Fruit of several passion flower species
The passion fruit ( and , both from the Tupi , lit. "fruit that serves itself" or "food in a cuia") is the fruit of several plants in the genus "Passiflora".
Description.
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.
History.
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.
Etymology.
Maracujá.
The Portuguese and Spanish are both derived from the Tupi “fruit that serves itself” or “food in a cuia”. 
Passion fruit.
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.
Varieties.
Well-known edible passion fruits can be divided into four main types:
Uses.
The fruits are mainly consumed and have a juicy edible center of many seeds. The part of the fruit used (eaten) is the pulpy, juicy seeds. Passion fruits can also be squeezed to make juice. It is also used in pastries and other baked products.
Composition.
Nutrition.
Raw passion fruit is 73% water, 23% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat (table). In a 100-gram reference amount, 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 (10% DV), and potassium (12% DV) (table). No other micronutrients are in significant content.
Phytochemicals.
Several varieties of passion fruit are rich in polyphenols, and some contain prunasin and other cyanogenic glycosides in the peel and juice.
References.
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