The yaka, also known as jackfruit and / or breadfruit, it is the largest fruit that grows on a tree, weighing approximately 35 kilos and measuring approximately one meter.
It consists of a scientifically named fruit Artocarpus heterophyllus, which is considered a savior food, because it has numerous benefits. About 150 fruits may be produced during two annual harvest seasons.
Features
Consists in a prickly fruit with a fibrous texture, which is covered with small cones.
It has a peculiar color, of an intense green tone that when it reaches maturity it turns yellowish. It has an elongated shape and large measures, so it is usually a bit complex to start, which is why over time it is mostly distributed with a pre-cut presentation.
Apart from the fact that the jackfruit or yaka has a high content of vitamin C, it should be noted that in addition, its seeds include iron, potassium, protein and calcium. To learn more about the Characteristics and care of the jackfruit tree, as well as its cultivation, it is essential to understand its cultivation as part of the recommended crops.
Its interior is composed of yellow and edible bulbs with a melon flavor, which they have an oval, smooth seed of a light brown colorEach of these fruits may contain around 100-500 seeds inside, as there is one inside each bulb.
A single jackfruit could weigh approximately 35-50kg, which is why it offers a good amount of food. However, it should be mentioned that the main advantage of this fruit is that it remains in good condition for a long time when it is in the refrigerator, since having a thick pulp, it has the characteristic of conserving most of its nutrients.
Varieties and their cultivation
Two varieties of yaka can be found; the first is one whose fruit has small, heavy, fibrous and sweet carpels; while the second offers fragile fruits and with a somewhat crunchy texture, this being the most commercialized and demanded variety at the moment.
Both its harvest and its transport must be carried out at the moment when its green tone turns yellow. What's more, it is necessary to leave part of the stem in order to manipulate more easily and generally requires at least 20 weeks to reach optimal ripeness. It's important to keep in mind that it requires watering every two weeks throughout the summer. For more information on growing yaka, you can check out this link, which covers interesting topics.
It is possible to plant your seeds directly into a fixed plot of land, keeping a distance between each one of approximately nine to twelve meters. After seven years it will begin to offer its fruits; its production lasts around several months, and begins at the end of flowering.
Similarly, it is advisable to cover it eventually with sheets of paper with the purpose of driving away those pests that could attack it.
Benefits
The Yaka has a high water content, so it is a fruit whose consumption is quite hydrating; In addition, it has a great contribution of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins.
It also offers a high mineral content, as it contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, calcium, niacin, vitamin B1, protein, folic acid, iron, and potassium. For more details on the characteristics of the jackfruit tree and its cultivation, it is interesting to study it in more depth.
Prepare an infusion with its leaves and apply a few drops on the area of the ears or eyes, allows to effectively fight infections as can be otitis and conjunctivitis.
By consuming jackfruit as a tea and preparing it with its leaves, allows to lower glucose levels present in the blood, and blood pressure. In addition, it is very effective in combating different respiratory conditions, like hangovers and skin problems.
It is considered a natural viagra because it has sildenafil, which stands out as an active ingredient in viagra; so it helps to have a higher sexual potency without causing the blood pressure to rise excessively.