Passion fruit is also called edible passion flower, passionflower or purple granadilla (translated from Spanish as “little pomegranate”). At first it was grown in South America, and now it is found in many countries with a subtropical or tropical climate (Peru, Haiti, India, Argentina, Brazil, etc.).

The fruits themselves are the size of a lemon (4-8 cm in diameter), oval in shape with a smooth waxy surface. On average, the weight of one piece is about 35-50 g.

Passion fruit contains beneficial vitamins A, C, B, E, PP, H, K and beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A). Of the minerals, it is worth noting chlorine, iron, manganese, calcium, copper, sulfur, fluorine, sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Calorie content is only 68 kcal per 100 g. Fruits contain 2.4 g of protein, 13.4 carbohydrates and 0.4 g of fat.

Beneficial features

1. The composition of passion fruit includes serotonin, which helps to relax, calms and restores nerves, relieves irritability and insomnia.
2. Potassium in these exotic fruits improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
3. Antioxidants help slow down the growth of oncological formations, protect and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
4. For problems with the liver and urinary tract, it is recommended to use passion fruit, because it helps to remove uric acid from the body and improves kidney function.
5. Beneficial features passion fruit allows you to maintain and even in some cases completely restore vision.
6. Thanks to dietary fiber Passiflora fruits help remove harmful cholesterol from the body and protect the intestinal mucosa from mechanical and chemical damage.
7. The laxative properties of fruit fiber are useful for those who want to get rid of constipation and normalize stools.
8. With regular use of passion fruit, the gastrointestinal tract begins to work much better.
9. The medicinal properties of exotic fruits help to overcome fever, normalize blood pressure, strengthen immunity, get rid of inflammation in the body and migraines.
10. Passion fruit fans who suffer from asthma are less likely to have another attack.
11. It is recommended for use by older people as a prevention of age-related ailments.
12. Passion fruit improves metabolism, which is useful for those who want to lose weight. Moreover, its fruits contain a minimum of fat and calories.

From the flowers of the edible passion flower, sedatives and antispasmodics are prepared.

Leaves help fight joint pain and headache. Of these, pharmacists and experienced herbalists prepare medicines to alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

cosmetic potential

Oils and ointments based on passion fruit are considered excellent remedies for itching and burns, and have a softening effect.

Fruit juice is often used to create cosmetics that improve skin tone and elasticity. It gives a feeling of freshness, cleanliness and slows down aging.

Thanks to the regular use of homemade cosmetics based on passion fruit, the condition of the hair improves, and the nails do not exfoliate or break.

The fruit helps protect the skin from adverse environmental conditions due to high level plant antioxidants.

The listed useful properties are a weighty reason for the use of passion fruit in cosmetology.

Contraindications

There aren't many of them. Mostly passion fruit benefits.

1. Individual intolerances and allergies can be noted.
2. It is advisable for lactating and pregnant women to observe the measure and not eat too much.
3. The fruits of the edible passion flower are contraindicated in infants, as their digestive system cannot cope with this product. That's why passion fruit is not on the list of fruits for baby food.

Otherwise, passion fruit is suitable for almost everyone, and its beneficial properties will favorably affect your well-being and health.

Passion fruit is a juicy fruit from exotic countries.

When you first see the fruits of passion fruit, you can fall into thought - is it a fruit or a berry? The exotic fruits of edible passionflower are at the same time similar to both. But still, passion fruit is a fruit growing on a vine with the beautiful name "Passion Flower". Other names for passionfruit fruits are chinola, peschenfruit, granadilla.

For the domestic market, passion fruit is a novelty. They appeared on Russian shelves in the post-perestroika period, but nowadays anyone who wants to try extraordinary taste Peschenfruit can easily be bought in the supermarket.

Description and origin

It is impossible to immediately and thoroughly answer the question of what a passionfruit fruit looks like. This is due to the fact that there are a great many types of chinola, and they all look different: there are fruits with a perfectly smooth light green skin, there are fruits whose skin is wrinkled. The shriveled dark-skinned passion fruit is considered the sweetest and most delicious variety of exotic fruit: according to gourmets, it is these fruits that have a delicious taste and alluring aroma.

