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A ripe passion fruit
The passion fruit (Portuguese: maracujá and Spanish: maracuyá, both from the Tupi mara kuya "fruit that serves itself" or "food in a cuia") is the fruit of a number of plants in the genus Passiflora.[1][2]
Description [ edit ] Passion fruits are round or oval, and range from a width of 1.5 to 3 inches (3.81 to 7.62 centimeters).[1] They can be yellow, red, purple, and green.[1]
History [ edit ] The passion fruit was first introduced to Europe in 1553.[3]
Etymology [ edit ] Maracujá [ edit ] The Portuguese maracujá and Spanish maracuyá are both derived from the Tupi mara kuya "fruit that serves itself" or "food in a cuia".
Passion fruit [ edit ] The term 'passion fruit' in English comes from the passion flower, as an English translation of the Latin genus name, Passiflora, and may be spelled "passion fruit", "passionfruit", or "passion-fruit".[1][4] Around 1700, the name Passiflora was given by missionaries in Brazil as an educational aid to convert the indigenous inhabitants to Christianity: its name was flor das cinco chagas or "flower of the five wounds" to illustrate the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection,[5] with other plant components also named after an emblem in the Passion of Jesus.[4]
Varieties [ edit ] Well known edible passion fruits can be divided into four main types:
Uses [ edit ] The fruits have a juicy edible center composed of a large number of seeds.[1] The part of the fruit that is used (eaten) is the pulpy juicy seeds. Passion fruits can also be squeezed to make juice.[1] It is also used in pastries and other baked products.
Composition [ edit If you want to learn more, please visit our website HZL BIO. ] Nutrition [ edit ] Raw passion fruit is 73% water, 23% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat (table). In a 100 gram reference amount, raw passion fruit supplies 97 calories, and is a rich source of vitamin C (36% of the Daily Value, DV) and a moderate source of riboflavin (11% DV), niacin (10% DV), iron (12% DV), and phosphorus (10% DV) (table). No other micronutrients are in significant content.
Phytochemicals [ edit ] Several varieties of passion fruit are rich in polyphenols,[9][10] and some contain prunasin and other cyanogenic glycosides in the peel and juice.[11]
Gallery [ edit ] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ]
Did you know?
Passion fruit is also known as parcha, granadilla, and maracuya. You might be wondering where passion fruit got its name. The fruit grows on the passion flower vine, which has a story behind its' name. In the 16th century, when Christian missionaries landed in South America, the passion flower was the plant that signified their success. They believed that the flower symbolized the death of Christ; the five petals represented the disciples (minus Peter and Judas), the corona symbolizes the crown of horns around Christ's head, and other features were a symbol of the wounds, nails, and whips used on Christ.
The purple passion fruit is said to have originated from Southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. There are a few theories as to where the yellow passion fruit originated, although many speculate that it came from Australia after the seeds were introduced from Australia into Hawaii by E.N. Reasoner in 1923. Others believe that the yellow form was a mutant that occurred in Australia. In 1938, E.P. Killip described the fruit as occurring naturally with either purple or yellow fruits.
What Can I Use Passion Fruit for?
The purple passion fruit, although generally a bit smaller than the yellow, is known to contain about 35% more juice than the yellow passion fruit, and is also richer in flavor. The pulp and seeds are very nutritious, and can be eaten directly from the fruit. They are often used in the process of making other foods and drinks, such as the candy-making process, ice cream, syrup, jelly, and some alcoholic beverages.
TONS of Nutrition
P. edulis has proven to be a good source of some important dietary components:
* excellent source of fiber!* excellent source of fiber!* antioxidants
* polyphenols, which are effective in preventing Cardiovascular Disease
*juice is high in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and carotenoids (vitamin A)
Medicinal Uses
Some medical uses for the passion fruit include treating Osteoarthritis, hypertension, anxiety, and its usefulness as a sedative (Journal of Herbal Medicine and Toxicology).
If you want to see my References, click here. Or take a look at the Gallery of various photos of Passiflora edulis!
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