Bread tree: why they call it that, because its fruits are not like bread

Many people know that breadfruit grows in tropical countries. But the taste of its fruits does not at all resemble traditional bread, and the appearance has nothing to do with bread. We offer you to find out what valuable qualities this plant has and why it got such a name.

Under the name "bread tree" several closely related species of plants of the mulberry family are combined. This is the breadfruit itself, jackfruit, champak and marang.

The homeland of these heat-loving trees is the island of New Guinea. Bread tree does not tolerate even short-term frosts and is very demanding on the abundance of rainfall. It is interesting that in equatorial latitudes the breadfruit grows as an evergreen form, and in tropical latitudes with a pronounced dry and cool season it discards foliage.

All breadfruit trees grow quickly and are characterized by an abundance of crops. Under favorable conditions, one tree brings up to 200 fruits per year. The fruits themselves have a rounded shape and a very impressive weight - up to 15-30 kg. The largest fruits are jackfruit, the mass of which reaches 34 kg. These are the largest fruits of all growing on trees.

Fruits have a dense structure and are very nutritious; in calories they even slightly exceed bananas. For their incredible productivity and nutritional value, these plants got the name "bread tree", because in many tropical countries they are the main food for the local population.

The fruits of breadfruit are eaten in a ripe form and slightly immature. In addition to the pulp itself, they also eat large seeds, which are found in some varieties, mainly in wild species. Ripe fruits have a sweet, pleasant taste, and unripe ones are more fresh. The use of fruits is very diverse. Ripe fruits are eaten as dessert, dried, boiled and baked. In the traditions of different nations, there are many recipes for the preparation of breadfruit.

Fruits of breadfruit, in comparison with other fruits, have a high energy value - 103 kcal per 100 grams of product. In addition, they are very rich in potassium (up to 490 mg per 100 g), and also contain phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and B vitamins. Therefore, breadfruit can be considered not only a valuable and nutritious fruit, but also a product rich in vital important vitamins and minerals for health.

Due to its incredible productivity, this tree is loved in many countries outside Southeast Asia, where the wild forms of this plant come from. Today it is grown in many regions of the world, such as Jamaica, Uganda, Kenya, Malaysia, India, Thailand, the Philippines, the islands of Oceania, as well as Bangladesh, where the fruits of jackfruit are a national dish.