Passiflora is native to Brazil. It is from this state that the fruits of Peshenfruit are brought to the domestic market. However, whole plantations of sweet fruits are also grown in New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Israel.

Features of cultivation

The exotic fruit of passion fruit cannot be called a capricious plant: if desired, a liana can be grown even in a home greenhouse. All that is required for the cultivation of passion fruit is a sufficiently large growing area, warmth and good lighting. If the plant does not have enough light or heat, you can not expect fragrant and tasty fruits from it.

On the Internet you can find detailed photos and video instructions on growing passion flower vines at home.

How to eat passion fruit?

How to eat this unusual fruit from the southern countries? There is nothing complicated in eating passion fruit (granadilla):

• The ripe fruit is cut in a circle: a circular incision is made strictly along the passion fruit skin;
• By incision, the fruit breaks into two equal halves;
• The pulp of the fruit is eaten with a small dessert or teaspoon.

Useful advice: you should break the passion fruit into two halves very quickly, because if you delay, all the juice will flow out of the fruit.

In cooking, the exceptionally tender pulp of the passionfruit fruit is used. Her delicate taste will give a special zest to the filling in a sweet pie or cake soak. The fruit is also used in the preparation of salads, however, passion fruit is added to other components as a last resort.

Passion fruit is a sweet and aromatic component of non-alcoholic and alcoholic cocktails. Fruit juice is mixed with absinthe, fruit juices, added to milk-based cocktails. Passion fruit juice is added to fruit sauces for salads and desserts. Light sourness and seeds in passion fruit pulp give the sauce a piquant taste.

Where to buy and how to store?

Passion fruit can be easily found in any large supermarket. It is best to eat the fruits right away, but if you are planning to cook them or bought them for a special occasion, you can store the passion fruit in the refrigerator. The fruit will not spoil, but the maximum period of its storage in a conventional refrigerator does not exceed five days.

Useful advice: if you bought unripe passion fruit, let the fruits ripen for a day at room temperature and only then put them in the refrigerator for storage.

The price of passion fruit in domestic grocery markets is quite high, but in the countries of southern latitudes, the fruit of the peschenfruit is actually sold for a penny. On average, for 150 Russian rubles, you can buy five or six large passion fruits.

The benefits and harms of passion fruit

Useful properties of passion fruit fruits are known: vitamins from the juice and pulp of the fruit have a beneficial effect on strengthening the immune system, the high content of antioxidants makes passion fruit an invaluable natural medicine for oncology and pathologies of blood vessels.

It is useful to eat passion fruit for problems with the stomach and intestines, to calm the nervous system, a decoction of the leaves of the passion flower liana will help get rid of migraines and headaches, joint pain.

Harm from the use of passion fruit is possible only if abused in the amount of the fruit eaten, as well as with an allergic reaction to the sweet and fragrant fruit.

Well, we can’t leave you without a video recording of Elena Malysheva’s program, where she talked about the beneficial properties, possible harm passion fruit and how it is grown in our weather conditions. Enjoy watching.

They say that taste preferences reflect the character, and there is some truth in this. The Japanese Noriko Kuriyama, for example, identified 6 “taste types”: fish lovers are reliable and constant people, meat eaters are always emotional and assertive, eaters of fatty foods are open and sociable, vegetable connoisseurs are energetic, ambitious, fruit connoisseurs are sensitive, attentive, caring, easy-going .

Those who love fruits are in luck: grocery stores are littered with sweet fruits. Even in winter, you can enjoy domestic “fruit classics” and unique exotics. There are many types and varieties to choose from - buy any! Let's focus on passion fruit - a plant product with a "passionate" character.

Passion fruit sounds in Latin as Passiflora incarnata - a flower that embodies the passions, that is, the torment of Christ. She owes this name to the Italian Jesuit, who, having seen the beautiful flowers, connected them with the crucifixion of God's son.

Born in South America, passionflower migrated to Australia, New Zealand, Israel, the Galapagos Islands and Hawaii. However, as before, the main places of its growth are the lands of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina.

