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Passion fruit is a small, round tropical fruit with a wrinkly purple or smooth yellow shell filled with tangy, juicy pulp and crunchy black seeds. Its standout nutrient is fiber: one cup of purple passion fruit pulp with seeds has about 24.5 grams of fiber, roughly 88% of the Daily Value, plus vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium, according to USDA data. A single fruit is much smaller, so most people eat far less than a cup. Below are the USDA passion fruit nutrition facts, passion fruit juice vs whole pulp, what the research looked at, and why passion fruit is not the same plant as the calming herb sold as passionflower.
Peptide Labs does not sell passion fruit or passion fruit products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- One cup of purple passion fruit pulp with seeds (236 g) has about 229 calories and 24.5 grams of fiber (88% DV) in USDA data.
- One fruit yields only about 18 grams of pulp, with about 17 calories and 1.9 grams of fiber.
- Most of the fiber comes with the seeds; strained passion fruit juice keeps almost none of it.
- Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is a different plant from the passionflower herb (Passiflora incarnata) used in supplements.
- Human research on the fruit itself is scarce; one trial used capsules of passion fruit peel flour, not the pulp.
Passion fruit nutrition per fruit and per cup
The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for raw purple passion fruit, also called granadilla (FDC 169108), converted to USDA’s portion weights for one cup of pulp with seeds (236 grams) and the edible part of one fruit (18 grams). The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels.
| Nutrient (raw purple passion fruit) | 1 fruit, edible part (18 g) | % DV | 1 cup (236 g) | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 17 | Not applicable | 229 | Not applicable |
| Carbohydrate | 4.2 g | 2% | 55.2 g | 20% |
| Fiber | 1.9 g | 7% | 24.5 g | 88% |
| Total sugars | 2.0 g | No DV | 26.4 g | No DV |
| Protein | 0.4 g | 1% | 5.2 g | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 5 mg | 6% | 71 mg | 79% |
| Vitamin A | 12 mcg RAE | 1% | 151 mcg RAE | 17% |
| Potassium | 63 mg | 1% | 821 mg | 17% |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 2% | 3.8 mg | 21% |
| Magnesium | 5 mg | 1% | 68 mg | 16% |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.02 mg | 2% | 0.31 mg | 24% |
| Niacin (vitamin B3) | 0.3 mg | 2% | 3.5 mg | 22% |
Fiber is the headline. Per 100 grams, purple passion fruit lists 10.4 grams of fiber in USDA data, far more than most fresh fruits, because the seeds are eaten with the pulp. That is why passion fruit stands out in our guide to fiber-rich foods, and our guide to daily fiber intake explains the reference values. If you are not used to much fiber, add it gradually and drink fluids, since a sudden jump can cause gas and bloating.
Passion fruit also supplies vitamin A, much of it as carotenoids, a topic covered in our beta-carotene guide. It adds vitamin C, which appears in our guide to vitamin C sources, along with potassium, iron and B vitamins. Keep the serving size in mind: one fruit gives only a few percent of the Daily Value for most nutrients, and the cup values in the table equal the pulp of about 13 fruits.
Passion fruit calories and sugar compared with other fruits
Passion fruit calories are higher than most watery fruits per 100 grams, about 97, largely because of the seeds and fiber. Sugar is moderate at about 11 grams per 100 grams. The table compares 100 grams of each raw fruit.
| Per 100 g, raw (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Fiber (% DV) | Total sugars | Vitamin C (% DV) | Potassium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple passion fruit (169108) | 97 | 10.4 g (37%) | 11.2 g | 30 mg (33%) | 348 mg (7%) |
| Green kiwi (168153) | 61 | 3.0 g (11%) | 9.0 g | 92.7 mg (103%) | 312 mg (7%) |
| Mango (169910) | 60 | 1.6 g (6%) | 13.7 g | 36.4 mg (40%) | 168 mg (4%) |
| Pineapple (169124) | 50 | 1.4 g (5%) | 9.9 g | 47.8 mg (53%) | 109 mg (2%) |
| Banana (173944) | 89 | 2.6 g (9%) | 12.2 g | 8.7 mg (10%) | 358 mg (8%) |
Per 100 grams, passion fruit carries more potassium than mango or pineapple and close to banana, a mineral covered in our guide to potassium in foods. Kiwi wins easily on vitamin C, as our kiwi guide shows, and our sibling guide to dragon fruit explains why that cactus fruit has no USDA SR Legacy entry at all.
