Jackfruit vs Soursop - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Jackfruit contains more vitamins, minerals, protein, and calories than soursop. Soursop contains seven times more sodium than jackfruit; also, Vitamin C is 59% higher in this fruit. On the other hand, soursop has a lower glycemic index, less sugar, saturated fat than jackfruit.

Introduction

In this article, we will explore the nutritional aspects of very exotic fruits. Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit grown in Asia, Africa, and South America. Soursop is a fruit grown in the tropical regions of America. These fruits have some similarities; both are green, often oval, and have a spiny shell. Nevertheless, nutritionally they are different. We are going to discuss their nutritional compositions and what effects they have on health.

Varieties

Soursop, known as Graviola, Guyabano, belongs to the Annona genus (Annona muricata). This fruit has a creamy texture and robust flavor [1]. Jackfruit belongs to the Artocarpus genus (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and is known as the jack tree [2]. Soursop is a spiny fruit that may weigh up to 6 pounds. Jackfruit bears the largest fruit of all trees, reaching between 15 and 33 pounds.

Nutrition

Although people often compare these two fruits nutritionally, they are different. To understand that, let’s look at each of them individually. The detailed description and the nutrition infographic are presented below.

Calories

Overall, jackfruit contains more calories, proteins, and fat; each jackfruit has about 95 calories per 100g, while each soursop contains 66 calories per 100 g.

The amount of food energy in soursop is about 621 kJ, which is higher than in jackfruit; it has 527 kJ. Jackfruit contains 2 grams of fats, 38 grams of carbs. The fats and carbs level in soursop is two times lesser than in jackfruit [3] [4].

Vitamins

Jackfruit and soursop contain different vitamins in different amounts. Overall, jackfruit is richer in vitamins. The amount of Vitamins A, E, B1, B6 and, Folate is higher in this fruit. Jackfruit contains five times more Vitamin A and Vitamin E than soursop. The level of Folate in jackfruit is 71% higher than in soursop [3] [5].

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" chart below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food

Jackfruit

7

:

4

Soursop

Contains more Vitamin A +5400%

Contains more Vitamin E +325%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +50%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +457.6%

Contains more Folate +71.4%

Contains more Vitamin C +50.4%

Equal in Vitamin B2 - 0.05

Equal in Vitamin B3 - 0.9

Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.253

Jackfruit

Soursop

Contains more Vitamin A +5400%

Contains more Vitamin E +325%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +50%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +457.6%

Contains more Folate +71.4%

Contains more Vitamin C +50.4%

Equal in Vitamin B2 - 0.05

Equal in Vitamin B3 - 0.9

Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.253

Other Vitamins

The amount of Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B6, again, is higher in jackfruit. On the other hand, soursop contains almost 10% more Vitamin C than jackfruit. Both fruits are equal in Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, and Vitamin B5 and lack vitamin D, Vitamins B12, and B9 [3] [5].

Minerals

The amount of minerals in these fruits is almost equal. Jackfruit contains more Potassium, Manganese, Calcium, and Zinc. Nevertheless, the level of some vitamins in soursop is higher. It contains almost two times more iron than jackfruit. The level of Copper and Phosphorus is also higher [1] [6].

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" chart below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food

Jackfruit

5

:

3

Soursop

Contains more Calcium +71.4%

Contains more Magnesium +38.1%

Contains more Potassium +61.2%

Contains less Sodium -85.7%

Contains more Zinc +30%

Contains more Iron +160.9%

Contains more Phosphorus +28.6%

Contains more Copper +13.2%

Jackfruit

Soursop

Contains more Calcium +71.4%

Contains more Magnesium +38.1%

Contains more Potassium +61.2%

Contains less Sodium -85.7%

Contains more Zinc +30%

Contains more Iron +160.9%

Contains more Phosphorus +28.6%

Contains more Copper +13.2%

Potassium

Potassium is an essential mineral. It supports blood pressure, cardiovascular health and may help to reduce the risk of kidney stones. Adults should be consuming at least 100 milligrams of potassium daily to support significant processes. The potassium level in jackfruit and soursop does not differ much; however, jackfruit contains more potassium than soursop. It has 303 mg potassium, whereas soursop contains 278 mg of this mineral [6] [7].

Sugar

The total amount of sugars, including glucose, fructose, lactose, is higher in jackfruit than in soursop. Each jackfruit contains two times more sugars, 31g, while each soursop contains 14g sugars per 100 g [1] [8].

Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index is a relative ranking of carbohydrates in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Jackfruit has a much higher glycemic index than soursop; the difference is about 75. According to studies, soursop falls under a low GI value [8] [9].

