Amazing Health Benefits of Passion Fruit And Nutritional Value

What is a Passion Fruit?

Passiflora edulis is a vine species of passion flower that is native to southern Brazil through Paraguay and northern Argentina. Its common names include passion fruit or passion fruit (English), maracujá (Portuguese) maracuyá or parcha (Spanish), grenadille or fruit de la passion (French) or lilikoʻi (Hawaiian) and mburukuja (Guaraní).

It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its sweet, seedy fruit. The passion fruit is a pepo, a type of berry, round to oval, either yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with numerous seeds.The fruit is both eaten and juiced; passion fruit juice is often added to other fruit juices to enhance aroma.

Passion fruits contains significant levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B2, copper and alpha-carotene. These nutrients help to stimulate digestion, improve vision, aid sleep, protect the heart, strengthen bones, reduce stomach inflammation, boost the immune system, support circulation, lower blood pressure, aid weight loss, and optimize brain function.

History Of Passion Fruit

While the origin of the Passion Fruit plant is unknown, it is generally believed to be native to Brazil where 16th Century Spanish Catholics named it “Flor de las cinco llagas” or “flower of the five wounds” after its distinctive purple flower. Today, about 400 years later, passion fruit is grown nearly everywhere in the tropical belt but known by a variety of different names. Its common name is Maracuya in Ecuador and Brazil, Parcha in Venezuela, Lilikoi in Hawaii, and Chinola or Parchita in Puerto Rico.

Passion Fruit was introduced into Hawaii in 1880 and it quickly became popular in home gardens. It naturalized in Hawaii’s almost perfect climate and, by 1930, could be found wild on all the islands of the Hawaiian chain. In 1951, the University of Hawaii chose passion fruit as the most promising crop for agricultural development and undertook a program to create an industry for production of quick-frozen passion fruit juice concentrate. By 1958 the plantings had expanded to cover 490 hectares and the industry was rather well established.

Long-term success was not to be however. Viruses damaging the vines, high labor costs, and the rapidly increasing value of land combined to wipe out this young industry. Today, there are no more commercial passion fruit plantations left in Hawaii but the fruit’s unique flavor remains deeply rooted in the taste preferences of the Hawaiian people. Large quantities of passion fruit juice and concentrate are shipped to Hawaii every year. It is thought, as a matter of fact, that Hawaii may well have the highest per capita consumption of passion fruit juice in the world.

Australia is another area of high passion fruit consumption, again, due to history and familiarity. Passion fruit flourished there before 1900 in what had been banana fields. It attained great importance until 1943 when the vines were devastated by a widespread virus. Although some plantations have been rebuilt, they can not produce enough passion fruit to satisfy the demand and imports make up the balance.

It is in South America that most of the world’s passion fruit is currently grown. Starting in the mid 1950’s, passion fruit cultivation became widespread in Colombia and Venezuela. Later it spread to Ecuador. Today, South America, and particularly Ecuador, is the main exporter of passion fruit concentrate to the Western World.

When compared to huge crops like banana (estimated 45 million MT per year), the production of passion fruit is miniscule…only an estimated 640,000 MT. The market for fresh fruit is almost nonexistent in the U.S. although this may change as consumers reach out for new, different, and more exotic fruit and produce. In Brazil however, fresh passion fruit is immensely popular. The demand is so strong that although they grow much of their own fruit, they have had to import additional supplies, primarily from Ecuador, in recent years. In Brazil, the fruit is used in fresh beverages made both at home and in “stalls” or juice stands popular throughout the country.

Because of its unique, intense, aromatic flavor characteristics, passion fruit is a “natural” ingredient for juice blends. It has also been described as a natural concentrate and it blends so well with other juice flavors. In Germany, one of the largest juice consuming countries in the world, passion fruit concentrate and banana puree constitute the base of almost every “multivitamin” juice produced. These “multivitamin” juices are second only to apple juice in popularity among Germans.

Types of Passion Fruit

There are several passion fruit varieties for commercial purposes in the market. The most common of them are the purple and the yellow type. If you want something exclusive and unique, orange passion fruits exist as well.

Without wasting time, let’s take a look at these varieties one at a time.

1. The yellow passion fruit varieties

The yellow form has a more vigorous vine and generally larger fruit than the purple, but the pulp of the purple is less acid, richer in aroma and flavor, and has a higher proportion of juice-35-38%.

The yellow passion fruit is suitable for low altitudes such as coastal lowlands. It’s more hardy and vigorous as compared to the purple passion. The fruit is bigger with a diameter of 5-7 cm, relatively acidic and used for juice extraction.

