which makes this fruit is highly recommended to consume regularly. Below is some nutrients contained in passion fruit and then followed by the list of health benefits of passion fruit:
Nutritional Breakdown of Passion Fruit
Speaking of the nutritional of passion fruit the first on the list is some points of powerful antioxidants which are good to maintain human health.
Antioxidant lists contained in passion fruit:
- Beta Carotene
- Nicotonic Acid
- Riboflavin
- Carotenoid
- Cyrptoxanthin Beta
| Value per Serving: 100 gram | ||
| Energy | 97 Kcal | |
| Carbohydrate | 22 grams | |
| Sugar | 11 grams | |
| Dietary Fiber | 10 grams | |
| Fats | 1 gram | |
| Protein | 2 grams | |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 64 µg | |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.13 mg | |
| Vitamin B3 | 2 mg | |
| Folate | 14 µg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | |
| Vitamin C | 30 mg | |
| Choline | 7.6 mg | |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 12 mg | |
| Iron | 2 mg | |
| Magnesium | 29 mg | |
| Potassium | 348 mg | |
| Phosphorous | 68 mg | |
| Zinc | 0.1 mg | |
| Sodium | 28 mg |
As Natural Antioxidant
First passion fruits benefits came from its antioxidant, here are the health effects antioxidant for human health.
- Prevent the Development of Cancerous Cells
Vitamin A and Vitamin C contained in passion fruit is relatively high. Those two vitamins are well known as strong antioxidants. Free radical or damaged cells could be caused by certain factor like pollution, chemical direct exposure, unhealthy lifestyle/diet, even the direct exposure of UV rays could cause some damaged to healthy cells. Those damaged cells are the reasons behind the rapid growth of cancerous cells.
Antioxidant is excellent anti-cancer compound which is not only able to clean the free radicals up regularly before they affect the healthy cells but in some cases, this powerful content is also able to repair the damaged cells and assist the regeneration of new cells. That’s why passion fruit as fruit which is rich of antioxidant is recommended to fight cancer.
- Good for Eye health and Vision
It is a common knowledge that any fruits or vegetables which are rich of vitamin A will be good for eye health and vision. Furthermore, flavonoid, one of the active antioxidant is also found in adequate amount in passion fruit. Flavonoid is widely known as powerful substances which are beneficial for eye health; it provides additional protection to the cornea and assists in taking care free radicals that could cause some harmful effect to healthy cells. Besides that as high and vitamin C and beta-carotene also more reasons why passion fruit is good for eye health.
- Asthma Relieve
Passion fruit is not only powerful source of antioxidant but along with its function as ant allergic and anti inflammatory, passion fruit is already proven to be effective in brining relief to asthma patient.
Asthma is not kind of disease that could be treated completely, the best thing to deal with it avoid the trigger or prevent any condition that could trig the asthma.
One of the common trigger of asthma is allergic. Furthermore, the flavonid contained in passion fruit is naturally controlling the symptom of asthma. Besides that, flavonoid is also having a soothing effect to the respiratory system.
- Beneficial for Skin’s Health and Beauty
As rich in anti oxidant of course passion fruit is also recommended fruit to help you maintining the healthy skin. One of the reasons why skin looks dull and unglowing is due to dead cells that are covering the skin surface while the skin cells regeneration is in slow pace.
Antioxidant could assist in boosting the regeneration of new skin cells which will make your skin glowing. Besides that flavonoid is also good for the production of collagen which has function to make the look of your skin tighter, so you could say good bye for good to wrinkle and dark spots. Drinking passion fruit juice regularly is a delicious way to protect your skin from free radicals and make your look always young and fresh.
- Assist in Cells Regeneration
Passion fruit is an excellent source of antioxidant that could fight free radicals effectively. Consuming it regularly will provide enough substances in the body to make sure free radicals would not affect the healthy cells. Moreover, antixodant contained in passion fruit also effective in making sure the cell regeneration process will not interferenced.
As Rich in Potassium
- Regulate Blood Pressure
The fact that passion fruit contained no sodium but rich in potassium means healthy fruit for those with blood pressure problem, because potassium is good for blood regulation. Sodium is the main reason why blood pressure level becomes hard to control.
