Is Passiflora safe to consume?
Passionflower is likely safe when it’s used as a flavoring in food. Passionflower may be safe when it’s taken as a tea for up to 7 nights, and the daily use of passionflower extract may be safe for up to 8 weeks. Possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and confusion. Some passionflowers produce poisonous fruit, containing chemicals called cyanogenic glycosides that combine with enzymes in saliva to produce cyanide. The distinctive floral structures in passionflowers often mean that a species relies on a single pollinator.White passion-flower (Passiflora subpeltata) contains cyanic acid and is thought to be poisonous to humans and livestock if eaten in sufficient quantities. Unlike many other passionfruit species, its fruit are not edible.Blue passionflower leaves and unripe fruit contain cyanogenic glycosides which turn into cyanide when eaten. It can cause nausea and vomiting in humans and animals. Toxic parts of the plant are bitter and not usually eaten so poisoning is not common and rarely serious.
What does Passiflora edulis taste like?
The flavor is described as citrusy with hints of melon, pineapple, or kiwi. As the fruit ripens, it increases in sweetness, but more importantly, complexity. Once over-ripe, it will even taste a bit fermented. The entire interior of a passion fruit is edible. Passion fruit can offer many health benefits like reducing anxiety, stress or insomnia, as it naturally contains antioxidant, sedative and anxiolytic properties. This fruit is rich in flavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, and is also high in fiber.Passion fruit is rich in vitamins A and C, fibre, and magnesium, helping you feel full and relaxed. The passionflower plant, from which the passion fruit comes, can also help you sleep at night. Drinking passionflower tea can reduce anxiety and stress, and has been shown to act as a natural sedative.Allergic Reactions: Rarely, people may be allergic to passion fruit, especially if they are also allergic to latex or other tropical fruits. High Fibre Intake: If your diet is low in fibre, suddenly eating large amounts of passion fruit might cause mild digestive discomfort.The polyphenols from passion fruit effectively reduced triglyceride levels and glycemia in overweight rats, suggesting similar benefits in humans2. Additionally, passion fruit peel flour has been shown to reduce lipid peroxidation in the kidneys and improve antioxidant enzyme activities in the liver5.Some studies suggest that certain species may have medicinal benefits. For example, Passiflora incarnata may help relieve anxiety and insomnia. Native Americans have used passionflower to relieve a variety of conditions. These include boils, wounds, earaches, and liver problems.