Passiflora has many names: among the Portuguese it is called passion fruit, the Spaniards - a cavalier star, African peoples - granadilla, Europeans - passion fruit. In Russia, passion fruit has become an edible passion flower.

There is indeed a lot of passion in the fruits of passion fruit, but not painful, but sweet. Sweet and sour taste with a slight bitterness, juiciness - these are the main characteristics of an amazing fruit. Not only the pulp is edible, but also the seeds, which are often used to decorate confectionery.

You can recognize the fruits of passion by their oval shape, small size (up to 12 cm in length) and dense green, yellow, purple, violet and even brown peel. Ripe passion fruit is necessarily purple, with a rough surface, expressive sweetness and aroma. This unforgettable lingering fragrance is used in the perfumery and cosmetics industries (think shower gels, passion fruit scented creams), but in the first place is the use of passion fruit in cooking, medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Passion fruit is a very juicy fruit (up to 40% juice in one fruit), so it gives a lot of juice. It is not consumed in its pure form, but mixed with other freshly squeezed drinks - the taste is amazing, an excellent tonic effect! Passionfruit juice is an ingredient in many dairy products, confectionery, ice cream, sauces for fish and seafood. Juicy sweet pulp is an excellent addition to ice cream and various salads. For your own pleasure, you can cut the fruit in half and eat away its pulp with a teaspoon. Fresh passion fruit is full of flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals and of course vitamins! All this benefit is sent to the body and restores order in it.

Passion fruit selection

Buying passion fruit is easy for those who have delivered it to their own table more than once, but what if the person is doing it for the first time? It is necessary to evaluate the size and color of the fruit: a decent size, saturation of shades are signs of quality fruits. The color of passionfruits depends not only on the degree of ripening, but also on the variety. Maturity is indicated by a dark purple gamma, as well as a rough surface. The fruits of the Hawaiian passion fruit are usually yellow, and the "guests" from New Zealand are deep purple.

Any ripe fruit is difficult to transport, so they are transported unripe. Passion fruit is no exception. For ripening, it needs a normal room and room temperature.

Ripe passionflower fruits are stored in the refrigerator for no longer than a week. However, there will be no fruit in a day, because it is impossible to resist their taste.

This exotic fruit is cultivated on an industrial scale in South Africa, Australia, the Hawaiian Islands, Thailand, South America, although its homeland is the tropics of Brazil.

In Russia, passion fruit is known under the name "passiflora", "passion flower", "granadilla". There is a legend that the Italian Jesuit monk F. Ferrari called this plant a passion flower in memory of the sufferings of Jesus Christ. When he was shown a passionflower flower, he compared parts of the plant to garments, the wounds of the Savior, the crown of thorns and nails from his crucifixion.

In its homeland, in tropical forests, passion fruit grows on strong vines of almost ten meters in length with dark green leaves. There are dozens of varieties of this species. Passion fruit flowers are not very large, after pollination in 80 days a fragrant fruit is formed in place of the flower.

Composition of passion fruit

100 g of passion fruit contains:

Water - 78 g

Proteins - 2.4 g

Fats - 0.4 g

Carbohydrates - 13.4 g

Dietary fiber (fiber) -1.5 g

Vitamins:

Vitamin A (beta-carotene) - 0.24 mg

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.02 mg

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.1 mg

Niacin (vitamin B3 or vitamin PP) - 2.5 mg

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) - 0.2 mg

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - 0.4 mg

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) 14 mcg

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 24 mg

Vitamin E (tocopherol) - 0.4 mg

Biotin (Vitamin H) 5 mcg

Vitamin K (phylloquinone) - 10 mcg

Macronutrients:

Potassium - 340 mg

Calcium - 17 mg

Magnesium - 9 mg

Sodium - 28 mg

Sulfur - 19 mcg

Chlorine - 37 mg

Phosphorus - 57 mg

Trace elements:

Iron - 1.3 mg

Iodine - 1.3 mcg

Manganese - 120 mcg

Copper - 120 mcg

Zinc - 0.25 mg

Fluorine - 20 mcg

What does passion fruit look like?

