Jackfruit aficionado James Joseph Moolakkaat is excited to share with us the wondrous properties of the tropical fruit. He is the right man for extolling the virtues of jackfruit as he had laid bare its possibilities to the world and its immense health benefits after intense studies. Moolakkaat even cleared an old misconception that all forms of the common backyard fruit is not beneficial to cure diabetes. His studies on the massive fruit has convinced him that the dishes made of raw chakka is good for diabetic patients, whereas the ripe fruit be avoided.
Moolakkaat researched on jackfruit after giving up his job with Microsoft. He highlighted the immense potential of the fruit as an internationally marketable commodity. He is the founder of Jackfruit365, an initiative to create an organized market for Indian jackfruit.
Jackfruit trees in the backyard of Moolakkaat's house yielded fruits in abundance. Though familiar and fond of the fruit, he never gave it a second thought or ever thought it could have a possible link with diabetes till a chance meeting with Fr Thomas Bhramanavelil of St Augustine’s Church, Moolamattom.
The priest told Moolakkaat how he happened to faint one day. He distinctly remembered consuming a dish of chakka, followed by his daily dose of insulin shot. He suddenly realized his sugar level had gone down. He soon popped in a spoonful of sugar and was up and about in no time after the scare. Fr Thomas soon commenced a diet regimen involving jackfruit.
“I then started consuming the raw fruit in its cooked form or otherwise. I lost seven kilos in three months. Along with the chakka puzhukku, I had meat or fish. I always felt full and there were no pangs of hunger. As the fruit was available in plenty in our yard, I didn't not have to scout around for it,” says the priest.
The experience of Fr Thomas got Moolakkaat thinking on the positive effects of jackfruit. He packed up and went to Sydney where he did a lot of research into the wonder fruit till he stumbled upon the truth that jackfruit in its raw form was an ideal sugar-inhibitor. It was a path-breaking discovery for the cure of diabetics. Diabetic patients on regular chakka diet also vouch that they gradually reduced their insulin intake. You also have to adhere to the three mantras to keep diabetes under control -- controlled eating, exercise and medication.
Raw jackfruit is also rich in insoluble fibre which promotes digestion and the total absorption of sugar by the body. This food fact was disclosed to Moolakkaat by former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Dr Kalam shared his visions about jackfruit with our jackfruit man. He wanted Moolakkaat to promote awareness about its natural properties. If jackfruit could be utilised the way it should be, it would even help create jobs for women, a dream which Kalam wanted Moolakkaat to fulfil.
The frenzy whipped up by the fruit is now compelling women to freeze jackfruit in its raw form. Myriad chakka byproducts are now in the market. Frozen raw jackfruit on store shelves is a convenient alternative to the laborious process by which the fruit has to brought down from the tree before it is cut up, plucked and deseeded. The frozen raw fruit needs only be dipped in hot water for 15 minutes for it to thaw. It is natural and devoid of chemical preservatives. After the water content is drawn out, you can whip up any recipe with it.
Though jackfruit is lean on protein, it can be compensated by the meat or fish served alongside the main chakka meal. The best part of the deal is that as you tend to lose weight naturally, you can avoid tedious muscle-crunching exercises. As bonus, you can cut down the daily dose of medicines too.