• Produces higher yields at lower elevations due to relatively warm temperatures.
• The fruit is bigger than the purple variety, with a weight of 60 – 65 grams per fruit. The fruits are round in shape with yellow spots and turns from green to golden yellow when ripe.
• This variety is less susceptible to pests and diseases (High tolerance) and sometimes it’s used as a rootstalk for other varieties.

There are also other varieties within the yellow type specific to different regions across the globe. They include:

• ‘Yee Selection’–yellow, round, very attractive, highly disease-resistant, but fruit has thick rind and low yield of juice which is of very good flavor.
• ‘University Round Selection’–Hawaiian crosses of ‘Waimanalo’ and ‘Yee’–fruit smaller than ‘Yee’; not as attractive but yields 10% more juice of very good flavor.
• ‘Sevcik Selection’–a golden form of the yellow selected in Hawaii; a heavy bearer, but subject to brown rot and the juice has a peculiar woody flavor.
• ‘Kapoho Selection’–a cross of ‘Sevcik’ and other yellow strains in Hawaii. A heavy bearer of large fruits but subject to brown rot; many fruits contain little or no pulp and the juice has the off-flavor of ‘Sevcik.’
• ‘University Selection No. B-74’–a Hawaiian hybrid between ‘Pratt’ and ‘C-77’, usually yellow, occasionally with red tinges; resembles ‘Waimanalo’; has good juice yield and very good flavor.

2. The purple passion fruit varieties

• Produces better at higher elevations (cool temperatures). The variety is suitable for areas with an altitude of 1100 to 2500m above sea level. The fruit has an aromatic flavor with a diameter of 4-5 cm.
• The purple fruit weighs approximately 35-50 grams with a diameter of 5 cm and it has a round shape.
• They turn from green to deep purple colour when ripe.
• Average juice content of between 30-35%.
• It’s acidic but has a strong aromatic scent. It also varies in taste and juice contents.
• The variety has the best ever known nutrient and flavour content.

​Other Variants of the purple passion fruit

1. Misty Gems – Known to be the tastiest of all the Passionfruit varieties, the pulp varies in colour from bright yellow to pumpkin colour and has many small, hard, black, seeds. The inside wall of the Misty Gem is white. The flavour is refreshing, guava-like and tangy.
2. Sweethearts – blackish in colour and very sweet.
3. Panamas – A hybrid passionfruit that is vigorous and more tropical than the black.
4. ‘Australian Purple’, or ‘Nelly Kelly’–a purple selection of mild, sweet flavor, grown in Australia and Hawaii.
5. ‘Common Purple’–the form growing naturalized in Hawaii; thick-skinned, with small seed cavity, but of fine flavor and low acidity.
6. ‘Pratt Hybrid’–apparently a natural cross between the ‘Common Purple’ and a yellow strain; subject to rot, but juice is of fine color and flavor, low in acid.
7. ‘Waimanalo Selection’–consists of 4 strains: ‘C-54’, ‘C-77’, ‘C-80’, of similar size, shape, color and very good flavor, and ‘C-39’ as pollinator.

​3. KARI Passion Fruit Varieties

Over the recent past, a few more passion varieties have been developed and are set to be released into the market. These varieties possess superior qualities than their conventional counterparts. They are bigger, sweeter, juicier, and more tolerant to pest and diseases. The commercial breeds have been developed by Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). The varieties are;

1. KPF4 which is the sweetest among the three.

2. KPF11 – Yields much higher than KPF4

3. KPF12 – Also yield higher than KPF4.

​4. Sweet passion fruit

Sweet passion variety is one of the best tasting passion fruit in the world. The hard-shelled orange-yellow fruit is of excellent quality and has a white aromatic pulp. Production begins in 2 to 3 years. You can easily recognize the vine by their heart shaped leaves. Prefers sheltered conditions. Frost tender when young. It prefers cooler conditions for optimum and elevations of above 1500m.

The fruit is of excellent flavor and turns from blue to orange-brown at the time of ripening. The whitish, aromatic pulp is enclosed in a hard shell, which can stand transportation without damage.

​5. Giant passion fruit

Giant green to yellow passion fruit reaching over one foot in diameter. Pulp is not as flavorful as the common passion fruit, but still tasty and often eaten or used in drinks. It requires tropical climate and grows best from 1700m above sea level.

It grows to a length of 30m and fruits turn from green to yellow when mature. Fruits are eaten fresh and appearance resembles a vegetable marrow. Almost always grown from seeds, but can be propagated by cuttings. Bottom heating the seeds at 70-80F can result in germination at 1-2 weeks, at lower temperatures seeds can take up to 10 weeks to germinate.

