Breadfruit bears a round or oval fruit weighing 4 to 6 pounds, or more.  One fruit provides the carbohydrate portion of a meal for a family of six.  A mature tree can produce 250 to 300 fruit, up to a half ton of food per year.  In an orchard setting planted at a density of 35 to 40 trees per acre, breadfruit out-produces all tropical starch crops, yielding upwards of 18 tons of fruit annually (35 metric tons per hectare)(https://www.treesthatfeed.org/programs/trees/trees/).

Benefits of Breadfruit

Matthew E. Jacobson (http://globalmana.org/blog/breadfruit-5-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-this-superfood-now/) describes breadfruit as a superfood with numerous product potential, best source of gluten-free flour, offers other valuable eco-friendly products, can massively reduce world hunger and can boost local economies.

Breadfruit is high in complex carbohydrates, low in fat, and cholesterol and gluten free. It has a blood sugar shock compared to white potato, white rice, white bread, and taro. Just 100 g of breadfruit (approximately ½ cup) provides 25% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for fiber, and 5–10% of the RDA for protein, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, thiamine, and niacin. Breadfruit also provides some carotenoids, which are not present in white rice or white potato.

Breadfruit is an extremely versatile fruit that can be prepared and eaten at all stages of development and maturity. Mature fruit is the most desirable to use for most dishes, due to its potato-like texture. There are many ways to prepare mature breadfruit: steamed, boiled, fried, baked, or cooked in traditional ways in a fire. Breadfruit can also be ground into flour and used to make pancakes, energy bars, porridge, among others