Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis)
LOVE AT FIRST BITE
Did you know … in some cultures, a popular belief is that after eating passion fruit, you will fall in love with the next person you meet?
What’s the Story?
Passion fruit comes from the passionflower plant and is part of the genus Passiflora. There are two main types of passion fruit commonly used for commercial purposes: the New Zealand purple passion fruit and the Hawaiian yellow passion fruit. The taste of the yellow and purple passion fruit is similar; both are sweet and tart, but the purple passion tends to be less acidic and is juicier than the yellow variety.
A Serving of Food Lore …
The purple passion fruit is thought to be native to Brazil, possibly from the Amazon, but no one knows for sure. The purple passion fruit was mainly grown in Australia before the 1900s. Seeds were brought to Hawaii in 1801.
Where Is Passion Fruit Grown?
Passion fruits can be found in most tropical regions but the main commercial growers are located in South America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Florida, Hawaii, Australia, East Africa and South Africa.
Why Should I Eat Passion Fruit?
Passion fruit is a good source of vitamin A and an excellent source of vitamin C (supplying nearly 70 per cent of the daily allowance) as well as potassium, calcium and iron. One passion fruit also contains about 15 per cent of the recommended daily allowance of iron. When eaten with the seeds, a serving is an excellent source of fibre (about 15 grams). It is also rich in a number of phytochemicals including passiflorine, lycopene and carotenoids.
Home Remedies
Puerto Ricans eat passion fruit to lower blood pressure. Brazilians eat the seeds to induce sleep. The Spanish discovered that passion fruit was used as a sedative in many folk medicine practices throughout South America. In Madeira, the juice is taken to aid digestion and also used as a treatment for gastric cancers. Passionflower has been used to treat nervous and easily excited children, bronchial asthma, insomnia, nervous gastrointestinal disorders and menopausal problems.
Throw Me a Lifesaver!
CANCER: Phytochemicals found in passion fruit were able to increase apoptosis (programmed cell death) in a line of cancer cells. The common phytochemicals thought responsible were carotenoids and polyphenols.
HYPERTENSION: An extract of passionflower significantly lowered systolic blood pressure in hypertensive rats.
HEART HEALTH: Passion fruit seeds were shown to reduce total lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol in hamsters.
Tips on Using Passion Fruit
SELECTION AND STORAGE:
• Choose large, heavy and firm fruit.
• When passion fruit are ripe, the outside will turn from green to a deep purple, red or yellow colour.
• If purchased unripe, leave at room temperature until ripe; the skin will wrinkle but the fruit will not soften too much. Once at desired ripeness, place in the refrigerator for up to one week.
PREPARATION AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
• Cut the passion fruit in half lengthwise and scoop out the seedy pulp with a spoon.
• To remove seeds, strain in a non-aluminium sieve or use cheesecloth, squeezing to extract the juice.
• The seeded pulp can be made into jelly or combined with pineapple or tomato in making jam.
• Spoon the pulp over other soft fruits or ice cream.
• The pulp makes a delicious jam or jelly and the seeds add a nice crunch!
• Add passion fruit to mixed green salads or fruit salads for a new taste.
• Top chicken, fish or pork with a spoonful of passion fruit for a fruitful change.
• Add passion fruit and fruit juices to any fruit salad or smoothie for a refreshing new taste.
• In Australia they eat the pulp with cream and sugar on it.
• In Venezuela, passion fruit is used to make ice cream and added to rum cocktails.
by Chef J. Hugh McEvoy
Servings: 14 • Prep time: 15 minutes
“Cooking” time: 6½ hours
This recipe contains four powerhouse foods.
INGREDIENTS:
16floz/500ml fresh purple passion fruit juice
20oz/550g fresh purple passion fruit
4oz/110g white granulated sugar
4floz/125ml water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh grated orange peel
2 tablespoons mint leaves for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Using a heavy saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Dissolve sugar completely. Add lime juice and passion fruit juice—bring back to boil. Remove from heat. Add passion fruit pulp including seeds. Transfer mix to a freezer-safe container. Chill in refrigerator for at least six hours—do not freeze yet. Using a home ice-cream maker, churn the chilled mix into sorbet until almost solid. Add grated orange zest and blend evenly. Put in freezer and freeze until solid. Serve garnished with mint leaves.
BREAK IT DOWN …
Calories: 78; Total fat: 0g; Saturated fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 12mg; Total carbs: 20g; Fibre: 4g; Sugar: 17g; Protein: 1g.