It is recommended to pretreat Passiflora seeds before planting. They contain a hard seed coat and are very slow to sprout. There are various pretreatment methods, but the simplest is to soak the seeds for 24-48 hours in warm to the touch water, just prior to planting.

Optionally, seeds can be lightly scarified with sand paper to provide some permeation on the seed coat. Once pretreated, plant seeds 1/2-1″ deep in moist, sterile soil. Keep soil temperature consistent at 70-85F, with some day/variation in this range. Cool soils will significantly delay seed germination time if not inhibit germination altogether. Standard room temperature can be too cool for proper germination.

​6. Banana passion fruit

Banana passionfruit is the fruit of several plants in the genus Passiflora, and is therefore related to the passion fruit. They look somewhat like a straight, small banana with rounded ends. Grows at higher elevations, colder conditions above 1500mm above sea level. It also has an edible pulp. Banana passionfruit is used as rootstock for grafting the passionfruit varieties more commonly grown for food, especially in climates too cool for productive passionfruit growing.

Regrowth from beneath the graft is one means of its outbreak as a weed, so growers should be vigilant for sprouting low on the main stem or from around the base of the plant, and should pull up and discard the plant when (typically after 6–9 years) the grafted passion fruit is no longer productive.

Nutritional Value Of Passion Fruit

That long list of health benefits commonly attributed to passion fruit is due to the nutrient, mineral, and vitamin content of the fruit, which includes antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, fiber, and protein. The percentages of many of the vitamins and minerals are shockingly high, and passion fruit is a great addition to the diet that can result in a number of amazing health benefits.

Passion fruit is a good source of nutrients, especially fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A. A single purple passion fruit of about 18 grams contains:

Calories: 17
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin C: 9% of the RDI
Vitamin A: 8% of the RDI
Iron: 2% of the RDI
Potassium: 2% of the RDI

This may not seem like much, but these are the values for a single, small fruit that contains only 17 calories. Calorie for calorie, it’s a good source of fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A. It’s also rich in beneficial plant compounds, including carotenoids and polyphenols.

In fact, one analysis found that passion fruit was richer in polyphenols than many other tropical fruits, including banana, lychee, mango, papaya and pineapple. Additionally, passion fruit contains a small amount of iron. Your body doesn’t usually absorb iron from plants very well. However, the iron in passion fruit comes with a lot of vitamin C, which is known to enhance iron’s absorption.

PRINCIPLE	NUTRIENT VALUE	PERCENTAGE OF RDA
Energy	97 Kcal	5%
Carbohydrates	23.38 g	18%
Protein	2.20 g	4%
Total Fat	0.70 g	3%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	10.40 g	27%
VITAMINS
Folates	14 µg	3%
Niacin	1.500 mg	9%
Pyridoxine	0.100 mg	8%
Riboflavin	0.130 mg	10%
Thiamin	0.00 mg	0%
Vitamin A	1274 IU	43%
Vitamin C	30 mg	50%
Vitamin E	0.02 µg	<1%
Vitamin K	0.7 mg	0.5%
ELECTROLYTES
Sodium	0 mg	0%
Potassium	348 mg	7%
MINERALS
Calcium	12 mg	1.2%
Copper	0.086 mg	9.5%
Iron	1.60 mg	20%
Magnesium	29 mg	7%
Phosphorus	68 mg	10%
Selenium	0.6 µg	1%
Zinc	0.10 µg	1%
PHYTO-NUTRIENTS
Carotene-ß	743 µg	—
Crypto-xanthin-ß	41 µg	—
Lycopene	0 µg	—

It’s a Good Source of Dietary Fiber

A single 18-gram serving of passion fruit contains around 2 grams of fiber, most of which is soluble fiber. This is quite a large amount for such a small fruit. Fiber is important for keeping your gut healthy and preventing constipation, yet most people don’t eat enough of it. Soluble fiber helps slow the digestion of your food, which can prevent blood sugar spikes.

Diets that are high in fiber are also associated with a lower risk of diseases including heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Rich Source of Vitamins

Although passion fruit is a rich source of vitamin C, the vitamin A present in the fruit along with many phenolic and flavonoids act as a cancer-fighting element. This vitamin offers incredible benefits to the eyes and also provides a wide range of other advantages. If you have a family history of eye diseases then use passion fruit in your diet to prevent many eye conditions such as night blindness, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Rich in Vitamin A

Aside from its cancer-protective qualities, vitamin A is also linked to benefits in eye health, including the prevention of macular degeneration, cataracts, and night blindness. Furthermore, a high antioxidant content of passion fruit is helpful in reducing wrinkles, and promotes the proper functioning of membranes throughout the body, including the skin, to keep it hydrated and glowing!

