Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet TM
Copyright all rights reserved
The indomitable and irrepressible Travelling Gourmet TM tells the tale of this…
MOST delectable jungle fruit…
Cempedak!
Cempedak or Artocarpus integer is part of the belongs to the same genus as of Jackfruit aka Nangka and Breadfruit family. Indigenous to Southeast Asia, Cempedak is widely grown in Malaysia, Indonesia & Thailand. Also in India where Cempedak grows in the southern states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Cempedak grows well in tropical regions where there is lots of water.
Evergreen Cempedak trees grow up to many meters high. The fruit is smaller in size than Jackfruit. Once cut open, the sap is very sticky so use a knife coated with oil, you will find soft juicy and sweet yellow flesh that is slightly gooey covering large seeds. Ripe cempedak is yellow in color and the fruit is sweeter than jackfruit. Its flavor is musky, honey flavoured and aromatic and it tastes a little like mango. It is a yummie fruit to savour and can be fried in a crsipy batter like bananas. You can dip it in chocolate like strawberries too. The seeds can be boiled and eaten like potatoes. Its high nutritional profile means it has medical benefits. It has a good amount of vitamin C, enzymes, bioflavonoid, minerals and vitamins.
| Per 100 gm of Cempedak has… | |
| Energy | 117.0 Kcal |
| Water | 66.7 g |
| Protein | 2.5 g |
| Fat | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25.8 g |
| Fiber | 3.4 g |
| Calcium | 40.0 mg |
| Phosphorus | 5.0 mg |
| Iron (Fe) | 1.1 mg |
| Vitamin C | 17.7 mg |
| Carotene | 80 ug |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.16 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.15 mg |
| Niacin | 0.5 mg |
Health Benefits of Cempedak
Some of the health benefits are:
- Heart health: Antioxidants, dietary fiber and vitamin C present in cempedak help in maintaining heart health. High potassium content helps to lower blood pressure. It decreases cholesterol levels and reduces hypertension that makes you healthier.
- Urinary tract infection: Cempedak helps in fighting urinary tract infections with its antibactrail, antiviral and antifungal properties.
- Good for your Eyes: Cempedak is rich in vitamin A that helps in maintaining good eye health and keeps the cornea healthy.
The Travelling Gourmet TM says: Keep calm and carry on eating!
