Fruits. Sweet, savory, and one of the most underrated parts of the food pyramid. If you have a hard time fitting fruits into your diet, maybe these three unusual types of fruit may encourage you to try one.
NUMBER 3:
PRICKLY PEAR –
This fruit is also known as a cactus fruit, which, as the name implies, comes from a cactus! The red color of the fruit gives it a pop of color in a field of green.
To prepare and eat, protective measures need to be taken. Like a cactus, the fruit of the cactus plant has lots of little spikes, called glochids on the fruit that could seriously hurt you if you are not careful. Therefore, a few paper towels and some gloves are needed. Please note that if you are buying cactus fruit, the glochids might have already been removed by the manufacturer, so this step can be skipped. However, if you are an intrepid explorer and harvested your own prickly pear, it would be wise to burn off the glochids yourself before you begin.
After cutting up and removing the skin on the pear, you can now enjoy the “fruits” of your labor. You can eat it straight up or you could make it into a refreshing juice.
NUMBER 2:
KIWANO MELON –
This juicy, but equally spiky melon, also called the horned melon, originates from central Africa and has lots of health benefits including better immunity, bone health, healthy heart, improved mood, and hydration just a few to name.
Just like the prickly pear, the melon also has some bigger spikes on the outside that you must remove before eating. To know if the melon is ripe, you can look at the outside rind. If it is orange, then it is ready to eat, but if it is green, you should let it ripen. Although the rind is edible, it would not taste super great, so the melon inside should be the end goal.
This fruit can be added to anything that fruit goes well on (except maybe pizza… sorry pineapple), including yogurt, granola, and salads.
NUMBER 1:
TAMARILLO –
Also known as a tree tomato, these little guys are not to be overlooked. They originate in the Andes Mountains (Ecuador, Peru, etc…),but are eaten all over the world.
Even though the fruit originated in Latin America, Australia made it famous. Called tomate de árbol in Spanish, Australian traders changed the name to Tamarillo because they thought the original sounded too similar to English, so they renamed it to sound more “Spanish.”
The fruit, similar to a tomato, is used in things like chutney, is put on meats, and more. The seeds can be eaten and have more flavor. Supercharged tomato for the win! To make them even more appealing, golden tamarillos exist, which, contrary to popular belief, does actually add to the flavor as it makes the tamarillo sweeter instead of more acidic.
All of these fruits may be harder to get, but a little digging can go a long way, especially if you want to experience a cool and unique experience. If it seems like it is too much work, an apple might just do the trick instead.
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