14 Exotic Fruit Packed With Nutrients

I don’t know about you, but my fruit intake is often limited to the classics: apples and oranges, with the odd banana and strawberry flying into my shopping cart from time to time. Not only are these fruit a safe bet, but they also add a good amount of essential vitamins and fiber into my diet. However, many fruit can do so much more than that for your health and well-being, though, admittedly, they can be somewhat harder to get.

Still, certain exotic fruit are so interesting both in terms of looks, taste and health claims, that everyone should know about them and at least try them once. Here is a list 15 extremely healthy and very intriguing exotic fruit that everyone should try.

 

1. Chinese Bayberry

These delicious-looking fruit have been cultivated in China for over 2000 years, but it’s actually not a berry, but a cherry because it has a seed in the center. The color of the fruit varies from a saturated red, to white, to purple, and the flesh is sweet-sour. It is eaten fresh, used in juices, jams, yogurt, a variety of desserts and dishes.

Various species of the Chinese bayberry have been studied for their immune boosting, anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating properties, as it is very rich in antioxidants.

2. Durian

Durian isn’t dubbed “the world’s smelliest fruit” for no reason: it has a very strong, rank smell that only gets worse when you cut open its prickly shell to get to the pulp. This popular southeast Asian street food is so stinky that it was actually banned to eat on public transportation in many countries.

Why is it so popular, you ask? Well, it is extremely healthy. This superfruit is known to increase muscle strength, promote skin health and even lower blood pressure. One fruit contains nearly all of your daily need of fiber, and it is very rich in iron, vitamin C, and potassium.

3. Salak

This fruit is also called snake fruit because it has a “scaly” exterior. The fruit grows on a palm tree, and it is a popular snack throughout southeast Asia, but it is native to Indonesia. Salak fruit is juicy and slightly acidic.

In terms of nutrition value, it’s quite high in potassium, calcium, and vitamin C. Locals use the fruit as an anti-diarrheal remedy, but don't eat too much of it, as eating one too many fruit can cause constipation.

4. Sugar Apple

No one really knows where this tropical fruit originated from, but it is likely that it was brought by Spanish colonizers from somewhere in the Americas and then spread throughout other colonies. Today it is a popular treat in India.

Sugar apples are eaten fresh: the fruit consists of fleshy segments, which are separated by hand and eaten whole, spitting out the seeds. The fruit is juicy and very aromatic. The seeds and leaves of the plant are poisonous, and powdered leaves are often used to treat lice.

5. Jack fruit

Jack fruit belong to the family of breadfruit, with the only difference being that it’s much, much larger. In fact, it is the largest fruit in the world that grows on trees, with the most impressive specimens reaching a whopping 55 kg (120 lb) in weight and 90 cm (35 in) in length.

The fruit is a popular meat replacement in tropical countries, as its flesh is practically tasteless and has a stringy consistency resembling meat. Breadfruit in general are very popular, especially in southeast Asia, as they can be used in a variety of ways: mashed, sautéed, baked, candied or turned into fries.

6. Santol

A native to the Philippines, santol fruit is a real multitasker. It is also referred to as cotton fruit because of its fluffy white interior. The fruit is eaten whole when fresh, but it is also often candied with the seeds removed, and even brewed into an alcoholic beverage.

In terms of taste, santol is extremely sour and acidic, often compared to a sour apple. The plant’s bitter pulp is used to treat ringworm, and the roots of the plant are often used as a remedy for diarrhea.

7. Wax Apple

If you’re looking for the next best thing to apples (I know I am), try this Asian beauty. Also known as the Java apple, this bell-shaped apple is extremely sweet and juicy, and it comes in a variety of colors.

Generally speaking, the darker or lighter the color, the sweeter the fruit, which makes the so-called “black pearls” characterized by their deep reddish purple tone the most desirable kind.

8. Pulasan

If this fruit looks similar to lychee or rambutan to you, you have a good eye for fruit, as all three are closely related. However, pulasan is a little different from the other two, as they’re much sweeter.

Pulasan is also a bit less known worldwide, probably for the same reason, and it can be found in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia. This fruit is very high in vitamin C and antioxidants, and it is traditionally used to manage blood sugar levels in diabetics.

9. Mangosteen

This is probably the most controversial fruit on our list. Yes, it turns out, a fruit can be controversial. Mangosteen have been the subject of many studies, and they were implicated in being able to help treat a variety of illnesses, such as UTIs, tuberculosis, eczema, and others.

At the same time, fresh mangosteen have been banned from the U.S. since 2007 because they may harbor Asian fruit flies, a dangerous invasive species.

10. Langsat

Native to Malaysia, langsat is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. The pulp of the fruit is consumed after peeling off the thick skin. Different parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine.

The bitter seed, which you usually spit out, is powdered and mixed with water to prepare a de-worming and ulcer medication. The bark of the plant is traditionally used to treat dysentery and malaria.

