You must taste passion fruit and wonder if the skin is also edible. The skin of the passion fruit is hard and yellow to purple. Although the peel of the fruit is full of nutrients, you cannot eat passion fruit skin raw. However, it has importance as a constituent of functional food. These include pectin, phenolic compounds, and radicals that aid as antioxidants.
Scientists have found out benefits of the hard rind in the food industry because of the high fiber content. The inner peel has high pectin content, which along with fruit makes the perfect jam. Let us give an in-depth knowledge of the benefits of the passion fruit skin because of its wonderful nutritional values.
The Characteristics of Passion Fruit Skin
The passion fruit has a hard skin that is 50% the weight of the fruit. The skin has several layers. The color of the fruit turns from yellow to purple on the outside as the fruit ripens. The ripened skin becomes smooth or wrinkly. There is a firm attachment of the inner pulp of the fruit to the skin. The raw fruit skin has a neutral flavor. The inside is slightly bitter because of the high amounts of tannin in the fruit and inner skin.
To take out the entire inner pulp, cut the passion fruit in half. Place the rind with the inside down in a pan, and boil. After cooling, refrigerate overnight. Scoop out as much of the pulp you can and mix with the original pulp. This is now ready to prepare jam.
Can You Eat Passion Fruit Skin
Passion fruit is a tropical fruit known for its sweet and tangy flavor, making it a popular ingredient in various culinary preparations. When enjoying this delicious fruit, you may wonder if the skin is edible as well. In this article, we will explore whether it is safe and enjoyable to eat passion fruit skin.
The Edibility of Passion Fruit Skin
Passion fruit skin, also known as the rind or peel, is not commonly eaten like the flesh inside. However, it is important to note that passion fruit skin is not toxic or harmful if consumed in small amounts. The skin is thick, tough, and slightly bitter, which is why most people prefer to discard it. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.
1. Texture and Taste
The texture of passion fruit skin is quite fibrous and leathery. It is not as soft or easily chewable as the flesh. Additionally, the skin has a slightly bitter taste, which may not be appealing to everyone. However, some people enjoy the contrasting texture and flavor, and if you have a taste for it, you might find it interesting to try.
2. Nutritional Value
Passion fruit skin contains some nutritional value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, which can aid in digestion and promote a healthy gut. The skin also contains antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which can help protect against cellular damage. However, keep in mind that the majority of the nutrients and flavor are concentrated in the juicy pulp rather than the skin.
3. Preparation and Use
If you decide to consume passion fruit skin, it is essential to properly clean and prepare it. Wash the fruit thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or residue. Some people prefer to blanch the fruit in boiling water for a few seconds, which can help soften the skin and make it more palatable. You can then cut the fruit in half and scoop out the pulp, leaving the skin behind.
Health and Safety Considerations
While eating passion fruit skin in moderation is generally safe, there are a few precautions to keep in mind:
1. Pesticides and Chemicals
If you are unsure about the origin or cultivation practices of the passion fruit you have, it is advisable to peel the skin before consuming. This precaution is especially important if the fruit has been treated with pesticides or other chemicals that may be present on the skin.
2. Allergies and Sensitivities
Some individuals may have allergies or sensitivities to the compounds present in passion fruit skin. If you have any known allergies or concerns, it is best to avoid eating the skin altogether to prevent any adverse reactions.
How Can You Eat Passion Fruit Skin?
Although the passion fruit skin is not edible, you can process the peel to make a tasty, nutritious jam. Jams are preservatives of fruits, made from fruit pulp with the addition of sugar. Fruits with have high pectin content make very good jam and jelly.
Passion fruit skin is a very suitable ingredient for making jam. In this article, we want to show you how to prepare jam from passion skin, converting the inedible part into an edible delicious jam for having with your bread.
Passion Fruit Skin Jam
Ingredients
- 5-6 passionfruit skins
- 2 passion fruits
- 2 cups of sugar
- Water
- Jam jars
Procedure
- Thoroughly wash the ripe passion fruits. Cut the fruits in half. Take out the pulp by scoping the inside the fruits and preserve in a bowl until the skin is ready.
- Place the skin in a saucepan with the inside down. Add water, cover the saucepan, and let it boil. Reduce the temperature and let it simmer for 30 minutes or more until the inner skin loosens, and the skin turns burgundy. Besides, the skin should become soft enough that the hardcover comes out. Drain the water but preserve it for later use.
- Scrap out all the soft inner skin with a teaspoon from the hard shell. You may discard this tough outer skin. Add the pulp of the fruit that you kept aside. Add the drained juice. Measure the amount of pulp recovered. Add 1-cup sugar for every cup of the pulp in a saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove and stir constantly, without boiling. Let it cook for 30 minutes until the mixture sets in a spreading consistency. The mixture can be watery if you want a running consistency in your toast or bread.
- Let the jam mixture stand for 10 minutes. Pour in the sterilized hot jars. Let it cool. Seal the bottles.
Your delicious jam is ready for tasting with toast or bread.
The Constituents and the Benefits of Passion Fruit Skin to Health
As stated before, the skin of the passion fruit is equally rich as the pulp of the fruit. The rind is high in phenolic compounds, pigments, and enzymes. The purple color of the rind is due to the presence of fruit anthocyanin glycosides and the yellow color produces xanthan, lutein, and carotenes pigments. These pigments are dense just under the outer layer of skin. Peel is low in calories, fat and sugar; it has no cholesterol.
The skin of the passion fruit contains dietary fibers such as hemicellulose, tannins, pectin, gum, and much more. These compounds when added to the diet help prevent constipation with intestinal muscular activity. These agents also bind toxicants in the food, protect the mucous membrane of the stomach, and protects from the risk of colon cancer.
The high pectin content makes it a very suitable source of jam. The antioxidant characteristics are beneficial in preventing cancer and heart diseases. It has fruit peel has properties that help reduce inflammation. Therefore, it supplements anti-inflammatory agents. The extract is beneficial in reducing cough and cold.
Studies also show the peel extract helps to control osteoarthritis of the knee. The rind is dried and powdered into flour. The flour of the passion rind is an excellent source of fiber in the diet. Recent studies show that some compounds in the passion fruit skin act as a bronchodilator, and can aid subdue bronchospasm in patients who suffer from asthma.
Final Words
The wonderful exotic passion fruit is popular because of its nutrient profile and health benefits. The ripe fruit looks attractive with its yellow and purple color. This is the hardcore or covering of the fruit. Although it is not edible raw, you can prepare the skin into a delicious tasting jam.
Besides, the natural color of the jam, the extract is an excellent source of nutrients and antioxidants, beneficial to health. The findings of scientists show the convincing result of the rind as a therapeutic agent for many diseases of the heart, respiratory, digestive, and skeletal systems. Because of the powerful medicinal effect, you can eat the passion fruit skin in the processed form.
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