Tropical fruits are usually grown in hot, humid areas within the tropics, which extend to the regions of Asia, Africa, America and Oceania. These fruits can improve your diet by providing unusual flavors, like whole fruits, nutrients like fiber, vitamin C and potassium.
Adults generally need 1.5-2.5 cups of fruit per day. A balanced diet that includes fruits can reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Here are 20 healthy tropical fruits to boost your diet. Use them in smoothies, salads, salsas, desserts, or with yogurt and whole grains.
Mangoes, the world’s most popular tropical dessert, are high in vitamin C, providing 60.1 milligrams (mg) per cup (67% of the Daily Value, or DV). Vitamin C supports the immune system and acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Mangoes also provide 0.183 mg of copper (20% DV), a mineral involved in energy production, cell function and blood vessel health. Copper also helps maintain the nervous and immune systems.
Papaya provides 88.3 mg of vitamin C (98% of the DV) in one cup. In addition to its antioxidant effects, vitamin C helps create collagen, which is necessary for wound healing and helps the body absorb iron from plant foods.
Papaya is rich in carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene, which are plant pigments with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These compounds are responsible for the bright red, yellow and orange colors found in many fruits and vegetables.
Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme studied for its health benefits, including its ability to fight inflammation and cancer.
One cup of pineapple provides 78.9 mg of vitamin C (88% DV), 0.181 mg of copper (20% of DV), and 1.53 mg of manganese (67% of DV). Manganese helps produce energy and protect cells from damage. It is also important for strong bones, reproduction, blood clotting, and a healthy immune system.
Bananas are packaged in convenient natural packaging, making them easy to carry and eat on the go. One medium-sized banana provides 3.07 grams (g) of fiber (11% DV), which is important for overall health, including digestion.
It also provides 10.3 mg of vitamin C (11% of the DV), 422 mg of potassium (9% of the DV), and 0.433 mg of vitamin B6 (25% of the DV). Potassium is important for proper kidney and heart function, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission, while vitamin B6 is important for metabolism.
Akai The berry comes from the Amazon River region and is usually available in grocery stores in the United States in processed forms such as frozen puree packets, powder or juice.
An ounce (oz) serving of acai berry provides 3.19 g of fiber (11% of the DV), 4.42 mg of manganese (192% of the DV), 112 mg of vitamin C (124% of the DV), and 1,290 . micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A (143% of the DV). Vitamin A supports eye and immune health and helps organs such as the lungs and heart to function properly.
Although it is often used in savory dishes, avocado is a fruit. One cup of cubed avocado provides 10g of fiber (35% of the DV) and is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which can lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Avocados also provide several vitamins and minerals, including potassium (728 mg, or 15% of the DV), copper (0.285 mg, or 32% of the DV), and vitamin K (31.5 mcg, or 26% of the DV). DV), important for blood clotting and bone health.
Guava grows in tropical areas, including Florida and Hawaii. It is round, ovoid to pear-shaped, with green to yellow bark and flesh color that can be white, yellow, pink or red.
Guava is full of fiber and vitamin C. One cup provides 8.91 g of fiber (32% of the DV) and 376 mg of vitamin C (417% of the DV). It also provides 688 mg of potassium (15% of the DV) and 0.181 mg of vitamin B6 (11% of the DV).
Sapodilla, native to Central America, southern Mexico and the Caribbean, is also cultivated in India. These oval fruits have rough, brown skin and yellow to brown flesh. It contains many beneficial plant substances such as flavonoids and polyphenols.
One sapodilla fruit (170 g) provides 9.01 g of fiber (32% of DV), 25 mg of vitamin C (28% of DV), and 0.146 mg of copper (16% of DV).
Mangosteen is native to Southeast Asia, where it is called the “Queen of Fruits.” It is round with a hard, dark purple color and white flesh. It is used medicinally in the Philippines and Malaysia and is studied for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic effects.
After draining, one cup of canned mangosteens packed in syrup provides 3.53 g of fiber (12% of the DV), 0.135mg of copper (15% of the DV), and 60.8 mcg of folate (15% DV), which is important for DNA and cell growth.
Durian, which is often called the “king of fruits,” grows in Southeast Asian countries. Its shape varies from round to oblong, and its stem is green to spiky brown. The flesh can be yellow, white, golden yellow, or red.
Packed with polyphenols and flavonoids, one cup provides 9.23 g of fiber (33% of the DV), 1,060 mg of potassium (22% of the DV), 0.503 mg of copper (56% of the DV), 0.79 mg of manganese (34% of DV), and 47.9 mg of vitamin C (53% of DV).