Acidity

The acidity of fruits can change depending on growing conditions. Overall, studies show that jackfruit is more acidic than soursop. The acidity of jackfruit ranges from 4.70 to 5.72. The pH of soursop is about 7.5. [8][10].

Weight Loss

Research shows that fiber may help people decrease the risk of high blood pressure and feel full longer and satisfied, reducing the total number of calories they eat. Accordingly, eating fruits that contain high levels of fiber will help you with your weight loss struggles. Soursop, in this case, is categorized as low calories fruit; it contains high levels of fiber, fewer sugars, less saturated fat, and has a lower glycemic index than jackfruit, which means this fruit is preferable in the case of diets [1] [11].

Health Benefits

The health benefits of jackfruit and soursop have been attributed to their wide range of physicochemical applications. We will discuss the functional, medicinal, and physiological properties of these fruits.

Blood pressure

One of the significant risk factors for the development of heart disease is high blood pressure. The functional components of jackfruit and soursop, such as potassium, fiber, and antioxidants, may help lower blood pressure and reverse the effects of sodium that causes a rise in blood pressure that affects the heart and blood vessels. Moreover, potassium keeps electricity flowing throughout your body, and that’s required to keep your heart beating.

The potassium level in these fruits is almost equal; therefore, these fruits are good for your heart [8] [12].

Cardiovascular Health

Besides all this, jackfruit has a high level of Vitamin B6, which helps reduce homocysteine levels in the blood, thus lowering the risk of heart disease. Moreover, soursop has some components, such as muscarinic, histaminergic that have hypotensive effects [8] [12].

Improving skin health

These fruits provide several nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, that may improve skin health. Soursop contains high levels of Vitamin C, which may help to stop the aging clock. On the other hand, jackfruit is rich in Vitamins, especially Vitamin E and B-complex, which are wonderfully nourishing for your skin. Moreover, the potassium they contain may help keep your skin moisturized and hydrated [1] [8].

Strengthening the bone

According to studies, fruits, which contain high levels of magnesium, may help in strengthening bones. Jackfruit contains more magnesium than soursop. This mineral works with calcium to prevent bone‐related disorders such as osteoporosis [8] [11].

Diabetes

Food with a low glycemic index can help you balance your blood sugar levels. Soursop has been estimated to have a lower glycemic index than jackfruit. According to studies, diabetic rats were injected with soursop extract for two weeks. The first group, who received the extract, had blood sugar levels that were five times lower than the untreated group. More research on humans is needed; however, these results suggest that soursop may be beneficial for people with diabetes when combined with a healthy diet and active lifestyle [9] [13].

Cancer

There is a widespread misconception that soursop can make traditional cancer therapies work better. Experts warn the anticancer activity of this fruit has not been studied in humans. As a result, there is no evidence of its safety or efficacy [14]․

Jackfruit has phytonutrients, such as isoflavones, and saponins contribute to its anticancer, antihypertensive, antiulcer properties. In particular, these elements work against stomach ulcers in the human body [8].

Preventing anemia

Both these fruits contain high levels of iron. which helps to prevent anemia and helps in proper blood circulation. Simply put, these fruits can prevent anemia [8].

Anti-inflammation effect

Some studies have reported the anti-inflammation effects of jackfruit. These fruits contain high levels of flavonoids that effectively inhibit the release of inflammatory mediators from the mast cells, neutrophils. Jackfruit also has antifungal activity. The lectin, named Jackin, isolated from this fruit, can inhibit the growth of some fungi [15].

According to studies, soursop contains antibacterial properties as well. Soursop was able to inhibit the growth of multiple types of bacteria, including strains that cause gingivitis, tooth decay [16].

Downsides and Risks

Allergy

Jackfruit allergy is the list of birch pollen‐related food allergies. That means some people may be allergic to jackfruit if they are also allergic to birch pollen [17].

The symptoms usually include itching in the mouth, in rare cases rhinoconjunctivitis and mild asthmatic symptoms․

Other side effects

Animal studies show soursop has blood sugar-lowering effects, so it may have additive effects when taken with diabetic medications. Clinical relevance has yet to be determined. Besides, repeated use may cause liver and kidney toxicity, and the side effects of soursop may include movement disorders and myeloneuropathy [18].

Nevertheless, there is no report to cause any severe side effects, and it is safe for most people to eat. Rarely, jackfruit might cause sleepiness and drowsiness [17].

Sources

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123746283000396
2. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfs/2019/4327183/
3. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-030-30182-8_8
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31050422/
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124081178000143
6. Jackfruit Taxonomy and Waste Utilization
7. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
8. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2012.00210.x
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24076471/
10. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/11358120409487770
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339770/#B104\
12. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/13880209.2012.684690
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156450/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6091294/
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16257591/
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198446/
17. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(04)00310-0/fulltext
18. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/graviola