Passion fruit juice vs whole pulp
Straining out the seeds changes passion fruit more than almost any other fruit, because the seeds hold the fiber. In USDA data, a cup of raw purple passion fruit juice keeps the vitamin C and most of the potassium but only half a gram of fiber, and yellow passion fruit juice has less vitamin C than purple.
| Form (USDA entry) | Amount | Calories | Total sugars | Fiber | Vitamin C (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple pulp with seeds (169108) | 1 cup, 236 g | 229 | 26.4 g | 24.5 g | 71 mg (79%) |
| Purple juice, raw (169109) | 1 cup, 247 g | 126 | 33.1 g | 0.5 g | 74 mg (82%) |
| Yellow juice, raw (169110) | 1 cup, 247 g | 148 | 35.2 g | 0.5 g | 45 mg (50%) |
Store-bought passion fruit juice drinks are often blends with added sugar and only a small share of passion fruit, so the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list are the places to check. Our low glycemic foods guide explains why whole fruit with its fiber behaves differently from juice, and our guide to fruit sugar levels compares many fruits.
Passion fruit benefits: what the research shows
Research on passion fruit is mostly chemistry, lab and animal work. A 2020 review in Frontiers in Pharmacology counted more than 110 compounds identified across the leaves, stems, fruit and peel, mostly flavonoids and triterpenoids, and concluded that eating passion fruit in common food amounts is considered non-toxic. Human trials of the fruit pulp itself are scarce.
- Peel flour capsules (2021): a 120-day randomized placebo-controlled trial in 89 adults with type 2 diabetes compared capsules of yellow passion fruit albedo (the white inner peel) flour, turmeric with piperine, and placebo. Fasting glucose fell 5.9% in the albedo group vs a 9% rise with placebo, and both active groups lowered HbA1c by a similar amount. This tested a peel product, not the pulp, in one small trial, and it does not replace diabetes care.
- Lab and animal studies: extracts of passion fruit peel and pulp have been tested in cells and rodents for antioxidant and metabolic effects. These results do not show effects from eating the fruit.
The honest summary is that passion fruit is a fiber-rich fruit with useful vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium, and claims that it calms anxiety, aids sleep or melts fat are not supported for the fruit.
Passion fruit is not the calming herb
Passion fruit comes from Passiflora edulis. The herbal supplement sold for calm and sleep comes mostly from Passiflora incarnata, a related plant whose leaves and flowers, not fruit, are used. A 2015 chemistry study found that harman-type alkaloids reported in Passiflora incarnata were not detected in a Passiflora edulis extract. Our passion flower guide covers the supplement, its evidence and its cautions; none of that applies to eating passion fruit.
How to eat passion fruit, and safety notes
- Ripeness: purple passion fruit is usually ripe when the shell turns wrinkled and feels heavy for its size; smooth fruit tends to be more tart.
- Eating: cut it in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon. The seeds are edible and hold most of the fiber. The tough shell is not eaten.
- Shell, leaves and stems: a 2002 lab analysis found cyanogenic glycosides, compounds that can release cyanide, in passion fruit leaves and stems, and identified prunasin and sambunigrin as the main ones in the fruit. This is one more reason to eat the pulp and skip the shell, leaves and homemade teas from the plant.
- Allergy: passion fruit is not one of the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, but any fruit can cause a reaction. Hives, swelling or breathing trouble needs urgent care; for unclear symptoms, see an allergist, and our elimination diet guide explains why testing should be supervised.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main passion fruit benefits?
USDA data show passion fruit pulp with seeds is very high in fiber and supplies vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium. Human trials of the fruit itself are scarce.
How many calories are in a passion fruit?
About 17 calories in the edible part of one purple passion fruit and about 229 in a cup of pulp with seeds, in USDA data.
Can you eat passion fruit seeds?
Yes. The seeds are eaten with the pulp, and they hold most of the fiber. The shell is not eaten.
Is passion fruit juice as healthy as the whole fruit?
Raw passion fruit juice keeps vitamin C and potassium but loses almost all the fiber. Bottled juice drinks often have added sugar, so read the label.
Is passion fruit the same as passionflower?
No. Passion fruit comes from Passiflora edulis; the calming herbal supplement comes mainly from the leaves and flowers of Passiflora incarnata.
Can passion fruit cause bloating?
Its high fiber can cause gas or bloating if you eat a lot at once and are not used to fiber. Add fiber gradually and drink fluids.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Dragon Fruit: Benefits, Nutrition, Pitaya Types and Research, Passion Flower: Benefits, Research, Side Effects and Safety, Foods High in Vitamin C: USDA List of Fruits and Vegetables.