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A tropical fruit has a surprising health benefit that may help to curb some of those mid-morning snack cravings that could be behind your struggles with losing weight. However, there's a small catch that means people shouldn't start eating it to excess. Men's Health published a report which claims passion fruit is one of the most protein-packed fruits available, compared to other options such as avocado and jackfruit . Protein may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people are picking out what to add to their fruit bowls. But passion fruit contains around 5g of protein per 236g serving , which roughly works out to be about 0.4g from the average-sized fruit (roughly between 30 and 90g). While it may not compare to typical high-protein sources like milk, eggs or lean meats, it's quite impressive for a fruit. One cup of passion fruit has more protein than one cup of cooked spinach. Passion fruit has around 5 grams of protein for each cup, while cooked spinach also has about 5 grams per cup. But if you look at raw spinach, it has a lot less protein, with only about 0.7 grams per cup. Although protein is often associated with bodybuilders and athletes, it offers plenty of other all-around benefits that people should aim to get in their diet. These include muscle growth, controlling insulin levels, boosting metabolism, reducing appetite and affecting weight-regulating hormones. Meeting your personal protein goals could even help you burn more calories throughout the day and night due to protein's " high thermic effect ," as reported by Healthline . The benefits of protein are not limited to bedtime, as it also helps regulate weight throughout the day by releasing several hormones that help with weight management. These hormones help you feel full for longer and, over time, contribute to reducing body fat as you consume less and potentially lose weight. More of these suppressing hormones in your system prevent your body from producing ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry. By having less ghrelin, you'll want to eat less and make more conscious, controlled portion choices. In the long run, you may consume fewer calories, which can help you maintain or lose weight. But it's important to point out that you'd need to eat a lot of passion fruit on its own to meet your daily needs, and because the fruit could cause digestive issues if eaten to excess due to its fibre content. It is best to incorporate the fruit into a healthy, balanced diet as part of your NHS-recommended five-a-day. Passion fruit is generally considered safe for most people when consumed in moderation. Although rare, it is possible to be allergic, and this is more likely if you have a latex allergy. As passion fruits are tropical fruits, shoppers can find them in the supermarket's exotic fruit section alongside things like mango, avocados and kiwis. Asda sells passion fruits in packs of three for £1.27 , making each fruit worth about 42p. You can eat passion fruit on its own by cutting it in half and scooping out the juicy pulp and seeds with a spoon. Or, people choose to add this ingredient to dishes like sweet smoothies and ice creams or savoury salsas, marinades, and salad dressings. BBC Good Food offers a range of different recipes for those seeking inspiration .
