Passion fruit (lat. Passiflora edulis) or “passion fruit” is a tropical fruit with a specific taste and appearance. It is about the size of a kiwi, but has an egg shape and wrinkled skin. According to the color of its peel, passion fruit can be red, purple, green and yellow, or golden, as it is also called. The yellow passion fruit is the most famous and can grow up to the size of a grapefruit, while the purple passion fruit is smaller than a lemon. Passion fruit is known for its specific aromatic smell that is unlike any other fruit.
This fruit originates from South America, but today it is grown in almost all exotic regions where there is no cold and frost. Colombia, Brazil, India, the Caribbean, Indonesia, Florida, California, Australia and Mexico are just some of the parts of the world where this precious tropical fruit thrives. What is characteristic is that passion fruit has a different name in each country. Today, some varieties of passion fruit can thrive in our country.
Below you can find out more about this fruit, how passion fruit is eaten and what medicinal properties it has.
How to eat?
Passion fruit is eaten fresh, by first cutting it in half, and then scooping it out with a spoon and eating it. The entire inner part of the passion fruit is edible. Ripe passion fruit can be stored for several days in the refrigerator. However, passion fruit is most often consumed in the form of juice. You can make passion fruit juice yourself very easily. Just take 5-6 ripe passion fruits and cut them in two, then scoop out the inside of the fruits and put them in a blender. Then, pour 1/3 of the water into the blender and mix until the black seeds separate from the meat, but make sure not to grind the seeds.
Then, strain the juice through cheesecloth to separate the seeds from each other. Usually, the passion fruit juice obtained in this way is mixed with lemon juice and sour water. If desired, you can add more water or sugar, then put the juice in the refrigerator. Passion fruit juice is extremely refreshing and is an ideal choice during hot summer days. Due to its sweet taste, passion fruit is often added to fruit salads, ice creams, pies and cakes, giving it an irresistible exotic taste. There is also passion fruit oil, as well as some alcoholic beverages.
Medicinal properties of passion fruit
The passion fruit is very juicy and contains seeds. Passion fruit has many medicinal properties and therefore has been used since ancient times as a medicine for many diseases. Namely, passion fruit contains vitamin C, which is essential when it comes to human health. Passion fruit also contains vitamin A, fiber and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Passion fruit leaves are also medicinal and tea is often made from them, which helps in the treatment of epilepsy and insomnia. In addition, passion fruit has properties that relieve nervousness, stress, anxiety and depression, so it has a calming effect on the entire body. Then, passion fruit lowers high blood pressure and the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, and improves digestion. Regular use of passion fruit juice will solve problems with constipation and flatulence.
Also, research has shown that this fruit protects the mucous membrane of the large intestine from various carcinogenic substances. Passion fruit juice is also good for treating stomach ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems. In that case, it is recommended to drink 1 dl of this juice every two hours. Then, passion fruit can be very beneficial for your skin and hair. Thanks to the beta carotene found in this fruit, skin regeneration and the creation of new healthy cells are encouraged. Vitamin C is known to fight free radicals and prevent premature aging of the skin. Thanks to the rich vitamins and minerals, passion fruit also has a beneficial effect on the hair and makes it shiny, strong and silky. You can make a quality hair mask from this fruit.
