Behind the sweet taste and delicious to eat, there are many benefits of cempedak that we can get. Various nutritional content in cempedak makes this fruit very good for consumption to maintain health.
Cempedak (Artocarpus integer) is one type of fruit that is easily found in Indonesia. At first glance this fruit is very similar to jackfruit. The difference is, the size of the cempedak fruit tends to be smaller, sweeter, savory, and softer than the jackfruit.
Not only as a delicious meal, cempedak is a natural source of energy and is often used to improve health as well as treat various diseases.
Cempedak Nutrition Content
In 100 grams of cempedak contained about 115 calories. Here are a variety of nutrients that are in cempedak:
- 25 grams of carbohydrates
- 2.5 grams of protein
- 0.4 grams fat
- 3.5 grams of fiber
- 40 milligrams of calcium
- 1 milligram of iron
- 18 milligrams of vitamin C
Cempedak fruit also contains vitamin B1, vitamin B2, as well as various antioxidant compounds, such as flavonoids, carotene and xanthones. One of the unique types of flavonoids possessed by cempedak is the compound artoindonesianin.
Various Benefits of Cempedak
Thanks to its nutritional content, there are many health benefits of cempedak, including:
1. Treating malaria
Cempedak fruit extract is well known as an effective malaria drug. This benefit comes from the content of the compound artoindonesianin along with other natural antioxidants that are in the flesh of the cempedak fruit.
In a study, it was proven that cempedak fruit extract can kill the parasite that causes malaria, namely: Plasmodium falciparum. However, the use of cempedak fruit as the main malaria drug is still not safe to do.
2. Reduce the risk of cancer
Artoindonesianin compounds in cempedak fruit can kill malaria parasites because of its cytotoxic (cell-killing) activity. With the same activity, this property is also thought to have a similar effect on cancer cells.
A study showed that the compound artoindonesianin has the potential to inhibit leukemia blood cancer cells. However, the mechanism of action of this compound is not yet known so that it cannot be developed further.
3. Reducing the risk of heart disease
The next benefit of cempedak is to reduce the risk of heart disease. This is because cempedak fruit is rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and antioxidants that have a major role in heart health.
These nutrients are able to prevent high blood pressure (hypertension) and reduce levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood, which are the 2 main risk factors for heart disease.
4. Maintain digestive health
Cempedak is useful for maintaining digestive health. The fiber content in cempedak is known to improve the work of the intestines in absorbing nutrients and maintaining the balance of good bacteria (probiotics) in the intestines.
In addition to fiber, the benefits of this one cempedak are also supported by the content of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants xanthones which is known to improve the health of the digestive system, for example by helping to heal digestive tract ulcers.
5. Control blood sugar levels
The benefits of cempedak do not only come from the flesh of the fruit, but also from the seeds. Cempedak seeds are known to be processed into flour and used as an alternative to wheat flour.
Compared to regular flour, cempedak seed flour has more fiber and nutrients, and has a lower glycemic index than bread flour. That way, cempedak seed flour can be a healthier choice, especially for people with diabetes or obesity.
Given the delicious taste, the various benefits of cempedak above are certainly a pity to miss. However, to get it, you have to pay attention to the portion of cempedak consumption and how to process it.
In Indonesia, cempedak is often served fried with flour dough. This way of serving cempedak will actually increase the content of cholesterol, fat, sugar, and the glycemic index, thereby eliminating the benefits of cempedak itself.
Consuming cempedak directly will be more beneficial for health and certainly more practical. If you want to try a new menu, you can make it into a mixture for juice, toppings for oatmeal, or a snack with dark chocolate.
In addition to eating cempedak, don't forget to complete your nutritional needs by eating a variety of other nutritious foods.
If you still have questions about the health benefits of cempedak and how to add this fruit to your diet, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.
