Passionfruit And Immune Health: Boosting Your Defenses

Introduction

Passion fruit is an edible fruit that grows from a vine with beautiful passion flowers. Passion fruit unlike other fruits has tough skin on the outside and is juicy inside filled with numerous seeds. They have a rich aroma and high nutritional value. Passion fruit is native to southern Brazil and is now grown in different parts of the world.¹

Characteristics of passion fruit

Passion fruit belongs to the Passifloraceae family.¹ The name Passiflora was given by missionaries in Brazil. Its name was Flower of the Five Wounds to illustrate the crucifixion of Christ. Passion refers to the passion of Christ, which is suggested by the morphological characteristics of the flower.

Edible passion fruits can be divided into four main types:

• Purple passion fruit 
• Yellow passion fruit 
• Sweet granadilla 
• Giant granadilla 

Throughout this article, the features of the most common passion fruits—purple passion fruit and yellow passion fruit—are discussed.

Passionfruit and immune health 

Passion fruit juice is the main product derived from passion fruit pulp. Passion fruit juice contains numerous essential nutrients, including amino acids, fibre, sugar (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), organic acids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidants, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, minerals (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium), and traces of ferrous, copper, manganese, zinc, and selenium.

Nutritional profile

The pulp, 87.0% the peel, and 45.9% the seeds contain up to 85.5% water.

Carbohydrates 

• Carbohydrates comprise the second greatest fraction, reaching 80.7%, 89.4% and 69.9% on the peel, pulp and seeds, respectively. Seeds are rich in protein and lipids while peels contain the highest amount of fiber²
• The carbohydrate content of passion fruit juice was found to be mainly composed of glucose, sucrose, and fructose
• Regarding micronutrients, pulp and juice are naturally rich in vitamin C while peels and seeds provide considerable amounts of potassium, copper, magnesium, zinc and iron. Peels cannot be consumed raw and require processing before consumption
• Passion fruit seed contains dietary fibre, which accounts for up to 78.8% of the total carbohydrate content. Insoluble dietary fibres such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were also found. Consuming insoluble dietary fibre is beneficial for weight management and intestinal health. It also prevents haemorrhoids and constipation

Protein and amino acids composition

• Free amino acids have been identified in peel, juice and seeds. These included leucine, valine, lysine, glutamic acid, tyrosine, proline, threonine, glycine, aspartic acid, arginine serine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) 
• Proteins play an important role in human nutrition as a source of energy and amino acids
• Essential amino acids can only be obtained through diet, and thus, their sources are of special interest. GABA, which has been associated with antihypertensive activities, was detected in a purple passion fruit peel extract

Lipophilic compounds composition

Lipid composition is seen exclusively in seeds.

Vitamins and minerals composition

Passion fruit is a substantial source of vitamin C.

Exploring how passionfruit can boost immune health

Benefits of passion fruit

Passion fruit has numerous benefits. Passion fruit has analgesic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal,anti-fatigue,anti-asthmatic, antidiarrheal, anti-diabetic antiproliferative,anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and gastroprotective actions.

Studies investigating the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of passion fruit reported that patients with knee osteoarthritis, asthma, and hypertension experience improvements following supplementation with purple passion fruit peel Also there were advantageous effects of passion fruit on the prevention of Cardiovascular disease.³

Passion fruit as Herbal medicine

Passion fruit has a long history of medicinal use associated with different parts of Passiflora species plants. Fruits and leaves have been used in traditional medicine to treat numerous illnesses and symptoms across different geographies. They are widely used as sedatives and anxiolytics.

The most popular pharmacological application of the Passiflora genus is the use of Passiflora incarnata as an herbal medicine to help in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Passion fruit reduces blood glucose levels

A study was conducted among individuals who could not keep their blood glucose levels in normal range even using drug therapy.

There was a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose at 30 and 60 days of treatment with passion fruit flour. There was also a significant difference in the fasting blood glucose values and glycated hemoglobin after supplementation. 

One possible explanation for this effect would be the presence of fibers in the food, mainly pectin, which form gels which can change the gastric emptying time, increase satiety and delay the absorption of simple carbohydrates.⁴ Moreover, this gel can still form complexes with bile salts increasing the cholesterol excretion and diabetes mellitus type 2 treatment or prevention. 

Ascorbic acid is present in passion fruit. Ascorbic acid reduces blood sugar levels also increases insulin activity.

