Not only as a food ingredient, breadfruit is also believed to be useful for treating and preventing certain diseases. However, are the benefits of breadfruit in the treatment and prevention of disease proven effective? Let's see the discussion.
Breadfruit with the Latin name Artocarpus altilis is a tropical fruit that at first glance looks like a jackfruit. Breadfruit has white flesh that is soft and sweet. Biologically, this fruit is still related to other fruits, namely figs and mulberries.
Breadfruit is popular because it can be processed into various kinds of snacks. Breadfruit can be processed in various ways, ranging from fried, steamed, baked, made into chips, compote, to be processed into flour for other cooking ingredients.
Breadfruit Nutrient Content
Breadfruit has a relatively high nutritional composition. The following are some types of nutrients contained in breadfruit:
- Complex carbohydrates.
- Proteins.
- Fiber.
- Water.
- Minerals, such as potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.
- Vitamins, such as vitamin B, vitamin C, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin E.
When compared to other carbohydrate sources, such as rice and potatoes, breadfruit contains more and more complete and complete minerals and vitamins, but has a lower caloric value. This makes breadfruit suitable as a diet food.
In addition, breadfruit also contains high antioxidants thanks to the content of flavonoids, polyphenols, and in it.
Benefits of Breadfruit for Health
In addition to the fruit which is rich in nutrients, the leaves, stems and roots of breadfruit can also be used. Because it contains high enough nutrients, breadfruit is considered to have various health benefits, such as:
1. Lowering blood sugar
Based on a study on experimental animals, it is known that breadfruit or breadfruit leaf extract can lower blood sugar levels and prevent them from remaining stable. These findings suggest that breadfruit may have potential as a treatment for diabetics.
However, the benefits of breadfruit as a treatment for diabetes in humans have not been confirmed. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm these claims.
2. Lowering blood pressure
Based on the results of research in the laboratory, it is known that breadfruit leaf extract can lower blood pressure. However, these studies are still limited to animals, so the benefits of breadfruit in the treatment of high blood pressure in humans have yet to be proven.
3. Reduce inflammation
Studies show that the antioxidant content in breadfruit can reduce the activity of body cells that play a role in the inflammatory process. Other studies have also shown that breadfruit leaf extract is effective in reducing swelling that occurs due to inflammation. Again, this is still in experimental animals.
4. Protects heart health
Based on research in the laboratory, it is known that breadfruit juice appears to have an effect that can prevent heart disease. It is suspected that this effect is due to the antioxidant content in breadfruit which can prevent the formation of blockages or atherosclerosis in heart blood vessels, reduce cholesterol, and help lower high blood pressure.
5. Prevent the growth of cancer cells
The content of nutrients and antioxidants in breadfruit is known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This supports the claim that breadfruit is beneficial in the prevention and treatment of cancer. However, further clinical studies are needed to confirm this.
There is nothing wrong with adding breadfruit in your daily diet to meet your nutritional needs. However, do not consume it in excess.
Eating breadfruit in excess can increase the risk of bleeding and hypotension (low blood pressure), especially in people who are taking antihypertensive drugs. So far, there have been no studies showing the safety of breadfruit supplements in pregnant and lactating women.
Although it has been widely studied, clinically, the benefits of breadfruit in the treatment of diseases have not been confirmed. Therefore, do not use breadfruit as a substitute for medicines from a doctor. Consult your doctor first if you want to use breadfruit as a companion to your treatment.