Low In Calories

It is also recommended to reduce aging signs such as wrinkles. It keeps the skin hydrated and guarantees a healthy looking skin in the later years of your life. People who eat passion fruit rarely have dull looking skin.Low in Calories
If you’re a calorie counter, you’re going to want to add passion fruit to your grocery cart. One little fruit, which is about the size of a plum, has only 20 calories. You can easily enjoy five pieces of the tropical fruit without breaking your calorie bank.

Plant Compounds That Make It Special

Many diseases can prevent with a healthy diet. About 30% – 40% of cancers can be avoided just by including healthy foods in the diet. Passion fruits are healthy fruits loaded with active antioxidants and

Nicotinic acid: In study, it was found to increase healthy HDL cholesterol and lower serum TC, triglycerides (TG) and LDL cholesterol. It is heart-friendly antioxidants and protects from heart diseases.
Riboflavin: Studies found that lower Riboflavin intake increases the risk Anemia.
Carotenoids: Dietary carotenoids protect from cancer and responsible for healthy eyes.
ß-carotene: ß-carotene is potent antioxidants that protect from cancer and aging. It is required for healthy heart and eyes. It also reduces the risk of lung cancer in smokers.
Cryptoxanthin-ß: It is found to reduce the risk of lung cancer by 30%. Apart from, it is a strong antioxidant. So it has multiple benefits like protecting from radicals.

How to Eat Passion Fruit

To eat this tropical fruit, you need to slice or rip open the rind to expose the colorful, juicy flesh and seeds. When they are open, passion fruits look like this: The seeds are edible, so you can eat them together with the colorful flesh and juice. The white film separating the rind from the flesh is also edible, but most people don’t eat it since it’s very bitter.

Passion fruit is a very versatile fruit and can be used in a variety of ways. Many people enjoy the fruit raw and eat it straight out of the rind. Some of the more popular ways to use passion fruit include:

Drinks: It can be squeezed through a sieve to make juice, added to cocktails or used to make a cordial to flavor water, like this.
Desserts: It is often used as a topping or flavoring for cakes and desserts, like this cheesecake or this mousse.
On salads: It can be used to add a crunchy texture and sweet flavor to salads like this one.
In yogurts: Mix it with natural yogurt to make a delicious snack.

Health Benefits of Passion Fruit

1. Boosts Immunity

Passion fruit contains antioxidants which includes vitamin C, carotene and cryptoxanthin which scavenge free radicals from the body and neutralize them before they can harm the organ systems and result in conditions like cancer, heart disease, or premature aging. Furthermore, vitamin C stimulates the activity of white blood cells and the rest of the immune defense system, thereby protecting you from common illnesses and serious diseases at the same time.

2. Prevents Cancer

Antioxidants in passion fruit primarily eliminate free radicals, which are known for mutating the DNA of healthy cells into cancerous ones. Passion fruit also contains vitamin A, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, all of which have been linked to anti-cancer properties, particularly in terms of oral and lung cancers.

3.Eye Health

Passion fruit contains Vitamin A which is linked with eye health, including the prevention of macular degeneration, cataracts, and night blindness.

4. Aids in Digestion

Passion fruit is a good surce of soluble fiber which acts as a bulk laxative, moving food through the digestive tract and reducing exposure time of the colon to any toxins. It can reduce signs of constipation by regulating bowel movements, scrubbing the blood vessels clean of excess cholesterol, and even preventing gastrointestinal conditions like colorectal cancer.

5. Reduces Blood Pressure

Passion fruits contain potassium which relaxes the tension of blood vessels and promotes increased blood flow. This reduces the strain on the heart and increases overall cardiovascular health. Furthermore, potassium is necessary to maintain the proper fluid balance of the body’s cells.

6. Improves Circulation

Passion fruits contain iron and copper that are essential components of red blood cell production. Once the RBC count increases and the vessels are dilated, then healthy, oxygenated blood can flow freely to necessary areas of the body, stimulating the metabolic activity in all the organ systems and boosting productivity and efficiency.

7. Improves Bone Health

Passion fruit contains iron, copper, magnesium and phosphorus which are important for increasing bone mineral density and bone strength. Some of these minerals play an integral role in creating additional bone matter, strengthening existing bone matter, and speeding up repair. This can be a means of eliminating, preventing or alleviating the symptoms of osteoporosis and the associated pain and inflammation that occurs when bones deteriorate with age and activity.