Lychee, which originated in China and is used in traditional Chinese medicine, is now widely cultivated in warm regions around the world. The fruits are round or ellipsoidal, with red, rough skin and milky white flesh.
Lychee is rich in health-promoting plant compounds, such as flavonols and proanthocyanidins, and is being researched for potential anti-diabetic benefits, among other benefits. One cup of lychee provides 0.281 mg of copper (31% of the DV) and 136 mg of vitamin C (151% of the DV).
From New Guinea, breadfruit thrives in tropical areas such as Hawaii. It has a round shape, greenish-brown to brown skin, and white flesh. Breadfruit is rich in starch, nutrients and antioxidants such as carotenoids. It is usually eaten cooked or dried and ground into powder.
One cup provides 7.99 g of fiber (28% of the DV), 808 mg of potassium (17% of the DV), and 40.6 mg of vitamin C (45% of the DV).
Jackfruit, a relative of breadfruit, grows in many tropical areas, including South Florida and Hawaii. These large, oblong fruits weigh between 10-60 lbs (lbs). It has rough, yellow skin, yellow-green to yellow-brown flesh and yellow or orange flesh.
Jackfruit contains nutrients that can help regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation. One cup of jackfruit pieces provides 20.7 mg of vitamin C (23% of the DV), 676 mg of potassium (14% of the DV), and 0.115 mg of copper (13% of the DV).
Also known as pitaya, dragon fruit takes its name from the scaly, dragon’s skin. It has red or yellow skin and white or yellow flesh. Dragon fruit is rich in nutrients and antioxidants and has oligosaccharidescarbohydrates that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
One cup provides 5.58 g of fiber (20% of the DV) and 0.148 mg of copper (16% of the DV).
Major producers of passion fruit include Australia, New Zealand, and countries in South America and Africa. It also grows in California, Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Passion fruit is round or oval with yellow or purple skin and bright yellow, full of seeds.
One cup of passion fruit provides 229 calories, 24.5 g of fiber (88% of DV), 821 mg of potassium (17% of DV), 0.203 mg of copper (23% of DV), 70.8 mg of vitamin C. (79% of DV), and 3.78 mg of iron (21% of DV).
Star fruits are yellow and grow in southern China, India, the Philippines, Florida and Hawaii. When cut horizontally, it forms a star shape, hence its name. If you get a seedless variety, you don’t need to peel or remove the seeds.
One medium-sized fruit (91 g) provides 31.3 mg of vitamin C (34% of the DV) and 0.125 mg of copper (14% of the DV).
Native to Southeast Asia, the rambutan is oval to round, and has red leathery skin, flexible hairy spines, and shiny, white leaves. In the food industry, rambutan can be used as a fortifying agent, which increases, and extends shelf life. It can be eaten raw, cooked, or canned.
One cup of canned rambutan in syrup provides 0.515 mg of manganese (22% of the DV), 7.35 mg of vitamin C (8% of the DV), and 2.02 mg of niacin (13% of the DV). . Niacin, or vitamin B3, helps convert food into energy and supports healthy cells.
Native to Asia, longan also grows in Hawaii, Florida and Southern California. These small, round fruits have a yellow-brown skin and shiny white flesh. Longan is widely used in traditional medicine throughout China and other Asian countries.
A 100-gram (3.5 oz) portion of longans provides 84 mg of vitamin C (93% of the DV) and 0.169 mg of copper (19% of the DV).
Acerola, also known as the Barbados cherry or the West Indian cherry, grows from South Texas to Mexico and Central America to northern South America and throughout the Caribbean. This small red fruit, about the size of a cherry, contains many health-promoting compounds such as carotenoids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids.
Acerola is high in vitamin C, with one cup providing 1,650 mg of vitamin C (1,833% of the DV).
Soursop is native to Central America and is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia, South America and the forests of Africa. This green, heart-shaped fruit has a soft, crunchy skin and white flesh. Like many other tropical fruits, soursop is used in traditional medicine and contains nutrients and compounds that fight inflammation, infection and other diseases.
One cup of soursop provides 7.42 g of fiber (27% of the DV), 0.193 mg of copper (21% of the DV), 46.4 mg of vitamin C (52% of the DV), 626 mg of potassium (13 % of DV), and 2.02 mg of niacin (13% of DV).
Tropical fruits are rich in nutrients and offer unique flavors and textures that can enhance your diet. They provide important nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, and copper and health compounds that can help reduce the risk of disease.
Sample these fruits the next time you visit a tropical country or state like Hawaii or Florida. You can also find them at specialty grocery stores, ethnic markets, online retailers, and farmers markets. Adding these unusual fruits to your diet can add variety and improve your overall health.
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