Those who have never seen a passion fruit can imagine a large yellow or deep purple plum. This exotic fruit grows on a vine and ranges in length from 6 to 12 cm. Passion fruit, which is not quite ripe, has a smooth skin, and its ripe fruit is distinguished by a wrinkled surface. The peel of the fruit is quite dense, it reliably preserves the pulp from mechanical damage.

Useful properties of passion fruit

The composition of passion fruit contains almost no fat, protein and carbohydrates predominate, which allows those who care about their weight to use this fruit in their diet. Calorie content of 100 g of tropical delicacy is only 65-70 kcal. But the benefits of passion fruit are not only in use when diet food, it has many valuable properties.

Useful properties of passion fruit:

If you are tired of the gloomy sky and slush under your feet. If summer has just passed, and you are waiting for spring, but it is still so far away ... If you want to visit at least for a moment tropical paradise, and you do not know how to do it ... Do not be discouraged. Just eat passion fruit! This tropical fruit will instantly cheer you up, it is not for nothing that it is considered the most delicious on the planet.

Passion fruit (lat. Passiflora edulis; port. Maracuj;) is the fruit of an edible passion flower. It is a vine that is grown mainly in Brazil and produces a crop twice a year - in January and July. In Australia, the fruit is called passionflower. The Africans call him granadilla, and in Malaysia and Indonesia he is the "marquise". The English and French call it passion fruit (which literally translates as "passion fruit") In Russia, this fruit is known as passion fruit. In fact, this is wrong, since the word comes from the Tupi-Guarani Indian languages, in which the stress falls on the last syllable. A more correct name would be "marakouzh".
The fruit of passion was first discovered by Europeans in 1600. When Christian missionaries traveled through South America, they discovered this lush flowering plant in the tropical latitudes of the continent. It was named the fruit of passion for its complex and beautiful white flower, which reminded the missionaries of the passion of Christ on the crucifixion. The name of the flower was given by the Jesuit F.B. Ferari, who lived in Siena in the 17th century, who found similarities in various parts of passionflower with the instruments of the passions of the Lord. The triple stigma depicts three nails, the “crown” is a bloodied crown of thorns, the stalk fruit is a bowl, five anthers are the five wounds of the Savior, a three-bladed leaf is a spear, tendril bracts are whips, the central trunk is a pillar to which Christ was tied. And the white color was identified with the innocence of the Savior.
The unusual passion fruit flower attracted the attention of not only botanists and clergymen, but also poets and artists. Its image can be found in the paintings of famous masters of the 17th - 19th centuries. Stylized passionflower flowers served as the basis for the design of the carved iron lattice of the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg. The form of this plant is widely used in the paintings of churches, in particular, Pinsky. This fruit also inspires contemporary composers to create their works, one of them is Michael Fix's composition "Passionfruit", permeated with fiery flamenco rhythm and the sound of castanets.

"Where can I get this miracle?" - you ask. Of course, you can go to Brazil. After all, it is there that the birthplace of this ancient tropical culture. Do you want to go to Brazil? Then fly to Australia, South America or South Africa, currently passion fruit is grown in these countries as well, as it grows well in cool climates. You can also grow your own from seeds, which are easy to find in any Seeds store. Just keep in mind: you will not find the name "Passionfruit" on the label. Look for "Passiflora sweet granadilla" or "Passiflora edible". Passion fruit is a vine that clings to a support with its antennae. You can show your imagination and give the plant any shape. Seeds germinate very well and grow quickly. So a piece of the tropics will appear in your apartment. With good care, you will get a harvest in the second year.
But first, you will admire the beautiful flowers that have the lightest scent. The passionflower flower has a very complex and unusual structure - the so-called “crown” is located above the petals in the form of long threads or scales, and above it are large stamens. At the very top is a pistil with three stigmas. The flower petals are white and cream, while the bases of the stamens are purple or blue.