8. Treats Insomnia

Passion fruit contains harman which functions as a sedative. This compound of passion fruit has been connected to a reduction in restlessness, insomnia, and nervous anxiety, which can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep.

9. Aids in Respiratory Conditions

Recent studies have shown that a combination of various extracts from the purple passion fruit peel creates a novel mixture of bioflavonoids, which have an expectorant, sedative, and soothing effect on the respiratory system. It has been positively connected to a reduction in asthma attacks, wheezing, and whooping cough.

10. Skin Care and Hair Care

Passion fruit contains vitamin B2, vitamin B6, A and C which can help prevent hair loss and dandruff, as well as inflammatory conditions on the skin, such as psoriasis and eczema.

11. Treats Gastrointestinal Disorders

It serves as a great laxative to keep your digestive track in good shape. This is why it is also helpful in preventing colon cancer. It relieves constipation and scrubs excess of cholesterol from your blood vessels to prevent a large number of gastrointestinal conditions.

12. Reduces Bad Cholesterol

It is quite a challenge to maintain good cholesterol levels. Bad cholesterol not only causes fluctuations in the blood pressure, but it also blocks the arteries to increase the stress on your heart. Hence, if you want to reduce your cholesterol levels the healthy way, include passion fruit into your diet. Since, it naturally increases HDL and lowers LDL, you can make it a regular component of your diet for a healthy life.

13. A Natural Mood Enhancer

There is another benefit of the beneficial alkaloids that are present in passion fruit that affect the entire nervous system. It is a natural mood enhancer. People who feel low or are depressed are recommended to consume passion fruit, thanks to its healing benefits.

14. Aids Diabetes Treatment

The low glycemic index (GI) and high fiber content of the fruit make it a hit with diabetics. The fruit is also rich in pectin, a type of fiber that keeps you full without increasing your calorie intake. The sugar in the fruit is slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, and this prevents sugar crashes and cravings. Studies show how the fiber in passion fruit can be used as a treatment for diabetes mellitus.

15. Improves Brain Health And Reduces Anxiety

The potassium and folate in passion fruit are responsible for this. While the former enhances blood flow and cognition, the latter prevents Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. Some sources state that the fruit can also help reduce anxiety.

16. Is Beneficial During Pregnancy

The folate in passion fruit helps in the growth and development of the fetus and prevents neural tube defects in infants. The fruit also boosts immunity and bone health during pregnancy.

17. Might Aid Weight Loss

Though there is less research on this, some studies suggest that the fiber in the fruit can help one lose weight.

18. Passion Fruit Keep Anemia Risk Away

The red color of our blood is due to a pigment called hemoglobin whose chief content is Iron. Hemoglobin carries out the main function of blood which is transporting blood to all parts of our body. When doctors talk about the low level of blood, it usually refers to a deficiency of hemoglobin called Anemia. Anemia is not a serious condition, but if it remains unchecked and undiagnosed for long, it can lead to very serious consequences.

Usual symptoms of low hemoglobin include persistent tiredness, breathlessness, drowsiness, blackouts and dizziness. Passion fruit contains a high amount of iron which is 20% of daily required value along with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is vital for absorption of iron in the body. It prevents loss of iron and increases hemoglobin in the blood.

Passion Fruit Juice

Passion fruit, also known as purple granadilla, is an egg shaped fruit with wrinkle skin and green pulp-like flesh. This fruit is widely grown in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Due to its distinct aroma and sweet taste, it is primarily used for juicing. This juice is also frequently added to other fruit drinks, ice-creams, cakes, sodas etc to impart flavour. Besides cooling the body in summers, passion fruit juice has several health benefits as it is highly nutritious.

While purple passion fruit is high in vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B2 and copper; yellow passion fruit generally has a higher nutritional value and contains alpha-carotene. Yellow passion fruits are normally used for juice processing. Passion fruit juice has a bright yellow or orange colour and a strong exotic flavour.

How To make Passion Fruit Juice

This is one of the easiest and tastiest juices with excellent cooling effect. Before proceeding to extract the juice, ensure that you wash the passion fruit properly because sometimes its skin is covered with edible wax to prevent moisture loss. This delicious refreshing drink can be prepared within 15-20 minutes by following the given steps.

