Breadfruit and jackfruit are two tropical fruits often mistaken for each other. While they do share similarities in name and look, they are quite different. We will dive into those differences, looking at their nutritional content, taste, and how they are used in cooking. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly what sets these two fruits apart and how to use them in your recipes.
Let’s unpack what makes breadfruit and jackfruit unique, from their health benefits to their various culinary roles. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of these two exotic fruits and might even have a new favorite!
Table of Contents
Exploring Breadfruit
Breadfruit comes from the South Pacific and has spread to many tropical places like the Caribbean, Africa, and Southeast Asia. It’s related to figs and mulberries, as they’re all in the Moraceae family.
This fruit looks a bit like a grapefruit and can be green, yellow, or brown when ripe. It has a rough surface and is called “breadfruit” because of its bread-like texture once cooked.
It’s full of good things like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Breadfruit is mostly carbs but is low in fat and cholesterol. It’s great for energy and can help keep your heart healthy and your weight down.
People have been eating breadfruit for a long time. You can boil, roast, or bake it. It’s used in a lot of dishes like sides, soups, and stews. In places like Polynesia, breadfruit is cooked in an “umu,” an underground oven, and is an important part of their culture.
Breadfruit can also help with health problems. People use it to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, and skin conditions.
Discovering Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a huge fruit native to South and Southeast Asia. It can weigh up to 80 pounds and grow three feet long. The outside is prickly and green but turns yellow or brown when ripe. It’s sticky and has a sap like latex.
Inside, jackfruit is made up of many “arils” – these are fleshy bulbs that are sweet and taste like tropical fruit. It also has seeds you can eat once they’re boiled or roasted.
Jackfruit is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but it isn’t high in calories or fat, making it a healthy choice. It’s popular with vegans and vegetarians because when you cook it, it can look and taste like meat, like in tacos, burgers, or stir-fries.
It’s also used in traditional medicine to treat illnesses like asthma, diarrhea, and skin problems. Jackfruit has special compounds that fight inflammation and can protect your cells from damage.
Comparing Breadfruit and Jackfruit: Looks and Flavor
| Breadfruit | Jackfruit | |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Rough, green skin; round or oval; starchy inside; up to the size of a grapefruit | Spiky, green skin; oblong or oval; filled with small arils and stringy bits; can weigh up to 80 pounds |
| Taste | Like starchy bread; mild sweetness; firm and a bit chewy when cooked | Fruity and sweet with a tropical twist; feels like pulled meat when cooked; seeds taste nutty when roasted |
It’s easy to mix up breadfruit and jackfruit because they look alike. But if you look closer and taste them, they’re quite different.
Appearance:
Breadfruit is green and gets yellowish or brownish when it’s ready to eat. It’s bumpy on the outside and can be round or shaped like an oval, similar to a big grapefruit. When cooked, it’s starchy and firm.
Jackfruit is also green on the outside but has a prickly look. It can grow much bigger than breadfruit, some reaching the size of a small person! When it’s ripe, it turns yellow or brown. Inside, it’s packed with arils that are surrounded by fibrous tissue.
Taste:
Breadfruit tastes similar to other starchy foods when cooked, like potatoes. It’s not too strong in flavor, and when you chew it, it might remind you of bread with a touch of sweetness.
Jackfruit has a sweet and tropical flavor, which becomes even better when you cook it. The arils get a texture like meat which is why people love to use it as a meat substitute. The seeds are also tasty, with a nutty flavor when you roast them.
In short, breadfruit is starchy and slightly sweet with a chewy texture when cooked. Jackfruit, meanwhile, is sweet and fruity with a texture like pulled meat.
Breadfruit Vs Jackfruit: A Nutritional Face-Off
| Nutrient | Breadfruit (100g) | Jackfruit (100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 103 | 94 |
| Carbohydrates | 27.1g | 23.5g |
| Fiber | 4.9g | 1.5g |
| Protein | 1.1g | 1.7g |
| Fat | 0.2g | 0.3g |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 13.8mg |
| Potassium | 490mg | 448mg |
| Calcium | 17mg | 24mg |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 0.6mg |
This table shows us that both breadfruit and jackfruit have low fat and protein, but they’re good sources of carbohydrates and fiber.
Breadfruit has more calories, carbs, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium than jackfruit. On the other hand, jackfruit has more iron and calcium than breadfruit. Both are good for you and can be part of a healthy eating plan.
Breadfruit Vs Jackfruit: How They’re Used in Cooking
| Breadfruit | Jackfruit | |
|---|---|---|
| When it’s sweet and ripe | You can mash it and use it in making bread, cakes, and more. | Enjoy it fresh as a tasty treat, or put it in sweet dishes like cakes and pies. |
| When it’s not ripe | You can boil or roast it as a replacement for potatoes or yams in savory recipes. | As it’s like pulled meat, you can use it in vegetarian and vegan meals. Try roasting, grilling, or sautéing and put it in tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and other dishes. |
| As a snack | Deep-fry it and eat it as a snack, or turn it into chips for dipping. | The seeds are good when roasted and snacked on. |
| In savory dishes | Great in soups, stews, curries, and other savory foods. | Works as a substitute for meat in curries and stews. |
You can cook with both breadfruit and jackfruit in lots of ways. Here’s what you can do with them:
How to cook with Breadfruit:
- Boil or roast breadfruit to use in place of potatoes or yams in savory recipes.
- Mash breadfruit to add to bread, cakes, and other baked treats.
- Fry it as a snack or make chips to dip.
- Add breadfruit to soups, stews, and curries for savory meals.
How to cook with Jackfruit:
- Eat sweet jackfruit fresh for a snack, or use it in desserts like cakes and pies.
- Young jackfruit is great as a meat alternative in vegetarian and vegan recipes because it’s stringy like pulled meat.
- Roast, grill, or sauté jackfruit to replace meat in tacos, burritos, and sandwiches.
- Boil and use jackfruit seeds in curries and stews, or roast them for a crunchy snack.
Breadfruit and jackfruit are both flexible ingredients you can use in many types of dishes. Breadfruit is often in savory meals, while jackfruit is used in both sweet and savory dishes, and as a meat replacement in meat-free diets.
In Short
Breadfruit and jackfruit are tropical fruits with certain similarities but also with clear differences. Breadfruit is a starchy green fruit while jackfruit is a fibrous yellow fruit. Breadfruit packs more calories, fiber, and vitamin C, but jackfruit has more calcium and iron. They’re used differently in cooking as well.
When it comes to cooking, breadfruit is mostly in savory food, and jackfruit is used in both sweet and savory dishes, including as a meat alternative in vegetarian and vegan meals. Both breadfruit and jackfruit are nutritious and can fit into a balanced diet.
