Jackfruit from Lotao: Versatile plant enjoyment, delicious and healthy
Stefan Fak, founder of Lotao and jackfruit pioneer, was one of the first to discover the versatility of jackfruit and bring high-quality organic jackfruit, as we call it, to the German market. Jackfruit is healthy and much more than just a meat substitute.More and more people are paying attention to a healthy diet and are also avoiding meat for the sake of the climate. The tender flesh of the young jackfruit is a super good meat substitute and a great alternative to tofu, seitan etc. Rich in valuable ingredients, the tropical fruit is an insider tip for vegan, vegetarian and low-meat cuisine. If you're now wondering: Should I try jackfruit? We say: Absolutely, because we are enthusiastic about our organic jackfruit and have put together interesting facts about the miracle fruit for you. We want to inspire you too.
The largest fruit in the world
Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit in the world. If you let it grow, the exotic fruit with the typical yellow-green knobby shell takes on huge dimensions: it can be up to a meter long and up to 50 kg! become difficult. An impressive sight to discover such giant fruits in a 10 to 20 meter high jackfruit tree. The oval fruits grow directly on thick branches or on the trunk of jackfruit trees, which belong to the mulberry family and the breadfruit tree genus. The main producing countries are India, Bangladesh , Thailand , Indonesia , Sri Lanka and Nepal . The evergreen jackfruit tree has now spread to many countries with tropical climates around the globe. The flowering period is from December to March, after which fruits weighing 0.5 to 50 kg develop.How is jackfruit actually produced? More information in the video:
3000 years of history
In its original country of origin, India, the jackfruit tree has been cultivated and used for around 3,000 years. In the cuisine of many South Asian countries, jackfruit is considered a fiber-rich, versatile, satiating ingredient for various dishes. Perhaps you have already eaten jackfruit in a curry while on holiday in Thailand or Indonesia without knowing it, or in an Indian restaurant here. In some parts of India, the tree is even considered sacred: the wood is very sought after and is used to build musical instruments, images of gods and furniture. The yellow dye from the wood is used in dyeing Buddhist monks' robes and parts of plants in traditional medicine. This is all very interesting, but we want to focus mainly on the fruits because they have a lot to offer.Good for vegetarian and vegan diets
Jackfruit has a lot of benefits for a healthy diet. The miracle fruit provides plenty of fiber and is also gluten-free and low in fat and calories . Hard to beat for a calorie-conscious diet are the “ fruit-vegetables” in the unripe stage. Keyword low-carbohydrate diet (low carb): By using jackfruit you can save a lot of calories! 100g of young jackfruit contains only 50 kcal ( https://www.lotao.com/shop/jackfruit/ ) and hardly any natural sugar. This is particularly interesting for calorie-conscious diets. Jackfruit also contains plenty of fiber, three times as much as tofu and more than twice as much as local vegetables. Another advantage is the proportion of water-soluble fiber, which ensures quick satiety. When it comes to providing protein, jackfruit performs better than many fruits with 1.9 g of protein per 100 g, but modest compared to other plant-based meat substitutes. However, this can be compensated for quite well in the recipes with protein-containing plants such as amaranth, peas, lentils or quinoa.Jackfruit nutritional values
What does jackfruit taste like?
Young and neutral or ripe and sweet
The jackfruit is a very versatile, versatile fruit: in the kitchen it can be used unripe or ripe , and the seeds are also used. With very small fruits, there is a certain possibility that jackfruit can be confused with the stinky durian fruit. But this can be quickly and definitely ruled out because, as its nickname suggests, the durian fruit emits a smell that is almost unbearable. The fruits of the jackfruit tree, on the other hand, smell and taste practically neutral when young and unripe. It is precisely this neutrality and the consistency of young jackfruit - the mouthfeel is reminiscent of poultry meat - that makes it a perfect meat substitute that is becoming increasingly popular in our Western cuisine.The question arises: are we taking an important food away from the people in the countries where it is grown? No. When growing jackfruit, it is common and sensible to remove unripe fruit from the trees in order to give the remaining jackfruit enough strength to become large, ripe and sweet. The green, unripe jackfruits are pickled, used in curries, made into pickles or thrown away. A mature tree can also produce up to 700 fruits in a season - enough for everyone. In the countries where it is grown, jackfruit is also preferred to be harvested and eaten when ripe; the sweet pieces of pulp are enjoyed raw or made into desserts . Ripe jackfruit has the taste of a sweet fruit gum, like papaya, mango and banana. Dried, sweet jackfruit chips are a popular snack. The seeds are used roasted or ground into flour .
