Passion Fruit Juice Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Passion fruit juice is a beverage that is made from the pulp and/or the seeds of the Passiflora plant. Passion fruit is technically a berry and comes in three different varieties: purple passion fruit, yellow passion fruit, and giant passion fruit. You can buy commercially-prepared passion fruit juice cocktail in the store, but you'll gain greater health benefits if you prepare your own passion fruit juice at home.

Nutrition Facts

The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for 8 ounces (248g) of 100% passion fruit juice.

Carbs

The number of carbs in passion fruit juice will depend on the brand that you buy or the recipe that you use to make it. Many commercially prepared passion fruit drinks are actually blends made from several different types of juice. A cup of 100% passion fruit juice, however, will provide about 33.7 grams of carbohydrates.

The estimated glycemic load (GL) of passion fruit juice is 13. Glycemic load is an estimated glycemic index that takes into account the serving size of a give food or beverage. It is considered to be more helpful than just using glycemic index for people who are choosing foods based on their effects on blood glucose.

Fats

There are only .12 grams of fat in passion fruit juice. The only way that a passion fruit recipe would provide any fat is if the ingredients included a fatty liquid, such as coconut milk.

Protein

There may be up to  grams of protein in passion fruit juice if the serving size is 8 ounces. But most varieties of passion fruit juice that you make at home or buy in the stores will contain 0 grams of protein.

Vitamins and Minerals

Whole fresh passion fruit contains small amounts of certain vitamins and minerals. For example, a whole raw passion fruit contributes 5 mg of vitamin C, or 7 percent of your total recommended daily intake if you consume a 2,000 calorie per day diet. You'll also benefit from getting 2 percent of your recommended daily intake of riboflavin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin A, and phosphorus.

When you drink passion fruit juice, however, your intake of the vitamins and minerals will most likely increase because you are consuming the juice of more than one fruit. For example, some commercially prepared brands of raw passion fruit juice claim that you'll benefit from 15-50 percent of your daily intake of vitamin A and 30 to 80 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C.

If you purchase a commercially-prepared passion fruit juice cocktail, your vitamin intake may be even higher since the juice is blended with the juice of other fruits.

Calories

The calories in passion fruit juice come almost entirely from carbohydrate. One cup of passion fruit juice will provide 126 calories.

Health Benefits

Fans of passion fruit juice say that drinking the beverage can provide several health and beauty benefits.

Maintains Healthy Bones

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), which is present in passion fruit juice, is essential for good bone structure, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels.

Vitamin C must be consumed in the diet because our bodies are unable to make it. The amount of vitamin C in the passion fruit juice you consume will vary based on how it is made, but you may get up to 75 percent of your recommended daily intake.

Aids in Wound Healing

Just as vitamin C helps in bone and muscle health, it also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes wound healing. Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C works to support collagen, which in turn helps in healing surgical wounds.

Improves Skin & Hair

You'll also get a healthy boost of vitamin A when you consume passion fruit juice. Vitamin A is essential for healthy hair, skin, and mucous membranes in the body. It is essential for bone and tooth health and is also important for normal vision and a healthy immune system.

Reduces Inflammation

Previous studies have looked into the benefits of passion fruit — and passion fruit peel in particular — and found that it reduces inflammatory markers. If you're making your own passion fruit juice, blend the peel in addition to the fruit to maximize the benefits.

Protects the Liver

In a 2016 study, researchers examined the effects of different fruits on the liver after alcohol consumption. The study concluded that passion fruit was effective in protecting the liver from injury as a result of alcohol consumption.

Allergies

Some latex-allergic patients will react to passion fruit and other fruits, including papaya, avocado, banana, fig, melon, mango, kiwi, pineapple, peach, and tomato. If you plan to consume passion fruit and have a latex allergy or have a history of latex anaphylaxis you should be blood tested to see if you may also be allergic to passion fruit. According to medical sources, symptoms are usually localized to the mouth area. Severe reactions are rare.

Varieties

There are several varieties of passion fruit. You will find yellow and purple passion fruits most commonly in the United States. Other varieties include sweet passion fruit and giant passion fruit.

You can use either yellow or purple passion fruit if you make juice at home. Yellow passion fruit is used more often for commercial juice production. However, the purple variety is more commonly found in stores and preferred by many for its flavor.

When It's Best

Passion fruit — especially the varieties grown in Hawaii — are available year-round. When selecting a passion fruit for fruit juice, look at the skin of the passion fruit before you buy. Smooth skin indicated that the fruit is not yet ripe. Instead, find one that is large and heavy and has slightly dimpled for a ripe fruit.

Storage and Food Safety

Once ripened, store passion fruit in the refrigerator for up to one month. Passion fruit juice can last in the fridge for the same amount of time.

How to Prepare

There are different passion fruit juice recipes and variations, but most follow the same basic steps.

1. Begin with 3-5 fresh, whole passion fruits. Deseed each fruit and scoop out the pulp.
2. Add the fruit to a to a blender with 4-5 cups of water.
3. Add table sugar or a non-nutritive sweetener such as Equal.
4. Blend on high for 20-30 seconds.
5. Strain to remove fruit pieces.

If you prefer, you can press the passion fruit seeds and add that juice to your blended juice. Serve over ice with a slice of lemon or lime.

Use passion fruit juice as a stand-alone drink. Combine it with sparkling water for a non-alcoholic sparkling cocktail or blend with other fruits and veggies for a healthy passion fruit smoothie.