Passion fruit is very popular purple coloured fruit with a wholesome nutritional profile. It has been extensively used for various medicinal purposes.

Nutritional profile

• It contains lesser amount of carbohydrates
• It is significantly rich in dietary fibre
• It contains too some extent of proteins as well
• It contains negligible amount of fats thus it is considered as a low calorie food
• It contains several important vitamins that include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9
• It also contains various imperative trace elements such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc and selenium
• It contains several phytonutrients too that are responsible for exerting powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities

Biological activity

Anti-carcinogenic activity

• Its antioxidants, flavonoids, micronutrients and phenolic compounds are responsible for exerting anti-carcinogenic activities that help to reduce the prevalence of cancers

• It helps to suppress the growth of malignant cells within body by inducing apoptosis
• It helps in preventing metastasis as well
• Piceatannol is an important component found in passion fruit that plays vital role in reducing the susceptibility of colorectal cancer

Hypolipidemic activity

• Its fibre content is responsible for decreasing the concentration of bad cholesterol or LDL, triglyceride and VLDL in body
• Whereas it helps to give the HDL level a boost that helps in exerting a positive impact on health especially on cardiac health
• It also helps to improve the ratio of HDL and LDL in body thus helps to maintain a healthy lipid profile

Hypoglycaemic activity

• Its high fibre content and low glycemic index make it a healthy option for diabetic diet
• It helps to delay the absorption of glucose from intestine thus reduces the postprandial blood sugar load

Hypotensive activity

• Consumption of passion fruit is very effective for maintaining a healthy blood pressure level
• Potassium present in passion fruit helps in dilating blood vessels, which ultimately decreases elevated blood pressure and promotes smooth blood flows

Health benefits

Role on immunity

• Consumption of passion fruit is really very effective for obtaining a healthy functioning immune system
• It contains adequate amount of carotene, cryptoxanthin and Vitamin C, all of these nutrients are considered as most vital nutrients required for proper immune functioning

• It is also related with improving immunological responses of the body that ultimately helps in strengthening the immune system
• Its Vitamin C content is accountable for stimulating the production of WBC too that helps in making the body able to fight against infections as a result aids in reducing the susceptibility of developing infectious diseases

Role on digestive health

• It can be a healthy addition to a digestive friendly diet as it is packed with dietary fibre, which plays vital role in improving the health and activity of digestive system
• Fibre present in passion fruit acts as laxative that helps in clearing the bowel as a result promotes regularity. Individual suffer from constipation should try passion fruit as it helps in preventing constipation by facilitating the defecation process
• It is also associated with promoting colonic health and plays significant role in reducing the prevalence of diverticular disease
• Its fibre content helps in promoting the growth of intestinal beneficial microbes that help in improving gut health too

Role on nervous system

• It plays vital role in improving the activity of both central and peripheral nervous system
• Its B vitamins components especially Vitamin B6 help in enhancing the activity of brain
• Its iron content helps in promoting the synthesis of haemoglobin as well as RBC that help in promoting blood circulation, which ultimately helps in increasing blood flow throughout the body including the brain as a result aids in supporting brain’s functions and growth

• It is also associated with delaying the onset of inflammatory events within body, which ultimately decreases the risk of developing neurological disorders
• It has seen that its consumption is very effective for improving the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
• It helps to prevent cognitive decline as well

Role on mental health

• It plays imperative role in providing the metal health a boost
• It helps in preventing anxiety
• It is also associated with exerting a calming effect to the body that helps to relax the body as well as the mind and subsequently improves the mood

Role on skeletal health

• Passion fruit is considered as an important therapeutic substance for our skeletal system as it contains high amount of calcium, phosphorous and iron, all of these minerals are essentially required by the body for strengthening the skeletal system
• Calcium and phosphorus help in healthy bone formation. They also help in mineralising the bone as a result aid in increasing bone mass and bone mineral density
• Its iron content is also responsible for supporting the optimal functioning of skeletal muscle tissue
• It helps in reducing the prevalence osteoporosis as well

Role on blood circulation

• Consumption of passion fruit is very useful for improving circulation
• It has seen that Scirpusin B is an important substance, present in passion fruit, acts as vasorelaxing substance, which is responsible for relaxing blood vessels as a result promotes blood circulation
• Whereas its potassium component is also accountable for improving blood circulation as it helps in vasodilation that helps to dilate blood vessels as a result support smooth blood flow
• Copper and iron components of passion fruits also help in improving circulation as they both are involved in the synthesis of RBC

Role on respiratory health

• If you want to obtain a healthy respiratory system then try passion fruit
• It is loaded with mixture of bioflavonoids, which are accountable for exerting positive effects on entire respiratory system
• Consumption of the fruit or its extract is extremely helpful for preventing wheezing and cough
• It has outstanding anti-inflammatory activity too, which help in preventing asthma by preventing the swelling of the air way

Role on gestational health

• It contains folic acid, which is considered as one of the most crucial nutrients required before and during pregnancy thus its consumption is believed to be very helpful during gestational period
• It plays vital role in promoting the growth and development of foetus

• It is closely related with reducing the prevalence of neural tube defects
• It also helps in boosting up the immunity as well as the skeletal health of both mother and foetus

Role on skin

• Consumption of passion fruit plays vital role in nourishing the skin inside out thus helps to make the skin healthy and supple
• Its Vitamin C content helps in improving skin elasticity
• Its vitamin A content is also responsible for increasing skin barrier function
• Its antioxidant components and micronutrients components are accountable for preventing premature aging process
• Piceatannol is another imperative substance found in passion fruit that also exerts anti-aging effects
• It helps to hydrate the skin as well, and helps in improving skin glow
• It helps to improve skin complexion too

Risk factors

It is very nutritious and is safe for most of the people but often it causes some allergic reactions to someone

Biswas, S., Mishra, R. and Bist, A.S., 2021. Passion to Profession: A review of Passion fruit Processing. Aptisi Transactions on Technopreneurship (ATT), 3(1), pp.48-57.

E Smith, R., M da Silva Menezes, E., UO Sabaa-Srur, A. and Wycoff, W., 2012. Potential health benefits of passion fruit peel flour. The Natural Products Journal, 2(2), pp.104-107.

Ramaiya, S.D., Bujang, J.S. and Zakaria, M.H., 2018. Nutritive values of passion fruit (Passiflora species) seeds and its role in human health. Journal of Agriculture Food and Development, 4(1), pp.23-30.

Talcott, S.T., Percival, S.S., Pittet-Moore, J. and Celoria, C., 2003. Phytochemical composition and antioxidant stability of fortified yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 51(4), pp.935-941.

Zibadi, S. and Watson, R.R., 2004. Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, 1(3), pp.183-187.