Jackfruit the plant flesh
Young jackfruit flesh marinated in brine with a little lemon or lime - one of Lotao's basic products for your kitchen - has a taste reminiscent of artichokes and can be enjoyed raw or cooked.
As mentioned, the texture and structure of young jackfruit pieces can be compared very well to tender, juicy chicken meat. When fried until crispy, jackfruit pieces actually look like meat and taste deceptively similar. This is particularly useful for those who are trying to get closer to meat-reduced cuisine and want to limit their meat consumption for health or climate protection reasons. And that is true for a rapidly increasing number of people. But of course, convinced vegetarians and vegans are also happy about the expansion of their selection of meat substitute products to include a really tasty, healthy and versatile alternative.
Preparing jackfruit: How does cooking with jackfruit work?
If you enjoy cooking, you can easily implement many recipes using the basic product from Lotao “Jackfruit Natur” . To do this, simply take the jackfruit pieces out of the can with the brine, rinse them briefly with water, season or marinate the jackfruit individually, fry them whole pieces , cook them in sauce or chop the pieces up and process them like burgers or bolognese .The dry Lotao Jackfruit Veggie Hack is also ideal for burgers and Bolognese. There are hardly any limits to the possibilities of your cooking imagination. If you're in a hurry, you're not great at cooking or don't feel like it... No problem! Lotao has many sophisticated recipes, burgers, patties or barbecue ready for you. The instant dish “Jackpot” is available in many variations for on the go or as a quick meal in between.
Jackfruit recipes: Jackfruit goulash, jackfruit buger & Co
Lotao's approximately 20 jackfruit recipes leave little to be desired: “Jackfruit Goulash”, “Jackfruit Bolognese”, “Jackfruit Burger”, “Jackfruit Pulled Pork”, “Jackfruit Curry”, to name just a few. You can try the sweet inside of the ripe giant fruits as chips. Every single dish is a delicious, healthy, tasty, sustainable, high-quality, vegan addition to your menu!It doesn't really need to be mentioned that Lotao does not use flavor enhancers, colorings or preservatives and offers consistent organic quality.
Crunchy organic jackfruit curry from Lotao, cleverly seasoned with delicious ingredients in an Asian noodle hot pot
Vegan Lotao organic jackfruit gualsch with sauerkraut and transformed into a delicious cabbage: spicy, warming and quick to prepare
Eco-balance - is jackfruit sustainable?
Organic jackfruit pioneer and Lotao founder Stefan Fak often travels to Asia as a gourmet scout. There he discovered the versatility and nutritional benefits of jackfruit and of course also collected recipe ideas. He was one of the first to bring organic jackfruit to the German market. Young jackfruit has a relatively short history as a meat substitute; young jackfruit has only been increasingly exported to Western countries since 2016.Lotao has established an organic jackfruit supply chain. In this way, the Berlin organic company ensures a secure, continuous income for small farming families in the countries of origin.
Committed to sustainability, Lotao, in cooperation with the company ClimatePartner, pays attention to offsetting CO2 emissions: the products Jackfruit Natural in a 200g bag and the Veggie Hack are already climate neutral - further products are to follow.
What does climate neutrality mean for these products?
The CO2 footprint that the product creates along the supply chain is calculated according to international standards by the company ClimatePartner and is fully offset by supporting climate protection projects. In the case of Lotao's jackfruit products, the special case is that the compensation support goes to a project in the same Indian district from which the partner cooperative in southern India supplies the jackfruit for Lotao. In one year, almost 83 tons of CO2 for the two products are offset by large-scale solar systems in Guttigoli, India. It has come full circle.More on the topic of ecological balance. Click here .
Where can I buy jackfruit?
Discover LOTAO's jackfruit variety and buy directly in the online shop .Or ask at your organic store.
Jackfruit: the healthy, low-calorie alternative to meat!
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