9 Rambutan

With poisonous seeds, Rambutan is a red, hairy, and juicy fruit which is delicious inside. It is native to Southeast Asia and Indonesia.

A fruit produced by the tree of the same name, rambutans are red, hairy fruits that are single-seeded berries. Sometimes oval, sometimes round, they are covered with fleshy spines. The inside of the fruit, which tastes like a grape, is soft and either whitish or pinkish. The seeds of rambutans are also edible raw or cooked.

The fruits ripen only on the trees. Once plucked their ripening process cannot continue. It has several nutrients in small amounts with only manganese which makes up a moderate content of 16 grams. Rambutans contain an equal proportion of saturated and unsaturated fats. (source)

10 Physalis Fruit

Belonging to the nightshade family, this fruit is encased in a lantern-like covering. It resembles a tomato.

Similar in size and shape to a small tomato, the orange fruit of the physalis plant is encased in a delicate, papery husk (calyx) that works like a partial or complete covering for the fruit. In the country of Mexico, more than 40 unique species grow of physalis.

Physalis peruviana produces the fruit commonly called “cape gooseberry” or “goldenberry.” In the mountain slope areas of Peru and Chile, the fruit grows wild and is relished by the locals. It is an “exotic exported fruit” and is popular in the restaurants as a garnish for desserts because of its unique appearance. (1, 2)

11 Breadfruit

The texture of a moderately riped, cooked breadfruit is like freshly-baked bread, and it tastes like a potato. Native to the South Pacific, it is a staple food in many countries.

A fruit that is 71% water, 27% carbohydrates, and about 1% protein, it is a staple food in many countries like Brunie, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Breadfruit fritters are a common street snack there. It is also a rich source of vitamin C when raw.

Grown in about 90 countries around the world with a thousand local names, it is potato-like in taste but has a texture like freshly-baked bread when cooked giving rise to the name “breadfruit.” (source)

12 Martillo

The name is Spanish for “hammer.” This fruit has a very rough exterior. The seeds need to be plucked out and consumed. It comes from the lotus plant.

Commonly known as the “lotus fruit,” the skin of the fruit is very rough giving it the name of “martillo.” In Asian culture, the lotus plant is held in high regard. The seeds in the lotus fruit are consumed in Asia and are also a part of traditional medicine.

The seeds are rich in B vitamins, protein, and dietary minerals. Lotus seed paste is also used in desserts in China. In Colombia, especially in its cities like Barranquilla and Cartagena, the locals eat raw and fresh lotus seeds from the lotus fruit  and refer to it as “martillo.” (1, 2)

13 Mangosteen

Cultivated since the ancient times in places like Java and Sumatra, the fruit is highly valued for its juicy texture and a slightly sweet-and-sour flavor.

It grows mainly in Southeast Asia, southwest India, and other tropical areas where the mangosteen tree has been introduced such as Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Florida. Mangosteen has a juicy white flesh with a sweet and tangy taste and is fragrant.

This seasonal fruit has a diameter of 4-6 centimeters and is not easily available due to restrictions on imports. The peels of the fruit are used in Indonesia as natural dyes. Various parts of the plant are also used in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia. (source)

14 Granadilla

Native to the Andes mountains, the fruit is very aromatic and contains vitamins like A, C, and K. It has a hard and slippery shell and only the transparent pulp inside is edible.

Other than its native areas like the Andes mountains, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, granadilla grows in tropical mountains of Africa and Australia. The orangish fruit has a tip that ends as a stem and has a diameter between 5-7 centimeters. Abundant in seeds, white pulp surrounds the seeds, and it is the only edible part of the fruit.

Aromatic and sweet, granadilla is also called “sugar fruit” or “sweet passion fruit.” It has vitamins A, C, and K along with some amounts of iron, calcium, and phosphorus. It is imported into countries like Belgium, Canada, the United States, etc. (source)

15 Soursop

Sometimes promoted as an alternative treatment for cancer, soursop has a flavor that tastes like a combination of strawberry and pineapple with underlying creamy flavors like coconut and banana.

With no medical evidence supporting the claim, many believe that soursop can cure cancer. The fruit that has a unique flavor which is slightly acidic when ripe which is why it is known as “soursop.” It is native to the Caribbean and Central America, but it is also being cultivated in other places. The dark green fruits can be prickly and about 30 centimeters long.

The pulp of the fruit has a large number of uses. It is used in candies, ice cream flavorings, sorbet, fruit juices, smoothies, etc. In Indonesia, a delicacy is made by boiling soursop pulp and adding sugar to it. It is also eaten raw in countries like Malaysia. (source)