On my travels through South America, my taste buds looked forward to trying new things. On the street, vendors offer you fast food, or someone lures you into a restaurant.
Tropical and exotic fruits tend to take a back seat there. Sure, we’re familiar with many varieties from supermarkets. After getting used to fresh mangoes, I was shocked by the ones at German discount stores. My hands barely got sticky, they weren’t juicy, and on top of that, the mangoes tasted rubbery.
In South America, you’ll discover fruits that rarely make their way to Europe. Over the past few months, I’ve been paying attention to the trees around me and have photographed numerous tropical fruits. You might not have that much time on your trip, so take a stroll through the markets. There you’ll see a vibrant array of colors and shapes. Plus, seasonal fruit in South America is often cheaper on the street than at the supermarket.
Here in my list, you’ll find the most important information and tips. I’ll try to describe the taste to you, but it’s best if you take a bite yourself.
My list of 19 exotic fruits from South America:
1. Cherimoya
If it’s yellow and soft, you can eat it. Its flesh resembles a mixture of yogurt and pudding—eat it with a spoon. Spit out the seeds, or your stomach will give you trouble.
2. Pomegranate
I also saw a few pomegranate trees in South America. It’s originally from Asia and has a strong flavor with lots of seeds—not really my thing.
3. Graviola—a cure for cancer?
This huge berry resembles a cherimoya, only much larger. In German, it’s called “Stachelannone” or “Sauersack.” Right now, graviola is being hyped as a cure for cancer, but according to cancerresearchuk.org, there’s no scientific basis for this.
4. Curved bananas
You see banana plants growing everywhere. Three varieties are common: the small gold bananas, plantains, and the standard variety. Bananas that grow naturally are much smaller and less attractive than those found in European supermarkets. After a few days, the green cluster ripens.
5. Jaca, the record-breaking fruit of South America
The jaca is native to Asia and was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese. In German, it’s called jackfruit or Jacob’s fruit. It grows on the trunk, reaches 50 cm in length, and weighs about 10 kilograms or more. If you have a jaca in your apartment, you won’t need any air freshener. The jackfruit fills the room with a sweet scent. Once it’s soft, cut it open and try the yellow flesh. It has a unique, robust flavor that I can’t quite describe.
6. Papaya or Marmon
The fruits grow on a trunk that’s about 2 to 4 meters tall. Only the female trunk bears many papayas, while the male usually has flowers. I’ve rarely seen fruit on male trees. The seeds and leaves aid digestion and are also said to combat parasites in the intestines.
7. Guayaba or Guava
Especially in Paraguay, there’s a guava tree on every corner. I don’t like the fruit on its own, but I love it as jam.
8. Pitanga
Very similar to acerola, but with a spicy and slightly bitter aftertaste. Visually, however, the pitanga is quite striking with its ridged surface.
9. Jaboticaba
The dark jaboticaba berries grow right on the trunk. They’re as big as cherries and have a white seed inside. I only like the flesh—the skin has a bitter aftertaste.
10. Pineapple
The plant resembles aloe vera, except it has a pineapple fruit in the center. Small shoots grow beneath it, which thrive better than the core on the fruit. You can squeeze sweet juice from the smaller pineapples, and I prefer to eat the larger ones.
11. Abricó-de-macaco or cannonball tree
This tree caught my eye on my trip to Rio. The fruit looks like a cannonball and is softer than a coconut. I didn’t eat it, and later I read on Wikipedia that birds tend to eat it. Still, I included it in my fruit list because the flower is simply amazing.
12. Acerola
The “cherry of South America” is rich in vitamins and has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C. The pit is unique—not round, but indented—and softer than that of cherries. Our acerola tree bears fruit several times a year.
13. Avocado
Lifestyle magazines tout the avocado as a superfood with many health benefits. *Die Zeit* took a closer look at its downsides. I can’t help but smile at the plum-sized avocados in Germany. In South America, they grow on trees and are three times as big.
14. Maracuja or Passion Fruit
One of my favorite fruits from South America—if you eat it plain, the flavor will blow you away. That’s why I make shakes or juices with it. The flower, with its fine little hairs, is worth photographing up close. If the flower is white, the fruit will taste more bitter later on; if the flowers are red, it will be sweeter. The maracuja vine climbs up trees or along fences. You’re sure to find one on your trip.
15. Mango
Depending on the season, there are so many mangoes on the trees that the branches droop and need supports so they don’t break. At the markets, you can find grafted mangoes with more flesh and fewer strings. Many trees bear smaller fruits; these are fibrous and difficult to eat, but they’re bursting with juice.
16. Persimmon—a tomato on a tree
One variety turns red and resembles large tomatoes, while the other is orange. Persimmons grow mainly in Asia, but I also see trees here and there in South America.
17. Bitter melon or bitter cucumber
In Pomerode (Brazil), we discovered this climbing plant. I didn’t try it and didn’t see it anywhere else afterward. According to Wikipedia, bitter melon is popular in Asia but also grows in South America.
18. Caju—the tree that bears cashews
The caju fruit is native to northeastern Brazil. On the trees, the cashew nut develops first, followed by the fruit. I wasn’t blown away by the taste of the caju. However, a friend from Fortaleza brought back a whole sack of fresh cashews. We placed them over a fire; amid hissing and smoke, the shells popped open. Then we shelled them all and ate the fresh cashews.
19. Coconut—the green version
On my beach walks in Florianópolis, coconuts are sold on every corner. The vendor opens them for you with a special drill or a machete. I detected only a subtle flavor in the coconut water. It’s rich in minerals—a healthy alternative to Coca-Cola.
On my next travel adventures, I’ll be on the lookout for more delicious fruits and will update the list.
Now it’s your turn—which exotic fruit is your favorite in South America? Is there one missing? Then leave me a comment.