Naturally, flowering ends with the appearance of fruits. But what to do if your own plantings will not produce a crop soon and you have no opportunity to visit Latin America or Australia, purchase and try this fruit there? Then the fastest and easiest way to get this exotic fruit is to buy it in the supermarket.
Passion fruits are very diverse in shape and color. Depending on the variety, they are oval or round in shape, and resemble an orange in size. The diameter of the fruit is on average 4-7.5 cm.
When you buy passion fruit, look for large, heavy fruits with dark purple skins. Do not be alarmed if you suddenly see fruits that are brownish-purple, yellow or red. The color depends on the variety and on the place of growth. An unripe fruit is always green. Fruits with smooth, shiny skin are usually processed. For consumption in fresh sweeter shriveled fruits with a rough, cracked skin are a sign of their ripeness. Ripe fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Passion fruit belongs to the group of sour fruits. Indeed, this fruit has a sour taste, but it is not as sharp as that of a lemon, and more subtle than that of a kiwi. Its pulp is slightly bitter, but this only enriches its magnificent delicate taste and aroma. I like it! Try it yourself!
Cut the purchased fruit at home in half. The peel from the inside of a passion fruit, like a grapefruit, with small "antennae" for which the seeds cling. I note - not at all small ... Get these seeds - they are edible, easily and crunchy on your teeth (prepare a toothpick just in case), their yellow shell has a sour taste and a special, unlike anything, aroma. But you should not get carried away with the bones: a lot of seeds cause drowsiness. So, be careful!
The pulp of the fruit is somewhat similar in texture to diluted starch. Eat just like that, for example, with a spoon. She's gorgeous! Anyone who has once tasted passion fruit is unlikely to forget its taste and amazing aroma, which instantly takes us to the homeland of incendiary carnivals and exotic fruit cocktails. Fresh passion fruit juice perfectly quenches thirst and makes you feel like you are in the very center of a colorful Brazilian holiday.
Passion fruit juice is very easy to prepare - you need to cut the fruit with a knife, divide it into two halves, remove the pulp into a deep bowl, add sugar. The juice itself is tasty, but sour, and when sugar is added, the taste of passion fruit appears new shades. Next, you need to beat the mass, strain the seeds through a strainer - and the concentrate for the drink is ready. Then you should add water, three to four glasses per fruit.
Drink to your health - tasty, healthy, exotic! By the way, passion fruit juice has a calming effect and improves sleep. And the juice improves the elasticity and tone of the skin. Therefore, it is used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetology.

Too bad I didn't have ice cream during the passion fruit tasting. Although I still hope next time to try it in this new combination, which is very popular in Germany. Germans also often make sandwiches with passion fruit and fruit cakes. Passion fruit pulp can also be added to creams, mousses, sauces and fruit salads. In the Dominican Republic, liqueurs are made from passion fruit. Passion fruit is actively used for canning, for making juices (usually mixed with other tropical fruits) and as a filler for dairy products. In fact, passion fruit is grown for its juice, which is added to other fruit juices for flavor. So, if you haven't found the fruit itself, there are still juice, nectar and syrup on sale. Try, say, muesli with passion fruit syrup! Passion fruit is very useful: The pulp of the fruit contains: water, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins B, A, C, sodium, serotonin, passiflorin glucoside. Calories - 71 cal.

Passion fruit extract is used in the manufacture of cosmetics and medicated shampoos, and weight loss preparations and medicines are also made from passion fruit fibers. Many varieties of passion fruit are both ornamental, fruit and medicinal plants. In folk medicine, passion fruit is used as a very effective sedative and sedative, due to the presence of passiflorin glucoside. The fruits are eaten fresh, and the leaves and flowers are brewed into a tea or decoction. However, for people prone to allergic diseases, the use of this fruit is not recommended.

Passion fruit has laxative properties and improves bowel function. Promotes the excretion of uric acid from the body and is an antipyretic. It is recommended to use in diseases of the liver, urinary tract.
Biochemists and cosmetologists often use passion fruit extracts and oil, which have a moisturizing, regenerating, vitaminizing effect, well restore the hydrolipid mantle, and stimulate local blood circulation.
Also, a new study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that purple-skinned passion fruit extract helps relieve severe wheezing among asthma patients and lower blood pressure. And thanks to the high content of vitamin C, it helps with a hangover.

