Attached
Objectives The mature jackfruit (Artocarpus
heterophyllus) is consumed in Sri Lanka either as a main
meal or a meal accompaniment. However, there is no
scientific data on the nutrient compositions of cooked
jackfruit meals. Thus, the objective of the study was to
carry out a nutritional assessment of a composite
jackfruit breakfast meal comprising seeds and flesh.
Design A jackfruit meal comprising of flesh (80%
available carbohydrate) and seeds (20% available
carbohydrate) was included in the study. The study was
carried out in a random cross over design.
Setting University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Study participants Healthy individuals (n=10, age: 20-30
yrs).
Measurements The macronutrient contents, rapidly and
slowly available glucose (SAG) contents, water solubility
index of the jackfruit meal were determined according to
standard methods. The GI of the meal was calculated
according to FAO/WHO guidelines.
Results The moisture content of the boiled jackfruit flesh
was high (82% FW). Jack seeds contained 4.7% protein
(FW), 11.1% total dietary fibre (FW) and 8% resistant
starch (FW). Jackfruit meal elicited a GI of 75. The Glycaemic Load (GL) of the normal serving size of the
meal is medium. The slowly available glucose (SAG)
percentage of jackfruit meal (30%) was twice that of the
standard. The boiled jackfruit flesh contained
disintegrated starch granules while seeds contained
intact swollen and disintegrated granules.
Conclusions The jackfruit seeds are a good source of
starch (22%) and dietary fibre. The meal is categorized
as a low GI meal. The low GI could be due to the collective
contributions from dietary fibre, slowly available glucose
and un-gelatinised (intact) starch granules in the seeds
