Passion fruit is considered an exotic fruit with a great nutritional profile and several health benefits. It has recently gained attention among health-conscious people because of its nutritional benefits. Despite the small size of the fruit, it can certainly do wonders to one's health.
This fruit is usually grown in Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and South America because of the warm climate prevalent in these place. Passion fruit has a distinctly sweet and sour flavour.
Due to its good smell, passion fruit is often used in cosmetic products such as shower gels. The fruit can provide you with various advantages even if you consume a few spoonfuls.
Nutritional components of Passion Fruit
Passion fruit tends to have a diverse nutritional profile, which includes vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fibre, calcium and vitamin B-6. The presence of so many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in this fruit helps improve various functions in the body.
- Iron is present in rare fruits like passion fruit. Iron helps in regulating the temperature of the body, boosts the energy level and enhances the immune system. Iron is especially essential for adult women.
- This fruit is a great source of vitamin C, which not only helps in iron absorption but is also key for healthy skin and hair. Consumption of vitamin C also helps prevent cell damage, reduces inflammation and helps the body to heal.
- The presence of vitamin A in passion fruit provides many advantages. It helps you in maintaining good vision, enhancing immunity and managing reproductive functions.
- ·The presence of fibre in this fruit ensures a proper digestive process and prevents constipation. Fibre also helps in reducing the risks of diabetes, helping maintain cholesterol levels and lowering the risks of cardiovascular problems.
- Antioxidants present in this fruit help in the overall maintenance of the body system along with enhancing the blood flow in the body. Additionally, calcium present in the fruit tends to be key for healthy bones.
Health Benefits of Passion Fruit
There are many health benefits of passion fruit, such as:
1) Reduces cancer risk
Consuming passion fruit might help in preventing cancer. Some of the contents in this fruit tend to kill cancer cells and have some anticancer properties. However, more research is required at the macro-level for a better understanding of the relationship between this fruit and its anti-cancer properties.
2) Helps regulate blood pressure and heart health
Regulating blood sugar is one of the major health benefits of having passion fruit. Lowering blood pressure decreases the strain on the heart, reducing the possibility of cardiovascular diseases.
3) Helps improve immunity
The presence of vitamin A and antioxidants in the fruit can help in improving your immune system. It can stimulate the activity of white blood cells in the body, which will helps in preventing infections and other ailments, resulting in a better immune system.
4) Promotes better cognitive health
The antioxidants present in passion fruit allow for relieving effects of mental stress and anxiety.
Better blood flow due to having passion fruit enables good cognitive health and reduces inflammation. Better cognitive health allows for quality sleep and more relaxation. However, more research is needed to better understand the impact of this fruit on cognitive health.
5) Helps enhance blood circulation
The constituents of passion fruit help in relaxing the blood vessels and promote blood circulation in the body. Passion fruit seeds also help in producing red blood cells, leading to overall well being of the body.
6) Beneficial for Pregnancy
Having passion ruit during pregnancy can help in the growth of infant and lower the risk of tube defects. Consumption of passion fruit can also help the mother and infant after pregnancy. Additionally, it's also useful for good reproductive health in both men and women.
Bottom Line
The health benefits of passion fruit are innumerable, with diverse nutritional profiles.
Other health benefits of this fruit include a rich source of fibre, which helps in better digestion, helping improve insulin sensitivity, promoting healthy skin, and so on. Due to its distinct flavour and nutritional content, it can be included in diet as a healthy snack.
Passion fruit is essentially safe to consume, but some people may be allergic to it. So, be cautious. Nevertheless, the various benefits of this fruit make it worth trying, and it should be added to one's regular diet if one doesn't have any allergies.