The Hidden Power Inside Sri Lanka’s Giant Fruit

Jackfruit is impossible to ignore.

It hangs heavy from trees across Sri Lanka, spiked, oversized, and unapologetically tropical. Yet while the golden flesh gets the attention, the real story may lie deeper inside. In the seeds.

Botanically known as Artocarpus heterophyllus and locally called kos, jackfruit is more than a fruit. It is a staple. When young and green, it is cooked into curries that mimic the texture of pulled meat, something between chicken and slow braised pork. As global plant based movements search for credible meat alternatives, Sri Lanka has quietly relied on jackfruit for centuries.

Nutritionally, jackfruit is dense and functional. It is calorie rich, naturally free from cholesterol, and low in saturated fat. It contains vitamin B complexes, potassium, and plant based protein, while also offering antioxidants believed to support immunity, protect eyesight, and help regulate blood pressure. It is food that fuels, not just fills.

But once the sweet pods are removed, most overlook what remains. The seeds.

Boiled jackfruit seeds have a texture similar to potatoes, soft, mildly nutty, and surprisingly satisfying. They are rich in thiamin and riboflavin, two essential B vitamins that support energy metabolism and cellular function. They also contain meaningful amounts of zinc, iron, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium. In a country where nothing is wasted, the seeds are not discarded. They are cooked, roasted, or ground into flour for traditional dishes.

There is another dimension to jackfruit seeds that has lived largely in kitchens and family rituals rather than laboratories. Beauty.

For generations, Sri Lankan women have soaked the seeds, ground them with cold milk, and applied the paste as a facial treatment. The mixture dries into a natural mask believed to smooth skin texture, reduce fine lines, and keep blemishes under control. The logic is simple. Nutrient rich food, applied topically, feeds the skin.

The same paste, when worked into the scalp, has long been used as a nourishing hair treatment. It is said to strengthen strands, restore shine, and calm irritation. In a world crowded with synthetic serums and imported solutions, this is an indigenous alternative built on tradition and availability.

Jackfruit seeds represent something larger about Sri Lankan food culture. They embody resourcefulness. They blur the line between nourishment and wellness. They prove that what appears secondary can, in fact, be essential.

As international markets rebrand jackfruit as the next plant based breakthrough, Sri Lanka understands a deeper truth. The power of this giant fruit is not just in its flesh. It is in the seed.