Passion fruit benefits and side effects

Passion fruit is associated with several health benefits, the likes of which are as follows:

Passion fruit is loaded with antioxidants that are useful in eliminating free radicals in the body that can cause widespread inflammation. Antioxidants have a cleansing effect on the body - they improve blood flow in the body and reduce cellular stress. Passion fruit also contains vitamin C which assists in the absorption of other antioxidants. This is useful since our body often is not able to absorb certain nutrients too well without assistance from other sources. On top of this, the fruit has beta carotene and several polyphenols which also have anti-inflammatory properties.

The lower rates of inflammation may also improve bone health and be beneficial to those with asthma and other inflammatory conditions.

As mentioned above, passion fruit has beta carotene which is supposed to be good for eye health. Note that beta carotene is an important part of balanced diets but sufficient studies have not established if passion fruit per se can be used to promote eye health. There may be benefits, but to what degree passion fruit works requires more research.

Passion fruit has a substance called piceatannol which may improve insulin sensitivity and boost metabolism. Improved insulin sensitivity can lower the risk of diabetes. Some small studies have shown that participants given a sustained dose of piceatannol over several weeks showed improvement in rates of metabolism. Further research is needed to see if this can be replicated on a larger scale. 

Further, passion fruit has a low glycemic index; it does not cause much of a sugar spike on eating it. This means it is a healthier option than those foods that cause blood sugar to shoot up.

Most people can have passion fruit without any issues - it is tasty, nutritious and easy to eat. However, a small number of people may have an adverse reaction to it if they have latex allergy. In some cases the reaction will be mild, but sometimes the reaction can be strong and lead to shock. Latex allergies can be caused by many fruits, so it is likely that you will be aware of it. If you do have latex allergies, it is best to avoid the fruit.