11. Noni

Related to coffee, this fruit is not usually eaten raw, but rather cooked or boiled in traditional Polynesian and Thai cuisine. Noni fruit is also used dried and powdered to prepare tonics, juices and syrups that were attributed medicinal properties as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent.

11. Elephant Apple

Similarly to durian, elephant apples are also known for their rather pungent aroma. But if you push past the smell, you will reveal and delicious and healthy treat. This Indian delicacy is seldom eaten raw, but its gelatinous core is widely-used to make jam and drinks.

People consume it for its powerful health effects: it relieves indigestion, constipation, and treats ulcers.

13. Nipah Seeds

This unusual-looking fruit comes from the mangroves of  Singapore. It grows on nipah palms, and the fruit is quite special, as, when ripe, it floats on the water surface. The local population use up everything the palm tree has to offer: the leaves are used as roofing material, the fruit are turned into delicious jelly, and the palm sap is tapped and made into an alcoholic drink.

The fruit were examined for their antioxidant capabilities and it was found that they are rich in flavonoids, one of the most powerful antioxidant groups.

14. Lotus Seeds

Lotus fruit may look a bit too alien to be edible, but the seeds that pop out of these fruit are enjoyed as a healthy snack in many countries, particularly China and Japan. The seeds are very reminiscent of peanuts, and they can be enjoyed fresh, or mashed into lotus seed paste, a common ingredient in Chinese and Japanese desserts.

The seeds are also sold dry, but to add them to soups and other dishes, people soak them, much like you would do with dried lentils or beans. Lotus seeds are rich in protein and contains a lot of B vitamins, as well as phosphorus and manganese, so it is an excellent replacement for peanuts, if you ask me.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                         FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           

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15 Rare Indian Fruits That Will Amaze You With Their Uniqueness

If you take a stroll through a supermarket’s perishable produce aisle, you might be forgiven for thinking that you have an impressive variety of fruit at your fingertips. In reality, however, these fruits are only some a small sample of the wide variety of delicious and exotic fruits that exist out there.

Did you know that India holds the distinction of being the world’s second largest producer of fruits?

With a climate that ranges from Himalayan to tropical, India has much to offer in terms of fruit diversity. While major fruits like mango, banana and citrus varieties are grown in abundance in many parts of the country, there are several unique and increasingly rare minor fruits that are collected from the wild and eaten mostly by the locals. It is only during the searing summers and cold winters of the subcontinent that some of these fruits appear on the rickety carts of street hawkers in Indian towns.
A reminder of changing seasons and childhood summers, here are 15 little known fruits from India that can open up an entirely new world to you. So go on, take a look, and be sure to comment below with your experiences, favorite fruits, and any others that we’ve missed!

1.  Jungli Jalebi/Kodukkapuli (Camachile)

The spiralling green-pink pods of jungli jalebi (or kodukkapuli) contain about 6-10 shining black seeds enveloped in a thick sweet edible pulp. While the pulp can be eaten raw or made into a drink similar to lemonade, the tangy seeds are used in curries. It is due to the fruit’s resemblance to the Indian sweet jalebi that the plant has been given the name jungli jalebi.
Grown in:  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal

2. Carambola (Star Fruit)

Carambola is a fruit with a waxy skin and a green to golden yellow color. The ripe fruit has a distinctly yellow colour, with slightly brown ribs, and it makes a great preserve or pickle. Unripe ones are lime green, taste sour and are best eaten when sliced and sprinkled with a mixture of salt and chili powder. Grown in the months of September-October and January-February, India is one of the largest producers of this fruit.
Grown in: Throughout India (especially in South India)

3. Buddha’s Hand (Fingered Citron)

A stunning fruit, Buddha’s hand looks like a lumpy lemon with elongated, yellow tentacles (that resemble gnarled human fingers) protruding from the base; hence, its name—Buddha’s hand. Buddha’s hand has a mild yet zesty flavour and is wonderfully aromatic—it is known to fill rooms with its fresh floral perfume. Believed to have originated in the lower Himalayas, botanists are unsure if it’s native to the region in India or China – some scholars believe that India’s migrating Buddhist monks carried the fruit with them to China in 400 AD.
Grown in: Northeastern India

4. Langsah/Lotka (Langsat)

A small, translucent, orb-shaped fruit, langsah is most often found in South India.  They can be quite sour when unripe, but are perfectly sweet when ripe with a taste similar to a bittersweet grapefruit. Even though this fruit’s demand skyrockets when it is in season, its cultivation does not extend beyond a handful of regions in the south.
Grown in: Throughout eastern and southern India (especially in the Nilgiri hills)

5. Mangustaan (Mangosteen)

A fragrant tropical fruit about the size of a small orange, mangustaan’s leathery purple-maroon shell surrounds a moist, snow-white and sweet fleshy interior. Though it is the national fruit of Thailand, it is believed that the trees of this fruit used to flourish in southern India throughout the 18th century.  Mellow and earthy, mangustaan is similar to mango in taste and is completely ripe only when its woody, leathery purple rind yields to the touch.
Grown in: The Nilgiri hills, the southern districts of Tirunelvely and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

