11 Exotic Fruits Native to Brazil That Can Improve Your Health

You won’t find them easily across the country, nor in any supermarket. It will be necessary to pan, but the work will be worth it. We have already talked about relatively common fruits here in Brazil and how they help health.

Now it’s time to go to another level.

O awesome.club did some research and found some exotic fruits that are also native to Brazil. And we will tell you the benefits of each one for your health, as well as some curiosities that help you to get to know our country better.

Did this little berry look familiar? Normal, araçá is a close relative of guava and jabuticaba, which are also native to Brazil. The flavor is similar to that of guava, but with a higher level of acidity and can be found from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul.

It has as some of its benefits the control of diarrhea. It is also a natural antibiotic, which helps protect the body from some types of bacteria. The Araçá Cemetery, one of the largest in São Paulo, was named after the large number of araçazeiros, the tree where the fruit grows, in the region.

Native to the Atlantic Forest, this fruit is shaped like a pie and as it is increasingly popular in gastronomy — including to flavor some cachaças — it gave rise to the cambuci route, formed by 18 municipalities in the east of São Paulo. Still in the early stages of exploration, the sour fruit needs further studies on cultivation, but it is known to help control glycemic spikes and respiration, a valuable benefit for those who suffer from asthma or bronchitis.

The cajá has an important role in the production of another fruit, cocoa: it provides permanent shade over the cocoa tree. It is abundantly found in the south of Bahia (cocoa producing region), both in natura and in products such as ice cream. Quite rich in calcium, important for bone health, it has a large amount of vitamin A, more than other fruits famous for containing this property, such as cashews, guava and papaya.

The cupuaçu likes heat and humidity all the time, which explains why its “habitat” is the northern region of the country, mainly the Amazon. And he is not small: each unit can reach 1 kilo. As its acidic pulp has a type of fiber called pectin, it helps a lot to regulate cholesterol levels. According to a study conducted by the City University of New York, it contains nine different types of antioxidants. Try the ice cream, it’s delicious.

Like cupuaçu, guabiroba likes heat very much. The difference is that it is not so friendly with constant water, which explains why it is often found in the cerrado, a region with lower rainfall. The fruit is rich in several vitamins, mainly from the B complex, and they help both in the relief of flu and colds and to prevent cramps. Because it has a very strong and sweet taste, it is used a lot for making sweets and liqueurs.

Found in hot and humid areas, mainly in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest, always close to rivers. The name jenipapo, of Guarani origin, means “fruit used for painting”, because from it an extract is obtained that the Indians used for painting on the skin. For health, its use is eclectic: the natives used it to heal newborns’ navels and to this day it serves as a natural mosquito repellent.

It is found both in the savannah and on the northeast coast. The mangaba is shaped like a peach and its filling is a very tasty pulp. While a juice is extracted from its tree to make latex, the fruit is widely consumed to control high blood pressure and its tea is used as a relief for menstrual cramps. It is very rich in fiber and vitamins, especially A and C.

The mandacaru is a species of cactus that naturally grows in the driest regions of the country, such as the caatinga. Its beautiful red fruit, also called mandacaru, has a thick skin to prevent water loss. Thus, the white pulp is used as food and even for hydration in periods of drought, while the tree, after removing the thorns, is used to feed herds of cattle. Some studies point out that the fruit is able to prevent or help expel kidney stones.

It’s not a fruit for every palate. With a bitter taste and strong smell, it is very eclectic in cooking, serving for various uses, even in the manufacture of pequi oil. Typical of the cerrado, it is also used in dishes such as a mixture of rice and chicken. When eating, you have to be careful, because at the end of the pulp there is a pit full of thorns that can hurt the mouth, as happened even with a former senator. It helps digestion, heart function and makes hair more beautiful.

The writer Euclides da Cunha, author of the classic “Os Sertões”, called the umbu (a tree and fruit with the same name) the sacred tree of the sertão, as it preserves water in arid regions. Similar to acerola in shape — the color approaches a little when mature — it also contains a lot of vitamin C, helping against colds and flu. It is packed with minerals and fiber and speeds up metabolism, aiding in weight loss.

Native to the Atlantic Forest, uvaia is also found in regions of Argentina and Paraguay. It helps prevent the proliferation of free radicals and slows down skin aging. Like other citrus fruits, it is rich in vitamin C, helping to prevent and cure colds and flu.

Do you usually eat any of these fruits? Do you want to try any of them? Tell us in the comments.