Furthermore, the potassium contained in passion fruit has function as anti sodium which could assist in resolves the excess sodium in your body. Besides that, though calcium is prominent and essential substance for human body but the excess content of calcium could cause some blockage in the arteries, in this matter, potassium also has important role in releasing the excess calcium content that might be harmful.
- Good for Your Heart
Healthy regulation of blood and healthy artery means easier job for your heart. As high in potassium, passion fruit is fruit which is good for your heart. It assists in reliving the heart muscle to function properly.
- Maintain the Healthy Hair
Potassium is working together with copper and combined with some vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B2 and vitamin B6 will provide powerful solution for healthy hair. They will assist the distribution of oxygen to support the circulation system in your scalp. Healthy scalp means healthy follicles, healthy follicles means healthier and stronger hair. What you need to do for healthy hair is just consuming passion fruit regularly.
As Rich in Iron
- Prevent and Cure Anemia
Iron is one of the important and essential substances to the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells themselves have important roles in human body system like contributing in regeneration of cells, maintaining bones and energy source which without which, common symptoms like dizziness, tiredness and blackouts which easily suffered by person with iron deficiency.
This condition is well known as anemia but acute anemia could lead you to a certain serious healthy condition. Passion fruit is rich of iron that could assist in providing enough iron for your body that could prevent or even cure anemia.
- Contributing in Strong Bone Health
As mentioned above passion fruit is rich of iron which is essential for the bone health. Iron along with other minerals contained like magnesium, copper, and phosphorous are prominent substances for strong bone and healthy mineral bone density.
Passion fruit is also recommended fruit to fight osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition when the damaged bone cells are faster than the regeneration of new cells. Well, those minerals are also functioning to speed up the repairmen of damaged bone cells.
As Rich in Fiber
- Natural Colon Detoxification
There are two types of fiber, insoluble and soluble fiber, and passion fruit is so rich of soluble fiber. The main characteristic of soluble fiber is its form which is gel like if mixed with water has function to bind harmful or unnecessary substances found in colon.
So, by consuming passion fruit, you will provide your colon and your intestine enough soluble fiber to wash out toxins. Those toxins if they are not regularly cleansed could cause some colon problem and make the work of your liver a bit harder.
- Improve Digestive System
One of the factor that could improve the performance of digestive system is the enough amount of substances inside the intestine system called laxative. However, laxative will be produced if there is enough soluble fiber. Fortunately, passion fruit is rich in soluble fiber. Besides that, passion fruit is contained moderate amount of water that also beneficial to assist the movement of food and waste inside the intestine system.
- Good for the Metabolism of Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is one of the substances required by body system to provide energy. However, due to some health conditions the metabolism of carbohydrate is possible to be intereferenced. Unproper metabolism of carbohydrate could cause some substances processed from carbohydrate are not optimally absorbed.
So, body will suffer some nutrient deficiencies that could cause serious health problem like diabetes due to unproper absorption of glucose or cholesterol, heart disease and many more. Healthy metabolism of carbohydrate means maximum absorption of essential substances required by body.
- Good Snack for Weight Loss
One of the important key of the sucessfull of weight loss program is healthy metabolism and digestive system. Passion fruit is rich of fiber which could assist in improving and optimizing the digestive system.
Furthermore the adequate amount of water contained in passion fruit will keep your body from dehydration, dehydrated body means healthy metabolism. As rich in carbohydrate, passion fruit is beneficial to produce energy after a workout and as bonus, passion fruit is delicious fruit which is low in fat, calories and sodium.
As Rich in Vitamin A (Beta-carotene)
- Immunity Booster
Health benefits of passion fruits could uses for immunity booster. Immunity is essential for human body as defense mechanism toward virus and bacteria. Without which body will be easily infected or affected by diseases like cold, cough and other infections. Passion fruit is rich of vitamin C and vitamin A (beta-carotene) is powerful antioxidant which is functioning as excellent booster for your immunity system.
- Male Fertility’s Enhancer
Beta-carotene is one of the antioxidant which has speciality in enhancing the performance of sperm and based on the latest researches, consuming fruit which is rich in beta-carotene will make the movement of sperm faster.
