The passion fruit ( and , both from the Tupi , "fruit that serves itself" or "food in a ") and granadilla is the fruit of several plants in the genus Passiflora. It is native to subtropical regions of South America from southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. The fruit is eaten for its pulp and seeds, and as a juice. The name passion fruit derives from 18th century Christian missionaries who interpreted the flower as a religious symbol.
Passion fruits are round or oval, and range from a width of 1.5 to 3 inches (3.81 to 7.62 centimeters). They can be yellow, red, purple, or green.
The Portuguese and Spanish are both derived from the Tupi "fruit that serves itself" or "food in a cuia".
The term "passion fruit" in English comes from the passion flower, as an English translation of the Latin genus name, Passiflora, and may be spelled "passion fruit", "passionfruit", or "passion-fruit". Around 1700, the name Passiflora was given by missionaries in Brazil as an educational aid to convert the Indigenous inhabitants to Christianity: its name was flor das cinco chagas or "flower of the Five Wounds" to illustrate the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection, with other plant components also named after instruments of the Passion of Jesus.
Edible passion fruits can be divided into at least five main types:
The fruits are mainly consumed and have a juicy, edible center of many seeds. The parts of the fruit eaten are the pulpy, juicy seeds. Passion fruits are commonly squeezed to make juice, or used for pastries and other baked products, and as an ice cream flavor.
Raw passion fruit is 73% water, 23% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat (table). In a reference amount of , raw passion fruit supplies 97 calories and is a rich source of vitamin C (33% of the Daily Value, DV) and a moderate source of riboflavin and potassium (table). No other micronutrients are in significant content (table).
Several varieties of passion fruit are rich in polyphenols, and some contain prunasin and other cyanogenic glycosides in the peel and juice.
Passion fruit originates from South America, specifically from the region stretching from southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. The fruit has been cultivated since ancient times, primarily by Indigenous communities in these areas. It was later introduced to Europe in 1553 by Spanish and Portuguese colonists.