1. Take 5 or 6 ripe yellow passion fruits. Make sure that they are crinkly but not rotten.
2. Cut the fruit lengthwise and use the tip of the spoon to scoop out the flesh and place it in the blender.
3. Add thrice the amount of water and run the blender for a minute so that the black seeds get separated from the jelly. The mixture should not be over blended otherwise the seeds might break up.
4. Now filter the mixture into a jug through a sieve to separate the seeds and squeeze every drop.
5. Again add thrice the amount of cold water and sugar or sugar substitute to taste. You can taste the juice to find out if more water needs to be added.
6. Pour the juice through a funnel into a jug or a bottle and cool. 5 passion fruits can be used for making around 2 ½ liters of juice.
7. Enjoy this juice with ice or with a cocktail. This juice can last for 5 days when stored in a refrigerator.
8. This juice can be made even without a blender by sieving the fruit with a fork into a jug.
9. Sometimes, while storing, the juice and water might separate. In that case just shake the bottle or stir the juice to mix it again.

Passion Fruit Juice Benefits For Health:

Since the passion fruit is rich in vitamins and other vital nutrients, there are several health benefits of drinking passion fruit juice. A cup of raw passion fruit juice provides around 1771 IU of vitamin A and 1035 mcg beta carotene whereas raw yellow passion fruit juice contains 2329 IU of vitamin A and 1297 mcg of beta carotene. Some of the health benefits of passion fruit juice are as follows.

1. A glass of passion fruit juice acts as an excellent coolant. Due to its refreshing cool taste, it can cure burning sensation in the stomach. It helps relax your nerves and mind, making you feel calm.

2. Passion fruit juice is a laxative food which aids bowel action. It is beneficial in digestive problemsand for those suffering from constipation. It is an excellent remedy for the treatment of hyperacidity, gastric and duodenal ulcers when taken in doses of 4 to 6 ounces every 2 hours.

3. Passion fruit juice contains alkaloids which have blood pressure lowering, sedative and antispasmodic action.

4. Passion fruit juice is rich in beta carotene which is responsible for the yellow and purple colour of passion fruits. It is also called pro-vitamin A as it is converted to vitamin A in the liver. Being an antioxidant, it helps prevent cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure.

5. Beta carotene contained in it promotes bone and tooth development, repairs body tissues and benefits the eyes besides reducing the risk of arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, infertility and depression. Moreover, beta-carotene is a non-toxic form of vitamin A as excess of vitamin A can be toxic.

6. Passion fruit is rich in vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate and choline. Drinking passion fruit juice is beneficial as these B vitamins support the mucus membranes in the digestive tract as well as mental health and brain function. Apart from this, they lower cholesterol level and improve circulation.

7. Passion fruit juice has a calming effect on the nervous and hence is beneficial for insomnia patients. A glass of passion fruit juice before going to bed can facilitate peaceful sleep.

8. Being extremely nutritious and healthy, this juice can soothe asthma attacks. It contains vitamin C which helps in blocking histamine that causes asthma symptoms.

9. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps the body prevent and fight against diseases and infections. It also speeds up wound healing by facilitating the repair of tissues.

10. It also contains the mineral potassium in abundance. Potassium is vital for the proper functioning of the kidneys and muscle contractions and particularly beneficial for smokers, vegetarians and athletes.

11. Passion fruit juice can aid in weight loss as fruit is low in calories (97 calories per 100 g), sodium and fat. Moreover, it is rich in carbohydrates and natural sugars which enable the human body to recover quickly from a workout as the energy levels are replenished. It also lowers the cholesterol levels.

Passion Fruit Juice Benefits For Skin:

This nutritious refreshing drink can be beneficial for the skin in many ways as it is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and other nutrients vital to skin health.

12. Vitamin A, particularly beta carotene contained in this fruit juice is required for healthy skin, cell growth and reproduction.

13. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that provides protection against free radical damage, thus preventing pre-mature aging and keeping your immune system strong.

Hair Benefits Of Passion Fruit Juice:

14. Maintenance of healthy hair depends upon the delivery of oxygen and essential nutrients from the circulatory system to the hair follicles. Healthy hair are directly associated with a healthy body and hair problems are a result of nutritional deficiencies or prolonged illness.

15. As stated earlier, passion fruit is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and minerals like copper and potassium which support healthy hair. Thus, drinking passion fruit juice can be beneficial for your hair and help in warding off hair problems.

Selection and Storage Of Passion Fruit

Passion fruits can be available year around in the supermarkets in the United States. In other parts of the world, their availability is seasonal and varies accordingly. In New Zealand, the passion fruit season begins from January, and peaks in April. In the stores, buy fruits that are well ripe, plump and heavy for their size. Fruits with wrinkle surface are more flavorful and rich in sugar.