In other words, if a male is suffering infertility problem, consuming passion fruit is highly recommended. Furthermore, vitamin A and vitamin C also contribute in protecting the healthy sperm DNA from free radicals that could damage or reduce the quality and quantity of sperm.
- Reduce the Risk of Arthritis
One more health benefit of beta carotene contained in passion fruit is its ability to reduce the risk of arhtritis. Arhtritis is a condition whereas there is inflammation in the joint. There are alot of types of arhtritis and beta-carotene in passion fruit is not a magic solution to deal with this condition.
However, it is still able to reduce the symptoms of arhtritis in short term though it is not the long term solution since it cannot prevent or cure it arhtritis.
Other Nutrients
- Natural Mood Enhancer
One of thing that everyone should know about passion fruit is it contained adequate amount of sedative content called alkaloids. That’s why consuming passion fruit along with alcohol is not recommended. However, in moderate amount alkaloids contained in passion fruit is effective to be mood enhancer that could treat light symptom of depression.
- Natural Way to Fight Insomnia
The calming effect caused by alkaloid is also applicable to treat insomnia. This medical substance will assist in reducing the anxiety caused by depression that will affect to sleeplessness. Consuming passion fruit regularly could assist in providing you a very good night sleep.
Why don’t you try to replace warm milk with passion fruit whenever you feel insomnia is about to attack? Unfortunately, in acute stage of depression and insomnia, professional contribution is still required because too much alkaloid inside body system could affect the nerve system.
- Reduce Depression’s Effect
As has been mentioned above, alkaloid contained in passion fruit has prominent role in reducing depression due to its sedative effect. However, it is only working as home remedy to deal with the short term effect of depression or light symptoms of stress.
In more serious depression case and too much passion fruit could be dangerous because alkaloid could affect the nerve system that would make depression and stress worse. In this matter, consult it with a professional is highly recommended.
Warning and Caution of Passion Fruit
After discussing the list of passion fruit’s health benefit, finding out about the caution of this fruit is also necessary; especially for you who are planning to put this fruit into your daily diet menu. It is due to the possibility of passion fruit to interact negatively toward some substances that mostly found in drugs.
If you are currently in specific diet program with medication or currently under doctor order to consume certain supplements, discussing this matter with your doctor is strongly recommended. Below are some lists of warning and caution you should know about passion fruit, for further detail, consulting this with your doctor is a must to be done:
- Excess Consumption of Passion Fruit is Dangerous for Diabetes Patients
Passion fruit is rich in carbohydrate and natural sugar. Though the sugar contained in passion fruit naturally is good for human’s health but it could be dangerous for patient with diabetes which already suffer the difficulty in disolving the excess sugar in their blood. That’s why avoiding this fruit at all cost is highly recommended for those who is currently in high blood sugar level.
- Contained Sedative Properties
It has been mentioned a bit in some point above that passion fruit contained sedative properties called alkaloid. In moderate amount the functin of this sedative subtance becomes the healing properties but in excess amount, this substance could cause some problem with the nerve system. Instead of calming effect, this substance could cause some kinds of panic attacks.
- Passion Fruit might Interact Negatively Toward some Drugs
There are some cases that show negative interaction of passion fruit toward some drugs. For those who are currently receiving depression and anxiety medicines, consulting this matter with the professional is highly recommended before adding passion fruit as part of daily diet. Some medical cases also show that passion fruit cannot be consumed by those who recently consuming aspirin which has anti-coagulant properties, the effect may cause the dilute of the blood excessively.
Aside from the mysterious appearance, passion fruit is still considered by many people as exotic fruit. In culinary world passion fruit is widely used as ingredients of several delicious dishes like jams, jellies, smoothies, pie filling, dressing and many more. Passion fruit is also healthy and interesting choice for your kids, the pulps of passion fruit could be used for ice cream or yogurt as well.
Some of you might be thinking that the name of passion fruit comes from the ability of this fruit to make the eater become more passionate. Well, you might be surprise there is a strong story behind the name of this fruit. A Spanish missionary is the one who gave this mysterious and exotic fruit a name, passion itself doesn’t refer to pleasure like most people believe but symbolizing the Christ’s sacrifices.