A fruit revered for centuries across tropical regions worldwide has earned endorsement from researchers at UBC Okanagan. Breadfruit, abundant in tropical and South Pacific areas, serves as a dietary staple. It can be enjoyed ripe or dried and milled into flour for versatile recipes, according to Susan Murch, a chemistry professor at UBC Okanagan's Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science.
"Breadfruit is a traditional staple from Pacific islands with immense potential to enhance global food security and combat diabetes," Murch explains. "Despite millennia of human consumption, scientific insights into its health impacts on people and animals have been limited."
Breadfruit yields a gluten-free flour when harvested, dried, and ground. For this study, the team sourced four fruits from a single Hawaiian tree, shipping them to the Murch Lab. PhD student Ying Liu spearheaded analysis of its digestion and health benefits.
"No prior comprehensive studies had evaluated breadfruit's health effects," Liu notes. "We aimed to advance it as a sustainable, eco-friendly, high-yield crop."
Prior research focused on its low glycemic index, akin to wheat, cassava, yam, and potatoes.
"Our goal was to assess if breadfruit flour diets pose health risks," Liu adds.
The team conducted rigorous trials using breadfruit flour: enzyme digestion models and mouse feeding studies.
Results showed breadfruit protein digests more readily than wheat in enzyme models. Mice on breadfruit diets exhibited faster growth and higher body weights than controls.
Liu observed elevated water intake in breadfruit-fed mice versus wheat-fed ones, with comparable body compositions after three weeks.
"As the first full-scale breadfruit diet study, our findings confirm no toxic effects," Liu states. "This foundational data is crucial for positioning breadfruit as a staple or functional food."
Breadfruit offers nutritious, sustainable nutrition globally. In the U.S., average grain intake is 189 grams (6.67 ounces) daily. Substituting cooked breadfruit meets nearly 57% of fiber needs, over 34% of protein, plus vitamin C, potassium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.
"These studies affirm breadfruit's role in balanced, healthy diets," Liu concludes. "Its gluten-free, low-GI profile provides complete protein for modern cuisine."