Avoid overtly mature fruits. Minor cuts and spots are common on the skin. Such small abrasions on the fruit surface usually do not influence the quality of the fruit. Once at home, keep them in fruit basket and place in a cool dark place where they stay well for 1-2 days. Ripe fruits may be maintained in the refrigerator for up to one week. Additionally, passion fruit freezes well. Simply scoop the pulp into a bowl, add a little sugar, and freeze in the chiller tray.

Preparation And Serving Method

Wash fruit in cold water and pat dry them using a soft cloth or paper. Cut the fruit lengthwise into two halves. Then, scoop out the juicy pulp with a spoon. Discard the tough shell. Passion fruits have a unique tart pleasant flavor, and sweet taste. Purple passion fruits are smaller but more flavorful than yellow-golden passions.

Here are some serving tips:

• Passion fruit can be enjoyed fresh, especially when the fruit is well ripe. Just scoop out its juicy pulp using a spoon. Its tough shell, anyhow, is inedible.
• Their juicy pulp can also be enjoyed as a refreshing intra-day drink.
• Passions add a distinct flavor to fruit salads.
• Passions used in the preparation of sauce, jellies, and syrups.
• It employed in various recipes like passion fruit mousse, ice-cream, pizza, desserts, cakes, mousse…etc.

Passion Fruit Recipe

Peach and Passion Fruit Pavlova Roll

Peach and Passion Fruit Pavlova Roll

Pavlova is an Australian favourite. It is delicious and colourful too.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 4 eggwhites
• 1/2 cup flaked almonds
• 300 ml thickened cream
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar mixture
• 400 g tub sliced peaches in juice, drained, chopped
• 2 passion fruit, halved icing sugar, to serve

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 25 cm x 30 cm Swiss roll pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2 cm overhang on all sides. Place a second sheet of baking paper on a flat surface. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon caster sugar.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add remaining caster sugar. Beat for 10 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Spread mixture over prepared pan. Smooth top. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 10 minutes or until top just starts to brown.

3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat cream and icing sugar until stiff peaks form. Pat peaches dry with paper towel.

4. Turn meringue onto prepared baking paper. Remove lining paper. Cool for 30 minutes. Spread with cream mixture. Top with peaches and passion fruit pulp. Roll up meringue from one long end to enclose filling. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

How To Grow Passion Fruits

Passion fruit, a climbing vine, is a versatile crop whose demand is growing in both export and domestic markets. The fruit can be eaten fresh or consumed after extracting the pulp and making juice. The juice is used in a variety of products and the pulp may be added to different dishes. A wide range of cosmetic products and food flavours are derived from the fruit that is rich in Vitamins A and C and carotene.

Varieties

Yellow and purple types exist. Purple varieties do better at higher altitudes than the yellow types. Yellow types, on the other hand, tend to yield higher and are more resistant to diseases. The purple variety is acidic, varies in taste and juiciness with intense aromatic scent and round in shape. The yellow variety is bigger, with similar taste but possibly less aromatic, more acidic and is also round in shape. Both varieties are green before ripening, and they are grown for commercial and domestic purposes.

Ecological requirements

Passion fruits do well in a wide range of altitudes from 1,200 m to 1,800 m above sea level East of the Rift Valley and up to 2,000 m above sea level West of the Rift valley. Optimum temperature for purple passion fruit is between 180 C to 250 C and 250 C to 300 C for yellow passion fruit while the rainfall should be well-distributed, between 900 mm to 2,000 mm per year.

Excess rainfall causes poor fruit set and encourages diseases mainly leaf and fruit rusts. For good production, passion fruits do well in a variety of soils, which should be reasonably deep and fertile with soil pH ranging between 6.0 and 6.5.

In high rainfall areas, the soils should be well-drained as plants will not withstand waterlogging or flooding. Some passion fruit enterprises that were doing well in Uasin Gishu County some five years ago collapsed because of soil acidity (pH < 5.0), which reduces nutrient uptake and accelerates Fusarium wilt disease that causes rotting of roots and stems finally drying of the whole plant. Farmers are encouraged to apply manure and lime in the holes and whole field to reduce the soil acidity effects.

Planting and trellising

Passion fruit can be grown from seeds but grafting often produces improved stock. Yellow passion fruit is best for production of root stock because of superior disease resistance while purple is good for fruit production. Seeds germinate in four weeks after removal of the pulp and drying. Production of seedlings in plastic bags is the most used method.