Now we turn, in fact, to passions in passion fruit! It is especially recommended after sex or instead of ... Therefore, you need to prepare the dish in advance.

Passion fruit caipirinha.
This cocktail is widespread in the Dominican Republic and is very easy to prepare.
Serves 2: 1 passion fruit, 100 ml vodka, 1 teaspoon crushed ice, sugar to taste
Remove the seeds from the passion fruit and mix well with all the ingredients.

Red fish with passion fruit sauce.
For 2 servings: Salted red fish 300 gr., 3 passion fruit, 100 gr. white wine, sauce for fish.
Grill or fry fish. Take 2-3 passion fruit and scoop out the puree with the seeds with a spoon. Put the passion fruit puree in a small pan and lightly drizzle with white wine, when the puree boils, you need to turn off the heat and pour the sauce over the fish.

Oyster ceviche with salad and passionfruit sauce
Ingredients:
- oysters (large sizes) - 1 kg
- Bell pepper(green) - 1 pc.
- sweet pepper (red) - 1 pc.
- dill (ground) - 1 pinch
- tomato - 2 pcs.
- avocado - 2 pcs.
- corn (shredded green cobs) - 2 cups
- lettuce - 2 bunches
- watercress - 1 bunch
- lemons - 1 kg
- passion fruit - 1/2 kg
- mayonnaise - 1 cup
- olive oil- 100g
- salt, pepper - to taste.

From lettuce, tomatoes, watercress, avocado and corn, you need to make a salad. Remove seeds from peppers and chop finely. Cut the oysters into three parts, sprinkle with dill, chopped pepper, salt and pour over lemon juice.
Actually, that's all. Put oysters on a plate, salad around them, pour everything on top with sauce made from mayonnaise and ground passion fruit.

Passion fruit cream with ice cream
We will need: 4 passion fruits, 10 g gelatin, 1/11 l passion fruit syrup, 1/8 l white wine, 4 egg yolks, 1 full tbsp. a spoonful of granulated sugar, 200 g of cream, 4 scoops of fruit ice cream.
And for decoration: pomegranate seeds, slices exotic fruit carom (preferably), a sprig of lemon balm, shortbread cookies.

Passion fruit should be cut in half, and with a trained hand, take out the pulp with a small spoon. The pulp of 3 fruits will need to be rubbed through a sieve, and the pulp along with the seeds should be separated from one passion fruit. Then everything is simple. Soak gelatin. Warm syrup and wine. Beat the yolks together with sugar, then, continuing to beat, add hot wine with syrup to the mixture. Beat the egg cream in a hot water bath for about 2 minutes until creamy. Well-squeezed gelatin dissolve in the cream. Put the cream in the cold. Just before it begins to set, add the passion fruit puree and heavy whipped cream. And put it in the fridge for the cream to harden. Cream will be served with fruit ice cream. For beauty, sprinkle the dessert with pomegranate seeds, carambola slices and decorate with lemon balm sprigs and shortbread cookies.
And now you can go with this dish to get a job as a chef in a pastry cafe.

If you can’t do such a culinary “aerobatics”, don’t be discouraged! Take ice cream and add passion fruit pulp. Decorate as you please. It won't get worse!

And finally, a simple passionfruit dessert
For 8 servings. For the pudding, take: 8 raw egg whites, 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter for mold lubrication.
For passion fruit cream: 1 cup natural juice passion fruit, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups milk, 3 tablespoons cornmeal.

Whip for pudding egg whites, gradually add sugar to them and beat thoroughly again. We spread the prepared mixture in a greased form with a diameter of 30 cm, and place it on water bath cook for 30 minutes. Then do not forget to remove from heat, cool a little, then release from the mold and transfer to a dish with high sides. We will prepare the cream as follows: combine milk with sugar and cornmeal, put on fire, stirring constantly, bring to a boil, then cook until thickened. In conclusion, add the passion fruit juice, mix thoroughly, let cool and put on top of the pudding. You can, of course, pour chocolate on top of the pudding dissolved in a water bath.
But it all turned out just fine!

Materials used in the article:
http://shkolazhizni.ru/archive/0/n-4603/