Fruits are the fascinating gifts of nature and are also very healthy, tasty and interesting looking. From large fruits like watermelon and pumpkin to smaller ones like grapes and cherries, fruits come in all shapes, sizes and colours. But not all fruits are found in your neighbourhood market. Here is a list of the rarest fruits you had no idea about.
Rarest Fruits to Try From Around the World
1. Ackee
Ackee is one of the rarest fruits and looks very peculiar and is grown in West Africa. It is also the national fruit of Jamaica. In Africa, it is a regular part of the diet and is eaten with vegetable dishes. This fruit has very low carbohydrate and fat content but may also contain poison which is why it has been banned by the Food and Drug Authority in the United States.
Image Source: Wikimedia
2. Rambutan
This rare and weird-looking fruit is found in Southeast Asia and is named after the Indonesian word Rambut meaning hair. It has a dark pinkish to a maroon exterior and has many thick hairs on the exterior. Inside this fruit is the pulp that looks somewhat like a litchi and has a single large seed inside it. However, it tastes like a grape and the tree bears this fruit in the fall season. This fruit is exported by Indonesia to other Asian countries but has not yet made its way into Western markets. Rambutan is a rich source of carbohydrates, proteins and copper and helps to increase the white blood cell count and boost immunity.
3. Physalis
This yellow coloured fruit is extremely rare in western markets but is commonly found in South America. It belongs to the family of the tomato and has a similar taste, acidity and internal structure. It is much smaller than a tomato and has an outer covering that looks like a translucent leafy husk. It is used in traditional medicine because of a high concentration of Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Iron found in it. It is also known to boost immunity. It is one of the most healthy and rarest fruits in the world.
4. Jabuticaba
This unusual and rare fruit is found in parts of Brazil and looks somewhat like a grape. The interesting thing about this fruit is that it grows on the bark of the tree and not the branches and bunches of this fruit look like outgrowths of the trunk. It has a tougher outer skin and is slightly larger than grapes with a diameter of 1 inch. It has a white pulp that is very sweet and fragrant. This pulp is used to make jams, jellies and sweets as well as in flavouring wine. It also has medicinal properties that help reduce the symptoms of asthma and acidity.
5. African Horned Cucumber
This fruit is one of the oldest known fruit to humans and is also called the blowfish fruit since it has a yellow spiked exterior that looks like the body of blowfish. Inside, the fruit looks just like a cucumber and is similar tasting but has a more acidic nature. It is rich in Vitamin C and has several medicinal properties. It helps to reduce the severity of heartburn, acidity and eczema and is also known to be effective in reducing the instance of kidney and urinary tract problems.
6. Durian
Durian is a rare seasonal fruit found in South East Asia and has a very powerful smell that has led many countries to ban it in public markets. It has a thorny outer covering that is yellowish in colour and the inner part of this fruit is creamy and delicious. It is very popular as a summer drink and is also used to prepare ice creams, milkshakes and sweets. The pulp of Durian is very low in cholesterol and contains only simple sugars that can be easily broken down and metabolised by the body. It is thus a very healthy fruit.
7. Miracle Fruit
This rare fruit grows only in the tropical parts of West Africa and looks somewhat like a raw date. It is a small oval red coloured fruit that is very sweet and has a single seed. It is used in traditional medicine to bring back the appetite of cancer patients and also by dieticians to reduce the caloric intake of people. It is also known as the miracle berry and sweet berry. However, if consumed excessively, this fruit may cause acidity due to its high acidic content.
Image Source: Wikimedia
8. Mangosteen
This rare fruit is native to Indonesia and is a popular act crop there. It is also exported to a few other South Asian countries but is rare in Western markets. It has a thick leathery outer shell that is purple in colour and a soft edible part inside it. The edible part looks somewhat like the cloves of garlic and is closely packed together. It is rich in vitamin C and has other medicinal properties that prevent diarrhoea and urinary infection and boost immunity. The juice of this fruit is a popular summer drink in South Asian countries.
9. Cherimoya
This fruit is native to South America and is widely cultivated, but is not very commonly found in markets outside the continent. It is a green coloured irregularly shaped fruit that weighs up to 500 grammes and has a thick outer skin. The white pulp inside its very fragrant, soft and sweet and is regularly used in ice creams and other desserts. Its vitamins and antioxidants found in this fruit are very beneficial to the general immunity of the body and also help in controlling blood pressure.
10. Cupuacu
This fruit grows mainly in the wild in the Amazonian forest and has a thick outer shell. The pulp inside is soft, fragrant and tasty and is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants. This fruit belongs to the family of chocolate and so tastes slightly like it. It is believed to boost immunity, reduce the risk of heart disease and helps in tissue regeneration.
Image Source: Wikimedia
Would you like to taste any of these rarest fruits? The next time you visit any of these African or Asian countries, be sure to taste some of these exotic and rare fruits that look fascinating and are very tasty and healthy. In addition to this, if you find yourself in the situation that you have troubles in picking the fruits you can check sites such as bestadvisor.com where you can find a lot of useful tools.