Up to three seeds are planted in each bag and then thinned to one after emergence. Seedlings will require up to four months to reach a suitable transplanting growth stage. After about seven weeks of growth following transplanting, each plant should have up to four healthy lateral stems.

Transplanting should be done at the beginning of the rainy season around April-June. Passion fruit has deep roots, so soils should be well-tilled. Transplant to a field with posts having wire trellis to support the growing crop and fruits produced.

The vines are usually directed so that growth is in both directions along the supporting wires. Yields are highest following a regular fertilization regime. Old or dead shoots should be pruned. Inter-cropping with vegetables or other annuals is recommended to utilize free space especially when the crop is young. Once established, the vines grow rapidly and the fruit should flower after about seven months. Ideally, young passion vines should be set in the field early in the growing season after there is no danger of drought.

Passion vines are planted 2 m from one row to the other and 3 m from one plant to the other. Horizontal trellises have cross-pieces at the top of each post with two to four wires strung horizontally 60 cm apart along the top of each cross-piece. Vertical trellises consist of heavy posts without cross-pieces, with two to three wires strung along the row like barbed wire fencing, attached to the posts from the top down at intervals of about 30-40 cm apart.

Trellis wires should be size 9 or 10 galvanised steel. The posts need to be stout enough to withstand the weight of the vines and fruits produced throughout a season that normally includes the buffeting of strong winds. Ideally, they should be long enough to provide a trellis height of 1.5m, with 45-75cm in the ground. Trellis rows should be oriented north-south for maximum exposure to sunlight, and the vines should be allowed to grow together along the trellises to promote cross-pollination.

Fertilizer application

At planting, use 175 g of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) and one ‘debe’ (about 20 kg) of farmyard manure and mix well. To obtain high yields, regular fertilization is necessary. Apply 300 g of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) per plant per year in two applications of 150 g each during rainy season. Spraying with foliar feeds and trace elements is also recommended.

Crop protection

Weeding is essential when the plants are first transplanted. Disease is usually sufficiently controlled by crop rotation as plantations are not kept for more than three years.

Infected plant material should be pruned and destroyed and vines kept as open as possible to allow thorough application of sprays. Diseases can also be controlled by combination of good management, good orchard hygiene, and a suitable spray programme. Pests lower fruit quality and should be controlled by regularly checking the areas around the orchard for signs of build-up. If necessary, spray to control the pests before they spread to the crop.

Harvest

When ready for harvesting, the skin of the fruit is deep purple or yellow. Its pulpy interior is bright yellow, filled with small black seeds. For fresh market or use, the fruit is picked when color changes occur. For processing, the fruit is allowed to drop to the ground and picked at least every second day. At this stage, the fruit is shrivelled but quite suitable for processing. Yields decline each year until harvests are not adequate in the four year.

Yield and incomes

Yields of over 15-20 tonnes/ha are attainable. In one year, a farmer may earn up to Sh 1 million per acre as compared to Sh 35,000-Sh 60,000 for wheat or maize.

Passion Fruit Side Effects

Passion fruit is a good source of fiber. If you drastically increase your intake of fiber, it may cause short term distress in the gastrointestinal tract. However, this should go away as your body adjusts to the change in fiber intake. Passion fruit, like all other fruits, are considered safe to eat. If you notice any unusual symptoms in your body after eating them, it may be from an allergic reaction. Speak with your healthcare team before eating more.

If you have never tried passion fruit, consider buying it the next time you are at the super market. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is recommended to get the most benefit from antioxidants they offer.

There are no inherent risks of eating passion fruit, and its wealth of nutrients and health benefits take care of most bodily concerns. However, most of the calories of this fruit do come from sugars, so people with diabetes should be careful not to eat it excessively, or at least be aware of their blood sugar levels. Other than that, enjoy passion fruit and start feeling better in countless ways in no time!

Passion flower supplement

The passion flower can be in supplemental form. It is promoted for being a calming agent to help with anxiety or sleeping problems. Web MD suggests this supplement is most likely safe for most people for short term but should not be taken in excess.

It should also not be taken when pregnant or breast feeding. Any supplements can have interactions with medication or underlying health conditions, so make sure to speak with your healthcare team if you want to take this supplement.

Juice versus whole fruit

Keep in mind drinking passion fruit juice can have a different effect on the body than eating passion fruits whole. The juice does not offer fiber which can help slow the release of sugars into the blood stream. A study from Harvard School of Public Health concluded greater consumption of fruit juice was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but eating more whole fruits was associated with a lowered risk for type 2 diabetes.