Jackfruit is the largest fruit in the world that grows on a tree. It can easily weigh 60 lbs to 70 lbs!! It is oblong in shape and the color of the exterior is greenish-yellow. The exterior of the fruit is quite prickly and it takes quite some effort to cut open the fruit and extract the edible parts. Once the jackfruit is cut open, there are pods that contain the edible flesh and the seed. Since the fruit is very sticky to cut open and clean, a simple trick is to use some oil on your hands and knife.
Jackfruit is indigenous to southern India. It is used in South Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines. The edible portions of the unripe jackfruit is cooked and incorporated into curries and similar dishes. It can also be fried as chips. Ripe jackfruit is edible uncooked as a fruit and has a unique taste and texture. The jackfruit seeds can be boiled or baked like beans. According to the USDA standard release reports on raw fruits and juices, jackfruit is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.
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The Jack of all Fruits
Top 10 Exotic Fruits
There are literally hundreds of varieties of fruits in the world. Every region has its own popular fruits that other parts of the world only hear about. I have compiled a list of the top ten exotic fruits that are my favorites. In subsequent posts, I'll write about each of them in detail.
Jackfruit
Mango
Guava
Pomegranate
Lychee
Cashew Apple
Sapota (Chiku)
Papaya
Kiwi
Jamun (Jambul or Kala Jamun)
I hope you get to try these fruits. Please comment on what you think.
Millet is Great and Gluten Free
Millet is a family of crops that have been widely grown around the world for several thousand years. They can be grown in areas that are at risk of drought. India is the world's top producer of millet. Eight of the top ten countries in the world in terms of millet production are in Africa. China is the only other Asian country apart from India, in the top ten.
Millet provides 11% protein by weight, almost like wheat. Millet varieties are rich in niacin, B6, folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.
Millet can be cooked and eaten like other grains. Millet flour is used to make flat bread. Millets contain no gluten and are not suitable for raised bread. Some varieties of millet are used as fodder for animals or as bird-feed. Alcoholic drinks are also brewed using Millet in some countries. Millet is an interesting grain to incorporate into your diet.
Visionary School System Adopts Meatless Mondays
Baltimore City schools are going meatless on Mondays. The school system has around 80,000 students. As one would expect, the American Meat Institute (AMI) has criticised the Baltimore City Schools adoption of the 'Meatless Monday' campaign, a program done in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
I have come across so many people who assume that one needs to eat meat to get protein in their diet. This FUD (Fear - Uncertainty - Doubt) is spread by organizations that benefit from having everyone eat meat everyday and lapped up by people who have not been exposed to balanced literature on health and food. The food pyramid advanced by the government health organization has clearly dispelled the protein myth that meat is the only source of protein and incorporated a customizable plan for vegetarians via the MyPyramid.
AMI and other pro-meat organizations need to promote a balanced view and leave it to the people to make a choice. It is not like the`Baltimore school system went totally vegetarian. They still offer meat to the meat eaters four out of the five school days. I hope the Baltimore school system weathers any criticism thrown at them for offering the children a healthy alternative to meat. Kudos to them for taking this decision.
