An amazing side product of the delicious jackfruit is the jackfruit seed. Last summer at Solitude, we harvested over a hundred kilos of jackfruit. We made smoothies, icecreams, added it to our Thali and saved all the seeds!

The seeds are highly nutritious and offer a host of health benefits. The seeds are rich in dietary fibre which aids digestion, prevents constipation and even promotes weight loss. The seeds also contain resistant starch, which helps control blood sugar and cleans the gut. The high iron content in the seeds boosts the production of red blood cells, treats anaemia and bolsters your immunity.

To use, remove the skin from the dried seeds, which comes off almost like thin paper. Boil the seeds for about fifteen minutes, after which they can be used in any curry or vegetable of your choice. The seeds can also be roasted and eaten as a snack like chestnuts. An important point to note here – seeds eaten raw may hinder nutrition and have side effects. The seeds have also been used as an aphrodisiac and a treatment for sexual disorders in Asian medicine. Furthermore, jackfruit seeds are full of antioxidants that help build muscles, fight premature ageing, and even enhance hair growth.