Passion fruit prevents cardiovascular disease

Passion fruit is rich in ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid supplementation provides beneficial effects on patients with heart failure. Ascorbic acid in passion fruit encourages cardiac autonomic function.³

 A study evaluated the acute effects of passion fruit juice supplementation on cardiac autonomic function in healthy subjects. Single administration of passion fruit juice enhanced cardiac autonomic function 

Another study proved passion fruit peel flour may be used for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and lipid disorders. 

Passion fruit juice works like a miracle in preventing cardiovascular disease and can be recognized as a beverage that reduces cardiovascular disease.

Passion fruit reduces Hypertension

A study in hypertensive rats demonstrated that consuming yellow fruit decreases systolic blood pressure.

Another study conducted in type 2 diabetic patients demonstrated a reduction in systolic blood pressure and blood glucose following the administration of purple passion fruit.

Antioxidant properties of passion fruit

Passion fruit has polyphenols present in them.

Polyphenols are the main compounds that influence antioxidant activity.⁶

Incorporating passionfruit into your diet

Ways to consume passionfruit

Passion fruit can be consumed raw. It is also used as a topping in cakes. or is made into jellies. Desserts are also made from the fleshy pulp of passion fruit. Due to its aroma seeds are also used alone in mocktails.

Uses of passion fruit

Passion fruit is used in fruit juices, desserts, jams and jellies. It is a healthy addition to the diet. Passion fruit has high nutritional value and is used for mood disorders(depression, anxiety, stress), sleep disorders, general pain, headache and premenstrual symptoms.

Passion fruit, due to its appealing taste and aroma, has various uses in different parts of the world.¹

• In Australia and New Zealand, It is added to fruit salads, and fresh fruit pulp or passion fruit sauce is commonly used in desserts, A passion-fruit–flavoured soft drink called Passiona has also been manufactured in Australia. It can be used in some alcoholic cocktails
• Passion fruit mousse is a common dessert in Brazil, and passion fruit pulp is used as cake topping. Passion fruit juice, ice pops and soft drinks
• In Cambodia, red and yellow passion fruit are used to produce wine and liquor
• In Colombia and Costa Rica, it is used for juices and desserts
• In the Dominican Republic, it makes juice and fruit preserves. Fruit is also eaten raw, sprinkled with sugar
• In East Africa, passion fruit juice is enjoyed
• In Hawaii, it is eaten as fresh passion fruit pulp. It is used to marinate meat and vegetables. It is a flavour for cheesecakes, cookies, dessert bars, ice cream and mochi. Passion fruit is also used in jam or jelly, as well as a fruit curd 
• In India, the fruit is eaten raw, sprinkled with sugar and is also used to make juice
• In Indonesia, It is normally eaten raw also passion fruit syrup is used in drinks and desserts
• In Mexico, passion fruit is used to make juice or consumed raw with lime and chilli 
• In Paraguay, passion fruit is used as juice, and also to prepare desserts such as passion fruit cakes and mousse. Also used as a flavour in yoghurts
• In Peru, Passion fruit is also used in several desserts, especially mousses and cheesecakes. Passion fruit juice is also drunk on its own and is used in cocktails
• In the Philippines, It is sold with a straw to enable sucking out the seeds and juices inside
• In Portugal, passion fruit is used as a base for a variety of liqueurs and mousses
• In Puerto Rico, it is used in juices. Also in desserts such as ice cream or pastries
• In South Africa, passion fruit is eaten raw also to flavour yoghurt
• In Sri Lanka, It is consumed as juice
• In Suriname, It is eaten as a fruit. Also used to make jam and juices with added sugar. The juice is also used to flavour cocktails

Potential risks and considerations

Passiflora plants do not cause any harmful side effects, but it has cyanide components and therefore toxicity cannot be ruled out.

Hydrogen cyanide occurs in the peel of immature fruits. Also It is found in primary stems, bracts, stipules and petioles. Consumption of hydrogen cyanide can lead to severe poisoning. Ripe fruits do not contain Hydrogen cyanide.⁵

Compared to juice, purple passion fruit peel has been found to have a higher amount of hydrogen cyanide. These cyanogenic compounds are not toxic but their hydrolysis produces HCN that may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, and dizziness.² 

Summary

Passion fruit is a sweet fruit with a fleshy interior and numerous seeds. Passion fruit also has pretty flowers with peculiar features. Also, the fruit is loaded with nutrition. passion fruit is considered an important source of minerals and vitamins, such as ascorbic acid, phyto-constituents, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. Passion fruit benefits are plenty, they have applications in pharmacology as medicines. Benefits of passion fruit in vitro biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal) and in vivo beneficial effects in managing several diseases (asthma, hypertension, osteoarthritis and diabetes ). Passion fruit sweetness does not cause a rise in sugar levels, giving all a sweet experience.