Tropical fruits are a collective noun, full of exotic charm in itself. Tropical fruits are not only sweet and tempting in taste, but also come in various shapes and dazzling colors. The ones we often see and eat include bananas, mangoes, pineapples, lychees, longans, loquats, papayas, dragon fruits, rambutans, pomelos, and pomegranates. The ones we often see but rarely eat include lemons, coconuts, durians, mangosteens, starfruits, jackfruits, and green oranges. The ones we rarely see and rarely eat include wax apples, wolfberries, golden-heart fruits, macadamia nuts, passion fruits, avocados, pineapple sweetsops, soursops, and jujubes. Today, let's talk about some fruits that people are not very familiar with but might eat more often in the future.
Durian
For first-time durian eaters, try not to smell its aroma; just focus on savoring the taste in your mouth. After repeated tries, the smell of durian will just be a fragrance.
Durian is considered a "hot" natured fruit and is known as the "King of Tropical Fruits." Durian can invigorate blood and dispel cold, alleviate menstrual pain, and is especially suitable for women troubled by menstrual cramps. A folk traditional remedy is to boil the durian shell and seeds in soup. Although durian is good, you should not eat too much at once. If you really can't resist the temptation of its rich aroma and eat too much, don't worry. Eating a few mangosteens can be the perfect "cure," as one neutralizes the other.
Mangosteen
The mangosteen is called the "Queen of Tropical Fruits," and naturally, only the queen of fruits can "tame" the king. The blossom-end of the mangosteen looks like a small flower; the number of petals on this flower corresponds to the number of flesh segments. The more flesh segments, the smaller the seeds, and the better the quality.
Mangosteen has a "cooling" nature. If you have skin sores or acne, you can eat mangosteen raw or use it in a soup to reduce internal heat. When peeling, be careful not to get the purple juice from the rind on the flesh segments, as it affects the taste. Most people can eat mangosteen, but three a day is enough.
Wax Apple
The wax apple is sweet and "cooling" in nature. In Taiwan, it is traditionally regarded as an excellent fruit for relieving summer heat and quenching thirst. It is often stewed with rock sugar to treat dry coughs or difficulty in bringing up phlegm. At banquets, the wax apple serves as a cold dish and is also a wonderful fruit for sobering up. By digging a hole in the center of the wax apple, filling it with meat paste, and steaming it for over ten minutes, you get "Sihai Tongxin," a famous traditional Taiwanese delicacy.
When selecting wax apples, if you choose the red ones, pick those that are entirely red; if you choose the pink ones, pick those that are entirely pink, avoiding any with white patches. The wider the opening at the bottom, the riper the fruit. The bottom can easily collect dirt, so it must be washed thoroughly; soaking it in lightly salted water before eating enhances the flavor. When eating, you can cut off the blossom-end at the bottom of the fruit.
Passion Fruit
After being harvested, ripe passion fruits are left to ripen for a period of time, during which the shell may become dented, but the pulp inside becomes sweeter and more aromatic, releasing a rich fragrance of various fruits like banana, pineapple, lemon, strawberry, peach, and pomegranate. Hence, it is named the "passion fruit," a fruit of a hundred fragrances.
Passion fruit has health benefits such as lowering blood fat and pressure, nourishing yin and strengthening the kidneys, and enhancing immunity. To eat, cut the passion fruit open and scoop out the pulp directly with a spoon. You can also scoop the pulp into a glass, add water and a little honey to make a juice.
Starfruit
The starfruit has a waxy skin and its flesh is juicy, sour, and refreshing. It can stimulate appetite, aid digestion, and has the effect of beautifying the skin. Starfruit is slightly "cooling" in nature. Eating a few slices after tea or alcohol can instantly refresh the palate and invigorate the spirit. When choosing, the heavier ones generally contain more juice. After washing, cut off the edges with astringent taste. When eating raw, it's best to cut it into strips rather than a star shape to ensure even sweetness. Eating from the head to the tail, you will find it gets sweeter and more delicious.
Pineapple Sweetsop
This fruit has a very unique shape. Its surface is covered with many protruding scales, resembling the head of Buddha Shakyamuni. Taiwanese people are accustomed to calling it "Sweetsop" or "Custard Apple." The pineapple sweetsop is a hybrid between the sweetsop and the pineapple. It looks somewhat like a pineapple, and its taste is somewhat similar to a lychee—sweet but not cloying, and it's less likely to cause "heatiness." To eat it, cut it lengthwise and slice it, just like a watermelon. A special note: ripe pineapple sweetsops can be refrigerated to keep fresh. However, unripe ones with green skin should not be put in the fridge, as they will not ripen naturally if taken out after being refrigerated for a while.
Sweetsop has the effect of lowering blood sugar. However, it contains tannins, so do not consume it with dairy products or high-protein foods to avoid forming indigestible substances.
Dragon Fruit
The dragon fruit, a cactus plant, integrates fruit, flower, vegetable, health care, and medicine, making it a true treasure among fruits. In traditional Latin American rituals, the dragon fruit is an essential sacred fruit.
Although the name and color of the dragon fruit sound "fiery," it is actually a "cooling" fruit, so people with a "cold" constitution should not eat too much. The dragon fruit's flesh is sweet but not greasy, with a light fragrance. Besides its benefits of aiding bowel movements, lowering blood sugar, blood fat, blood pressure, and cholesterol, as well as whitening skin and preventing dark spots, it also helps to remove heavy metal poisoning and has anti-aging effects. The sesame-like seeds in the dragon fruit's pulp aid digestion, making it an ideal choice for diabetics and people with high blood pressure. Additionally, because the dragon fruit grows without any pests or diseases and requires almost no pesticides, it is a green and healthy fruit.
Tamarind
The tamarind fruit is plump and tastes slightly sour and sweet. Many people who know or love the sour tamarind do not know the sweet tamarind. Besides its superior taste, the sweet tamarind has all the advantages and effects of the sour one. It can nourish the brain and bones, relieve sore throats, and whiten and strengthen teeth, making it a medicinal and edible food suitable for all ages. For pregnant women, it not only whets the appetite but also alleviates vomiting caused by morning sickness, making it a top choice for the first trimester.
Tropical fruits are colorful, aromatic, and delicious, and are very popular with children. However, parents must be careful not to let their children eat these tropical fruits in a way that "washes their face," and they must be especially cautious with mangoes, which belong to the Anacardiaceae family. Fruit juice on a child's face and body greatly increases the chance of them developing fruit rash compared to adults. If you notice redness and itching around the child's mouth, stop giving them fruit immediately and wash their hands and face with clean water. If the allergy is severe, with large red patches and slight swelling around the mouth, it is best to see a doctor. Generally, after taking allergy medicine, the condition will improve in two to three days.