Unripe passion fruit is too tart to eat. The riper the fruit, the better the sweet-tart
taste. It makes a delicious treat simply scooped out of its skin with a spoon. The seeds are
edible, although when using the fruit in recipes it is best to strain them out. The pulp of
this fruit, like vanilla extract or grenadine, can be used as a flavoring in baking or for
mixing cocktails.
Buying and storing tips
Ripe fruit has a dimpled, somewhat brittle red-purple skin; choose fruit that feels firm
and heavy for its size. It keeps in the refrigerator for a week or so, though you can freeze
the pulp in an ice cube tray.
Varieties
Of the approximately 400 varieties of the passion fruit plant, only about 30 produce edible
fruit. These are mainly categorized as Sweet, Purple, and Giant. The types most commonly
available in supermarkets are the Sweet and Purple varieties, which are about the size of an
egg. The Giant Granadilla, 8 inches (about 20cm) in length, grows in tropical America, India,
and southeast Asia. The Sweet Granadilla can be found in Mexican mountain regions and in
Hawaii.
Nutrition Highlights
Passion fruit (raw), 1 cup (236g)
Calories: 228
Protein: 5.2g
Carbohydrate: 55g
Total Fat: 1.6g
Fiber: 24.5g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (1,652 IU),
and Vitamin C (70.8mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes
only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult
your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any
supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
Information expires June 2009.
