Top 25 Most Rare and Exotic Fruits in the World
Stellar Eureka・2 minutes read
Various exotic fruits from around the world, including the mangostine, gak, fua, Paya, Aki, cherimoya, jackfruit, miracle fruit, monstera deliciosa, sapodilla, lucuma, Baobab fruit, carambola, and maracuya, offer unique flavors, health benefits, and cultural significance, showcasing the diversity and beauty of fruit consumption globally. These fruits range from tangy and sweet mangosteen to the versatile jackfruit used as a meat substitute, the miraculine-rich miracle fruit, and the symbol of longevity lucuma, illustrating the rich tapestry of fruit varieties available worldwide.
Insights
- The mangostine, a fruit from Southeast Asia, has a unique sweet and tangy flavor, and despite taking up to 15 years to bear fruit, a single tree can yield over a thousand fruits, making it a staple in traditional medicine due to its slightly astringent taste and medicinal properties.
- Jackfruit, the largest tree-born fruit globally, is not only versatile in its culinary applications, ranging from savory unripe dishes to sweet ripe fruit mimicking meat textures, but it also serves as a plant-based meat substitute and a crucial food crop in several Asian countries, showcasing its significance in global cuisine and sustainability efforts.
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Recent questions
What are the key characteristics of the mangostine fruit?
The mangostine is a sweet and tangy fruit with a delicate juicy texture, originating from Southeast Asia. It takes up to 15 years for a Seedling tree to bear fruits, but a single tree can yield over a thousand fruits in a good season. The fruit is slightly astringent and is known for its medicinal properties, making it a staple in traditional medicine.
How is the gak fruit commonly consumed?
The gak fruit, also known as baby jack fruit, is mild in taste and is often mixed into dishes like exoy gak, where it is cooked with sticky rice to turn the rice a bright red color. The fruit is full of nutrients like beta carotene and lycopene, making it popular during the Vietnamese New Year. Additionally, gak is used in traditional medicine for various health benefits and is now being turned into juices and supplements.
What are the defining characteristics of the fua fruit?
The fua, also known as pineapple guava, combines the tropical zest of pineapple with the lush sweetness of strawberries, making it a connoisseur's choice. When ripe, the fua falls to the ground, inviting indulgence in its fragrant, creamy interior speckled with seeds. Packed with vitamin C, the fua is versatile and can be enjoyed fresh or blended into zesty smoothies.
What are the health benefits associated with the white Paya fruit?
The white Paya fruit, a type of cactus, is visually stunning with a flavor profile between a kiwi and a pear. Loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins, the fruit offers various health benefits. The white Paya fruit is a nutritious option that can be incorporated into a balanced diet to promote overall well-being.
How is the jackfruit commonly used in culinary practices?
Jackfruit, the largest tree-born fruit globally, is enjoyed in various forms, from unripe vegetable-like dishes to ripe, sweet fruit. Its texture mimics pulled pork or chicken, making it a popular plant-based meat substitute. Jackfruit is a staple food crop in countries like Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and the Philippines, where it is used in a wide range of culinary dishes.
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Summary
00:00
Exotic Fruits: Flavors, Health Benefits, and Uses
- The mangostine, a gem among fruits from Southeast Asia, offers sweet and tangy flavors with a delicate juicy texture.
- It takes a Seedling up to 15 years to bear its first fruits, but a single tree can produce over a thousand fruits in a good season.
- The mangostine's slightly astringent flavor and medicinal properties have made it a staple in traditional medicine.
- The gak, also known as baby jack fruit, is full of nutrients like beta carotene and lycopene, popular during the Vietnamese New Year.
- Gak is mild in taste, often mixed into foods like exoy gak, cooked with sticky rice, turning the rice a bright red color.
- Gak is used in traditional medicine for various health benefits and is now being turned into juices and supplements.
- The fua, or pineapple guava, combines the tropical zest of pineapple with the lush sweetness of strawberries, becoming a connoisseur's choice.
- The fua falls to the earth when ripe, inviting indulgence in its fragrant, creamy interior speckled with seeds.
- The fua, packed with vitamin C, is versatile, equally delightful fresh or blended into zesty smoothies.
- The white Paya, a type of cactus, is visually stunning with a flavor between a kiwi and a pear, loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.
15:28
Exotic Tropical Fruits: Flavorful and Fascinating
- The Aki tree is a tropical Evergreen that can grow up to 30 ft tall, with large leaves and fragrant green flowers, but its fruit is the star, with red and yellow hues indicating ripeness.
- Aki fruit must be fully ripe and properly prepared to avoid toxins that can cause Jamaican vomiting sickness, a severe and potentially fatal condition.
- Cherimoya, a heart-shaped fruit from South America, is praised for its custard-like interior and a blend of banana, pineapple, and strawberry flavors.
- The cherimoya tree, anona cherimola, thrives in cool misty climates, offering a versatile fruit that can be enjoyed fresh or used in smoothies and ice cream.
- Jackfruit, the largest tree-born fruit globally, is enjoyed in various forms, from unripe vegetable-like dishes to ripe, sweet fruit, with a texture that mimics pulled pork or chicken.
- Jackfruit is increasingly used as a plant-based meat substitute and is a staple food crop in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and the Philippines.
- Miracle fruit, originating from tropical West Africa, contains miraculine, a glycoprotein that turns sour flavors sweet for up to 2 hours, potentially aiding chemotherapy patients with taste changes.
- Miracle fruit was once considered as a sugar substitute but faced regulatory hurdles in the US and EU, yet remains legal in many places in powdered or whole fruit form.
- Monstera deliciosa, known as the fruit salad plant, offers a blend of banana, pineapple, mango, and passion fruit flavors, but is only edible when fully ripe to avoid mouth irritation.
- Sapodilla, a tropical evergreen, is revered for its sweet pear-like essence, with a rough exterior and a luscious, sweet interior that transforms when ripe, offering a unique taste experience.
31:07
Exotic Fruits: Nutrient-Rich Symbols of Culture
- Lucuma, a fruit rich in nutrients like beta carotene, iron, zinc, and calcium, is a symbol of longevity and fertility in Indian culture, commonly used as a powder for sweetening desserts and enhancing flavors.
- The Baobab fruit, found in Africa, is a powerhouse of health with vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and fiber, often used in African cuisine for sauces, stews, and drinks, while its seeds can be roasted for snacks or pressed into oil.
- Carambola, or star fruit, native to Southeast Asia, is a visually striking fruit with a star-shaped cross-section, offering a burst of sweet and tangy flavors, packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Maracuya, also known as passion fruit, is a tropical fruit with a tough exterior and a juicy, golden pulp that's sweet, tart, and tangy, rich in vitamins, fiber, and essential minerals, with historical links to passion and ancient myths.