6. Japani Phal (Persimmon)

A temperate fruit, Japani phal is the local Himachal name of the exotic, deep orange-red-coloured and luscious persimmon. Strikingly similar in appearance to a tomato, a completely ripe japani phal is soft, sweet and tasty. The fruit, which is a native of China, spread to Korea and Japan and was initially introduced in India by European settlers in the early 20th century.
Grown in: Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Nilgiri Hills

7. Ambarella (Indian Hog Plum)

Also called wild mango, a ripe ambarella has the puckering acidity of an unripe mango and the gentle sweetness of pineapple. Ambarellas can be enjoyed in every imaginable form: as a juice, as a pickle, as flavouring in fruity cocktails, and as simple slices, sprinkled with salt and red chilli powder.
Grown in: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa

8. Bael (Wood Apple)

An extremely versatile fruit, bael can be eaten fresh or dried or even made into a drink. As the name suggests, this fruit has a woody exterior that you need to break open with a knife or pestle. Inside, you will find a sticky pulp, with a taste that ranges from very tart when raw to sweet-and-sour when fully ripe. Commonly eaten with a little jaggery to temper the acidity, the fruit is also used to make jam, chutney or sherbet.
Grown in: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and the western Himalayas.

9. Chalta (Elephant Apple)

One of the favorite fruits of wild elephants, chalta thrives in the wet soil and humid atmosphere of swamps and semi-tropical forests. The knobby grapefruit-sized fruits are yellow-green, and ripen to get a leathery brown covering. Mildly sweet and acidic in taste, most locals value elephant apples not for their jelly-like pulp, but rather, their crunchy outer petals. Unripe fruits are often pickled or used for chutney. Since they are a major source of food for elephants, monkeys and deer, it is prohibited to collect them from the core areas of the forest.
Grown in: Assam, Kolkata, Bihar, Odisha and the sub-Himalayan tract from Kumaon to Garhwal.

10. Chakotra/Batabi Lebu (Pomelo)

An unusual member of the citrus family, chakotras or pomelos have the taste of a slightly sour grapefruit without the bitterness and acidity, coupled with gorgeous floral overtones. Pomelos came to India from Balavia in Indonesia, which is the reason for their other local name, Batabi-Lebu. The fruit even features in cultural celebrations – in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, locals perform a “pomelo dance”, which entails spinning a cord-tied pomelo around the waist.
Grown in: Northeast India, West Bengal and some areas of Karnataka and Kerala

11. Karonda (Carandas Cherry)

A nutrition rich wild berry, karondas are pink coloured fruits with tiny seeds at its core. The flesh of the raw fruit is firm with a tart flavour that tastes delicious when eaten with a sprinkling of rock salt. Becoming tender, luscious and purple tinted as they ripen, karondas a good substitute in recipes that call for cranberries. A great source of natural pectin, these berries are also commonly used in jams and sweet pickles.
Grown in: The Siwalik Hills of Bihar and West Bengal, the Western Ghats and the Nilgiri Hills

12. Bilimbi (Tree Sorrel)

A relative of the star fruit, bilimbis are bright green and firm when raw and becomes yellowish, glossy and tender as they ripen. The Indian variety of bilimbis have tart, tangy, acidic, and sharp notes that pack quite a punch. Many bilimbi lovers make a lemonade-type drink to capitalize on these refreshing attributes. To reduce its acidity, the fruit is often pricked first and soaked in salt water for a short period, before being used in chutneys, pickles and jams.
Grown in: Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Goa.

13. Targola/Taal (Ice Apple or Sugar Palm fruit)

A type of palm fruit that grows in clusters, targola or taal has a stiff brown exterior and a jelly-like interior. On cutting open, each fruit has jelly-like segmented seeds with a soft off-white skin that darkens to a light brown when exposed to air. Removing the thin skin can be tiresome, but the effort is well worth it. A cooling treat in the hot summer season, biting into a targola releases the refreshing sweet juice that resides in the center of each segment. The fruit is also used to make toddy, a local alcoholic beverage.
Grown in:  Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, and Kerala.

14. Phalsa (Indian Sherbet Berries)

A tiny dark purple fruit that beautifully balances sweet and sour flavours, phalsa will remind you of blueberries. Extremely rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C, phalsa is a super fruit with an effective cooling effect that is perfect for summers. It is mostly eaten ripe and fresh, with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper. However a syrup or a squash of the fruit is also prepared, so that one can enjoy this healthy fruits’ benefits for a longer time.
Grown in: Throughout India

15. Khirni/Rayan (Mimusops)

Golden yellow berries with a melting fruity sweetness, khirni or rayan is a member of the Sapotaceae family found across the tropics (that also includes sapota or chikoo). Available only for a very short period in May, just when the summer season begins, khirni is often sold alongside the more popular purple-hued jamun, the reason why many people assume it has a similar astringency. It does, but the puckering sourness disappears when you let it ripen almost to the point when rot sets in.
Grown in: Central India and the Deccan Peninsula

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                
 PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                               
     https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                     
  FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                              https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com