Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica, prized for its creamy, butter-yellow arils that are cooked as a savory dish, most famously combined with salted codfish in the country's iconic national meal.
History & Origins
Ackee is native to the tropical forests of West Africa, particularly the Gold Coast and the Ivory Coast region, and was carried to Jamaica aboard slave ships in the late 1700s. Captain William Bligh is credited with bringing a living tree to Kew Gardens in 1793 and helping to spread the species through the Caribbean, after which botanist Koenig named the genus Blighia in his honor. So central did the fruit become to Jamaican cooking that it was declared the country's national fruit in 1976, paired with saltfish in the national dish.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g, edible portion (estimated)
- 140 kcalCalories
- 3.4 gProtein
- 12.5 gFat
- 0.4 gCarbs
- 2.5 gFiber
- 0 gSugars
- 400 mgPotassium
- 26 mgVitamin C
- 65 mcgVitamin A
Culinary Uses
- Sautéed with salted cod, onions, Scotch bonnet peppers, tomatoes and thyme to make ackee and saltfish
- Stewed alone or with callaloo and saltfish as a side dish
- Folded into vegetarian curries as a protein-rich meat analogue
- Used as a filling in Jamaican-style turnovers, dumplings and breakfast bowls
Known Benefits
- Unusually high in protein and unsaturated fats compared to most fruits
- Provides potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber
- Contains vitamin C along with small amounts of B-vitamins and carotenoids
Hidden Benefits
- Fatty acid profile dominated by heart-friendly oleic and linoleic acids
- A useful non-animal source of zinc, iron and essential amino acids
- Traditionally used in West African herbalism to treat dysentery, fevers and conjunctivitis
Cautions & Considerations
- Unripe fruit, its pink-red inner membrane and the black seeds all contain hypoglycin A and B, which can trigger Jamaican vomiting sickness or death
- Fruit must only be picked after the pod opens naturally on the tree; never force it open
- Imported canned ackee should be free of added sugar, hypoglycin content and unripe fragments
- People on hypoglycaemic medication should monitor intake due to its blood-sugar-lowering potential
