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Is Jackfruit the Next Meat Substitute?

By John Russel

08 February 2020

A large and unusual tropical fruit is becoming more popular in the United States.

The jackfruit is native to India. The big, spiky¹ fruit grows in parts of Asia, South America and the Caribbean. It can weigh from 6 to around 30 kilograms.

Often used as a meat substitute, jackfruit has a lot of vitamins and minerals. Its neutral flavor works with all kinds of seasonings².

Now, with many Americans looking for plant-based alternatives to meat, jackfruit is becoming more popular.

This popularity has been growing for several years, noted³ Robert Schueller. He is head of marketing⁴ at Melissa's Produce, a specialty⁵ produce company based in Los Angeles, California.

"It was about five years ago that the fruit started to really take off,'' he told reporters from the Associated Press. "Vegetarians⁷ and vegans found out how this fruit could be used as a ‘meat substitute' for pulled pork sandwiches and as a taco meat."

Schueller said Melissa's sales have increased sharply. The company went from selling a few containers of jackfruit each week to thousands of cases weekly.

In many places around the country, jackfruit is appearing not only at vegan and vegetarian⁶ restaurants, but other places as well. Tomatillo, for example, a Mexican restaurant in Dobbs Ferry, New York, has a quesadilla and a taco made with jackfruit.

In Chicago, Alulu Brewpub serves Vegan Sicilian Jackfruit Flatbread on a menu that also has pork belly⁸.

Angela Means, owner of the vegan Jackfruit Café in Los Angeles, California, says people are choosing a vegan diet for many reasons. These reasons include environmental, health and moral concerns.

"We eat meat because of the texture⁹ and the spices. Jackfruit is a great substitute,'' Means said. "We put it in tacos, and we make sandwiches, like a barbecue pulled `pork.'"

Jackfruit Café also serves a "fish patty'' made of jackfruit and seaweed.

Means said her restaurant tries to educate people in the community about jackfruit and meat substitutes. She predicted "in seven to 10 years, jackfruit will be as popular as beef."

Words in This Story

vitamin – n. a natural substance that is usually found in foods and that helps your body to be healthy

alternative – n. something that can be chosen instead of something else : a choice or option

vegan – n. a person who does not eat any food that comes from animals and who often also does not use animal products (such as leather)

pork –n. the meat of a pig

belly – n. the part of an animal's body that is like a person's belly

texture – n. the way that a food or drink feels in your mouth

1 spiky   

adj.长而尖的，大钉似的

参考例句：

• Your hairbrush is too spiky for me.你的发刷，我觉得太尖了。
• The spiky handwriting on the airmail envelope from London was obviously hers.发自伦敦的航空信封上的尖长字迹分明是她的。

2 seasonings   

n.调味品，佐料( seasoning的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It emphasizes the use of seasonings, so no two dishes ever taste alike. 它对调味品十分讲究。因此，没有两个菜会有同样的味道。 来自地道口语脱口SHOW 高中超越版
• The food made of flour and various seasonings is called moon cake. 中秋节的食品也是圆圆的，也象征着团圆，这种用面和各种作料做的食品叫月饼。 来自互联网

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

6 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

7 vegetarians   

n.吃素的人( vegetarian的名词复数 )；素食者；素食主义者；食草动物

参考例句：

• Vegetarians are no longer dismissed as cranks. 素食者不再被视为有怪癖的人。
• Vegetarians believe that eating meat is bad karma. 素食者认为吃肉食是造恶业。

8 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

9 texture   

n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理

参考例句：

• We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
• Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。