Breadfruit Maybe the Next Superfood
Breadfruit has the potential to improve worldwide food security and mitigate diabetes, according to a recent study on the benefits of breadfruit.
Breadfruit is a staple crop in tropical and South Pacific countries. The fruit can be eaten in many ways - ripe, dried, ground into a flour, or repurposed into different types of meals.
‘Consuming breadfruit can potentially improve world food security and mitigate diabetes. Flour produced from breadfruit is a gluten-free, low glycemic index, nutrient-dense and complete protein option for modern foods.’
The health benefits of breadfruit have not been extensively explored in previous studies in both humans and animals. Few studies have explored the glycemic index of breadfruit. They found that breadfruit has a low glycemic level compared to many common staples.
The current study focused on the development of breadfruit as a sustainable, environmentally-friendly and high-production crop. They wanted to determine if breadfruit flour poses any serious health issues.
A series of studies were designed using flour ground from dehydrated breadfruits. They collected data based on the impact of the flour when fed to mice and an enzyme digestion model.
The researchers found that:
- Breadfruit protein was easier to digest than wheat protein in the enzyme digestion model
- Breadfruit flour fed mice had a significantly higher growth rate and body weight compared to standard diet-fed mice
- Breadfruit fed mice had a significantly higher daily water consumption than mice on the wheat diet
- Body composition between breadfruit and wheat-fed mice were similar after a three week trial
The researchers concluded that a breadfruit diet does not have any toxic impact, and breadfruit can make inroads in food sustainability for many populations globally.
For example, the average daily consumption of grain in the United States is 189 grams (6.67 ounces) per day.
The researchers suggest that if a person ate the same amount of cooked breadfruit they can meet up to nearly 57 per cent of their daily fiber requirement, more than 34 per cent of their protein requirement and at the same time consume vitamin C, potassium, iron, calcium and phosphorus.
The study supports that breadfruit is a part of a healthy and nutritionally balanced diet. Breadfruit flour is gluten-free, dense has a low glycemic index and a complete protein and nutritious option for modern foods.
Source: Medindia