Passion Fruit Tea Benefits: A Nutritious and Antioxidant-Rich Drink for Your Body 

Passion fruit is an increasingly popular, highly nutritious tropical fruit. Despite their small size, passion fruits are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and other plant compounds that can benefit your health. These qualities have led to the growing popularity of passion fruit tea. So, spice up your daily routine and try making this nutritious and exotic passion tea. Read more about the passion fruit tea benefits and how to prepare this drink.

What Is Passion Fruit? 

Passionflower belongs to the genus Passifloraceae, and there are about 520 species of this plant. Passionflower is most abundant in tropical areas. The Asian and American tropics have the most species of passionflowers, but some are growing in Europe and Australia. 

It is a perennial herbaceous grass, a liana, and a few species can be a shrub or a tree. The fruit has a hard outer skin and a juicy, soft, seed-filled center. 

Benefits of Passion Fruit 

Passion fruit and its tea are a source of nutrients, especially fiber, vitamin C, and provitamin A. They are also rich in beneficial plant compounds, including carotenoids and polyphenols. One scientific study found that passion fruit contains more polyphenols than many other tropical fruits, including bananas, lychees, mangoes, papayas, and pineapples. 

Passion fruit also contains some iron. The human body does not normally absorb iron from plants very well. However, iron is rich in vitamin C, which improves iron absorption. 

Passion Fruit Antioxidants 

As you probably already know, antioxidants protect the body against free radicals. These substances are unstable molecules that can damage cells. Passion fruit contains antioxidants, particularly vitamin C, beta-carotene, and polyphenols. You can imagine the benefits of passion tea getting from antioxidants.

Polyphenols are plant compounds. They have various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Scientific studies have shown that polyphenols reduce the risk of chronic inflammation and heart disease. 

Beta-carotene is a vital antioxidant. The body converts it into vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining good eyesight. According to research, a diet rich in plant-based beta-carotene is associated with a lower risk of some cancers, including prostate, colorectal, stomach, and breast cancers. 

Passion Fruit is A Source of Dietary Fiber

One passion fruit contains about 2 g of fiber. This amount is quite a lot for such a tiny fruit. Fiber is useful for maintaining gut health and preventing constipation. 

Studies have shown that soluble fiber helps to delay digestion and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.

Passion Fruit Peel Can Reduce Inflammation 

You already know about passion tea from herbs, but what about the fruit peel? Due to the high antioxidant content of passion fruit peel, it can have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. The effect of a purple passion fruit peel supplement on asthma symptoms over four weeks has been investigated. People who took the supplement experienced decreased wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. 

In another research, including people with osteoarthritis of the knee joint, those taking violet passion fruit peel extract reported less joint pain and stiffness than those who did not take the extract. 

Passion Fruit Tea with Orange and Mint 

A hot orange and passionfruit drink is a great way to surprise the whole family or guests. This tea is unlike any other. It is a delightful, fragrant, and exotic treat. 

You need: 

• 1 passion fruit 
• half an orange 
• a pinch of dried mint or a sprig of green mint 
• 500 ml of water 
• a kettle 

Preparation: 

1. Put the mint in a kettle. If you use raw mint, wash it well beforehand. 
2. Wash the orange well, slice half of it, and put it in the kettle. 
3. Wash the passion fruit, cut it in half, scoop out the pulp with a spoon, and put it in the kettle. 
4. Pour hot, boiling water over everything and cover with a lid. 
5. Let the drink stand for 5 minutes, drain, and enjoy. 

Passion Fruit Tea with Mango 

When you’re craving something extra bright, warm, and fruity, mango and passion fruit tea will brighten up your evening and make you feel cozy. Whether you’re watching your favorite TV series, reading a book, or maybe even adding a touch of glamour to a get-together with friends, adults and children alike will enjoy the benefits of passion fruit tea.  

You need: 

• 1 ripe mango 
• one passion fruit 
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 50 ml of passion fruit syrup 
• 1 orange 
• 800 ml of water 

Preparation: 

1. Separate the flesh of the mango from the bone and peel off the skin. Puree 3/4 of the mangoes with a blender until smooth and cut the rest into slices. 
2. Wash the oranges well. Squeeze the juice from half of the orange and thinly slice the other half. 
3. Scoop out the pulp from the passion fruit. 
4. Put all the ingredients in the bottom of the teapot: mango puree and slices, juice and orange slices, rosemary sprig, passion fruit pulp, and syrup. 
5. Pour hot, boiling water over everything. 
6. Leave to infuse for at least 5–10 minutes, and enjoy. 
7. If you prefer, you can add a little black tea or green tea. 

Passion Fruit Tea with Ginger, Raspberries, and Mango 

This is a lovely, warming passion fruit tea. The ginger and raspberries are great for cold symptoms, while the passion fruit and mango give this tea an exotic flavor and aroma. Be sure to drink it warm. 

For 6 servings, you will need: 

• 1 cm of ginger root 
• 4 teaspoons of dried raspberries or 4 packets of raspberry tea
• a large can of mango in syrup (approx. 425 g) 
• 6 passion fruits 
• 1500 ml of water 

Preparation: 

1. Wash and peel the ginger. Cut it into small slices and put it in a teapot. 
2. Place the raspberries in the teapot and cover it with hot, boiling water. Leave the tea for 10 minutes to steep and strain. 
3. In the meantime, crush the mango chunks with a grater. 
4. Scoop out the pulp from the fruit. 
5. Pour the tea into the cups, then add the mashed mangoes and the passion fruit pulp. 
6. Stir and serve. 

Possible Side Effects of Passion Fruit 

Most people can consume passion fruit, but a few of them have a risk of allergy. 

According to the researchers, people with latex allergies are at the highest risk for passionflower. This is because the structure of some of the plant proteins in the fruit is similar to that of latex proteins, which can cause an allergic reaction in some people. 

Also, despite its potential benefits, the skin of the violet passion fruit may contain chemicals known as cyanogenic glycosides. These can combine with enzymes and become poisonous. Therefore, the hard outer skin of the fruit is generally inedible unless it has been specifically treated to produce supplements or extracts. 

Source:  

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/passion-fruit

Research:  

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27374527/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2507689/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25616409/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25272572/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12010859/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14973107/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23221879/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15926145/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19083404/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26728196/
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9188921/
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12542994/

Associative photos from © Canva.