Jackfruit vs Breadfruit – Which One is Healthier For You
In this article, we will be comparing Breadfruit and Jackfruit to determine which of the two is better for you in terms of nutritional value.
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is very similar in exterior appearance to its relative of the same variety, Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), so people often mistake the two for being each other.
Another contributing factor adding to the confusion is that both of them have similar common names, depending on the area in which it is grown.
However Breadfruit and Jackfruit are completely different fruits and while they may look similar on the exterior, they are very different in their interior structure and hence they are eaten in different ways depending on your preference.
Breadfruit is smaller than Jackfruit in size. A breadfruit interior is a starchy-cream to yellow texture similar to a potato, whilst a Jackfruit has many yellow bulbs that are eaten.
Breadfruit vs Jackfruit Which is better?
In comparing the nutritional value of both Breadfruit and Jackfruit we have discovered that while both of these individual fruits have their merit, the better of the two in our opinion is Breadfruit.
Another factor that contributed to our decision is that the smell of Jackfruit is very unique and not everyone will enjoy its aroma.
Comparing the nutritional value of Breadfruit & Jackfruit
Pros of using Breadfruit as compared to Jackfruit.
Breadfruit contains:
- more Vitamin C vs Jackfruit
- A smaller amount of sugar per 100 gram
11 gram vs 19.08 gram - more iron per 100 gram
0.54 mg vs 0.23 mg - more dietary fiber per 100 gram
4.9 g vs 1.5 g - more food energy (kJ) per 100 gram
431 kJ vs 397 kJ - more food energy (kcal) per 100 gram
103 kcal vs 95 kcal - more manganese per 100 gram
0.06 mg vs 0.043 mg - more phosphorus per 100 gram
30 mg vs 21 mg - more carbohydrates per 100 gram
27.12 g vs 23.25 g - less fat per 100 gram
Pros of using Jackfruit vs Breadfruit
Jackfruit contains:
- more Magnesium per 100 gram
- more Riboflavin (B2) per 100 gram
- more Vitamin B6 than Breadfruit
- more Vitamin E
| Nutritional Value Per 100 grams (3.5oz) | Breadfruit Quantity%DV per Adult | Jackfruit Quantity%DV Per Adult |
| Energy | 431 kJ (103 kcal) | 397 kJ (95 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 27.12 g | 23.25 g |
| Sugars | 11 g | 19.08 g |
| Dietary fiber | 4.9 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 0.23 g | 0.64 g |
| Protein | 1.07 g | 1.72 g |
| Vitamin A equiv.beta-Carotene lutein zeaxanthin | 22 μg | 1% 5 μg1%61 μg 157 μg |
| Thiamine (B1) | 10% 0.11 mg | 9% 0.105 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 3% 0.03 mg | 5% 0.055 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 6% 0.9 mg | 6% 0.92 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 9% 0.457 mg | 5% 0.235 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 8% 0.1 mg | 25% 0.329 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 4% 14 μg | 6% 24 μg |
| Vitamin C | 35% 29 mg | 17% 13.8 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1% 0.1 mg | 2% 0.34 mg |
| Calcium | 2% 17 mg | 2% 24 mg |
| Iron | 4% 17 mg | 2% 0.23 mg |
| Magnesium | 7% 25 mg | 8% 29 mg |
| Manganese | 3% 0.06 mg | 2% 0.043 mg |
| Phosphorus | 4% 30 mg | 3% 21 mg |
| Potassium | 10 % 490 mg | 10% 448 mg |
| Sodium | 0% 2mg | 0% 2 mg |
| Zinc | 1% 0.12 mg | 1% 0.13 mg |
| Water | 70.65 g | 73.5 g |
| Choline | 2% 9.8 mg | |
| Vitamin K | 0% 0.5 μg | |
| Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units |
Description of the fruits of Breadfruit vs Jackfruit
Breadfruit
At its peak of ripeness, Breadfruit is creamy to yellow inside and is slightly pasty in texture and is sweet to the taste. While in its green stage or when it is not mature the fruit is hard and starchy like a potato. Breadfruit is mostly used as a vegetable and in most cases is cooked before eaten.
Breadfruit has a round, oval or oblong exterior weighing 0.25-6 kg. The skin texture ranges from smooth to rough to spiny. The color when unripped is usually yellowish-green or yellow and when mature, although one unusual variety (‘Afara’ from French Polynesia) has pinkish or orange-brown skin.
Jackfruit
The interior of Jackfruit, however, contains many pale-yellow, plump bulbs, which are edible and joined at the core. The seeds can also be cooked, eaten on their own, or ground into flour.
The exterior of Jackfruit has a oblong shape with a bumpy, fleshy skin. They vary in size and ripen from an initially yellowish-greenish to yellow, and then at maturity to yellowish-brown. The largest tree-borne fruit in the world, Jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds and grow up to three feet long. (Though, the average size of the fruit is 10 to 25 pounds.)
A ripe, unopened fruit has a strong, unpleasant odor. But the pulp of the opened fruit smells very sweet.
Origin of Breadfruit
Breadfruit is thought to have originated in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines. It was initially spread to Oceania via the Austronesian expansion. It was further spread to other tropical regions of the world during the Colonial Era. Today it is grown in some 90 countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, Central America and Africa.
Description of a Breadfruit tree
Breadfruit trees grow to a height of 26 m (85 ft). Breadfruit is one of the higher producing food plants, with up to 200 fruits per year. The fruit is usually the size of a large grapefruit, although sometimes larger.
Origin Of Jackfruit
Its origin is in the region between the Western Ghats of southern India and the rainforests of Malaysia. The jack tree is well-suited to tropical lowlands and is widely cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world.
Description of a Jackfruit tree
A mature jack tree produces some 200 fruits per year, with older trees bearing up to 500 fruits in a year. It bears the largest fruit of all trees, reaching as much as 55 kg (120 pounds) in weight, 90 cm (35 inches) in length, and 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter.
