Food encyclopedia

Breadfruit is a large oblong or round fruit, 8 to 10 inches in diameter and up to 10 pounds in weight, with a thin, bumpy skin that turns green brown to yellow as the fruit ripens. The meat is cream colored, mealy, and starchy in texture, and it is blandly sweet, similar to the potato. Thus, it is not eaten as a fruit but as a highcarbohydrate vegetable. Mature breadfruit is dark, dull, greenish brown, with stains on the surface from the milky sap that is exuded by the fruit.

Family Moraceae (fig or mulberry)

Scientific name Artocarpus communis, Artocarpus altilis

Common name breadfruit

High in vitamin C and dietary fiber

A good source of potassium

Varieties

On the island of Maui in Hawaii, almost 100 varieties of breadfruit, called “ulu,” are grown at Kahanu Gardens of the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Origin & botanical facts

Native to the Pacific, particularly Polynesia and southeast Asia, the beautiful, smoothbarked breadfruit tree grows to about 60 feet tall, with dark-green, palmate leaves up to 3 feet long. Breadfruit was very important in the lives of early Polynesian people, who carried it with them in their canoes and planted trees wherever they settled throughout the Pacific Islands. In Hawaiian tradition, breadfruit is a symbol of creation and of the creator’s generosity and love. Today, however, the largest producers of breadfruit are the Caribbean Islands. Each breadfruit actually is composed of thousands of small fruit growing together around a core. Breadfruit is generally picked while it is firm and before it ripens, becomes overly sweet, and falls to the ground. Breadfruit grows in hot, wet, tropical lowlands, tolerating a variety of welldrained soils. The fruit is propagated from shoots that develop from the tree’s roots, or from root cuttings themselves. The tree produces an extensive root system, so it must be planted where it will have room to grow. It does not transplant easily. Trees bear fruit 5 to 7 years after the shoots are planted, and generally two crops of fruit mature during the year, once between April and June, and once between October and January. Breadfruit must be harvested by hand, by climbing the tree and cutting or snapping off the stem close to the branch. If knocked from the tree, bruises will cause rapid softening. Because individual breadfruits do not develop at the same rate, each tree must be harvested several times during the season.

Uses

Breadfruit that is slightly soft with a yellow to tan rind and no bruises should be chosen. The fruit can be stored up to 10 days if wrapped in plastic and placed in a cool area. Like squash or potatoes, breadfruit can be peeled and boiled, steamed, baked, grilled, stir fried, or made into a salad resembling potato salad. It also can be preserved through fermentation. In Hawaii it is sometimes pounded into a paste called “ulu poi.” (Hawaiian poi usually is made from taro root.) Despite its name, it is not used to make bread. In the Pacific, the sap and wood of the breadfruit plant have various nonculinary uses. Breadfruit is sold fresh in some ethnic markets or specialty stores, or it is sometimes available canned.

Nutrient composition

Breadfruit is high in vitamin C and fiber and is a good source of potassium.

Nutrient Content

Energy (kilocalories) 99

Water (%) 70

Dietary fiber (grams) 5

Fat (grams) 0

Carbohydrate (grams) 26

Protein (grams) 1

Minerals (mg)

Calcium 16

Iron 1

Zinc 0

Manganese 0

Potassium 470

Magnesium 24

Phosphorus 29

Vitamins (mg)

Vitamin A 4 RE

Vitamin C 28

Thiamin 0.1

Riboflavin 0

Niacin 1

Vitamin B6 0.1

Folate 13 μg

Vitamin E 1

The lemon is a small, oval, bright yellow citrus fruit that bulges at the blossom end. The flesh is tart and acidic and is not usually eaten out of hand. Lemons are available year round, but production is slightly higher in the spring and summer.

Family Rutaceae

Scientific name Citrus limonia

Common name lemon

High in vitamin C and fiber

Contains bioflavonoids (antioxidants) that may help prevent cancer

Varieties

Lemons can be acid or sweet, but only acidic lemons are grown commercially. The two most common varieties of commercially grown lemons are the large Eureka, which has a pitted skin and few seeds, and the Lisbon, which is smaller and has a smooth skin and no seeds. Sweet lemon trees are used almost exclusively by home gardeners as ornamental plants.

Origin & botanical facts

Lemons originated in southeast Asia, between south China and India. They may have been grown in the Mediterranean region as early as the 1st or 2nd century, because they appear in Roman artwork of the period. From there, they were brought to the rest of Europe about the time of the Crusades. Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to the Americas, and by the 17th century, lemons and other citrus fruits were well established in what is now Florida. Throughout the 1800s, however, Florida lemon groves were repeatedly destroyed by frost. California lemon cultivation began during the Gold Rush to alleviate the shortages of fresh fruits and vegetables that led to scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. Today, California is the primary source of lemons in the United States, and Arizona ranks second. Other countries with significant commercial lemon crops are Italy, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Iran, Turkey, India, and Egypt. Lemon trees are tropical plants and can grow only in frost-free regions. They can be standard or dwarf size, and like other citrus trees, they have large, darkgreen, evergreen leaves and produce very fragrant white flowers. Although they bloom most abundantly in the spring, they also may flower at other times of the year, depending on the climate. Only about 2 percent of the blossoms produce fruit, but that number still can bring a large harvest. Lemon and other citrus trees can live and continue to bear fruit for as long as 100 years.

Uses

When selecting lemons, choose those that are heavy for their size and bright yellow. Lemons can be kept up to 2 weeks in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Although lemons are too tart and acidic to eat as fresh fruit, they are among the most versatile and widely used fruits. The juice and grated peel are used to flavor a wide variety of foods and beverages. Spread on the surface of cut fruits (such as apples) and vegetables (such as potatoes), lemon juice prevents browning that results from oxidation. Frozen lemon juice, but not the processed type (labeled as “reconstituted”), is an acceptable substitute for fresh juice.

Nutrient composition

Lemons are high in vitamin C and fiber and contain bioflavonoids (antioxidants) that may help prevent cancer.

Nutrient Content

Energy (kilocalories) 22

Water (%) 87

Dietary fiber (grams) 5

Fat (grams) 0

Carbohydrate (grams) 12

Protein (grams) 1

Minerals (mg)

Calcium 66

Iron 1

Zinc 0

Manganese –

Potassium 157

Magnesium 13

Phosphorus 16

Vitamins (mg)

Vitamin A 3 RE

Vitamin C 83

Thiamin 0.1

Riboflavin 0

Niacin 0

Vitamin B6 0.1

Folate –

Vitamin E –