Nine Tropical Fruits and Facts That You Might Not Know

1. The King of Fruits - Durian

   
   
   This fruit is seasonal, so we can only get it from June to August.
   
   
   
   Either you love it or your hate it. You will be able to smell the durian at least 100 meters away! Here in Singapore we are the second largest importer, after China, of this fruit. After you eat this fruit, the smell clings to your breath, fingers and even the car will have it's smell (for days!) if you use it to transport the fruit to your home!
   
   Here in Singapore, we love this fruit so much that we have a building that looks like it! Don't you think so?
   
   

2. The Queen of Fruits - Mangosteen

   
   
   Where there is a king, there is usually a queen. This is a photograph of the fruit not ripened yet. When it ripen, it changes to a dark purple color.
   
   
   
   This fruit is also another seasonal fruit and the season coincides with the durian. Can you see the "flower" shape at the bottom of the fruit? When you peel the fruit, the number of segments inside will be the same! Amazing.
   
   
   
   When peeling the fruit to get to its sweet, juicy and fleshy meat, you have to be careful as the purple stains from the peel will stay on your hands for a couple of days, and if you stain your clothes, it's there to stay as a reminder of your adventure for trying this fruit!

3. Rambutan

   The skin of this fruit is covered in "hair".
   
   
   
   The fruit is very sweet. Peel the skin to expose the white fleshy fruit which we will consume. There is one seed in the centre of this fruit.
   
   

4. Lychee

   This is another sweet, juicy, fleshy fruit.
   
   
   
   Some varieties of this fruit has different seed size.
   
   

5. Monk's Fruit or Arhat Fruit

   
   
   In Chinese it is known as luo han guo or longevity fruit. This fruit is traditionally used in soup or herbal tea.
   
   
   
   The extract of this fruit is 300 times sweeter than sugar! This fruit is also used to cure sore throat, stop chronic cough and even aid digestion.

6. Ciku or Sapodilla

   
   
   There are many names to this delightful fruit. It was a native fruit from Mexico and was brought to the Philippines.
   
   
   
   The taste of this fruit has been compared to cotton candy or caramel. Did you know that this fruit only ripens if picked?

7. Mango

   
   
   The mango is the most popularly exploited fruit for juice, food, flavour, fragrance and color.
   
   
   
   When the sap on the fruit crystallizes, it means the fruit is ready to be picked.

8. Banana

   
   
   This fruit is usually exported as desert bananas. It is very popular as it is a fruit that is available all year round.
   
   
   
   This is such a great way to get kids to take fruits in their diet. However ever in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, we have another way to eat this fruit - fried in batter. Yummy!
   
   

9. Jackfruit

   This unopened ripe fruit can have an unpleasant smell like rotting onions!
   
   
   
   This jackfruit tree is the larges fruit borne tree in the world. Its fruit tastes similar to the pineapple but less juicy and milder. Even the seeds can be eaten after cooking it either in a curry or steamed. The seeds taste like chestnuts.
   
   

I hope you get to enjoy these delicious fruits.