Nutritional, medicinal and economical importance of monkey jack fruit (Artocarpus lakoocha)

Artocarpus lakoocha, commonly known as monkey jack fruit is a wild edible underutilized fruit. A. lakoocha tree is a natural component of traditional agro forestry systems in eastern India. It is a source of edible fruits, timber, fodder, fuel wood, dye, shade etc. and is highly valued as medicinal plant. The fruit has been reported to be rich in vitamin C, P- carotene and micronutrients like zinc, manganese, copper and iron. Various flavonoids and phenolic acid, which are strong antioxidant, are present in the fruit. This fruit, as a dietary supplement, it can be used as supplementary healthy food in society life style in the form of sveral food value additions. Therefore, this tree has a great potential for environmental, agricultural and forest ecosystem diversification and capable of creating new market opportunities.