Long gone are the days when Amazon was just for buying books. Now you can use the internet superstore to get healthy by buying foam rollers, Fitbits, protein powder, and even exotic tropical fruits.
Yes, you read that correctly. Amazon has officially partnered with Tropical Importers to bring you fresh fruit by the pound. Here are some of the more exotic fruits they offer that are hard to find (even in specialty stores).
1. Mamey Sapote
This fruit resembles a more oval-shaped cantaloupe, but the fruits’ bright salmon-colored flesh hints at how much sweeter it is. This delectable fruit comes from trees in southern Mexico, Central America, and Cuba.
Mamey Sapote is a great source of vitamins B6, C, and E. It also has contains significant amounts of riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), potassium, and manganese. You can get a set of three for $32.49 plus a reasonable $4.49 for shipping. At this price, it’s not an everyday food, but you should try them at least once in your life.
2. Longans
This odd little fruit is related to the more well-known lychee and ackee. To eat it, you have to pop the fruit out of a bark-like shell. The flesh of the fruit is sweet and succulent and resembles a lychee in flavor.
You can eat longan fruit raw (just don’t eat the seed). Chinese cuisine uses the dried fruit in dessert soups and other dishes. This tiny fruit is loaded with vitamin C and also contains riboflavin and potassium.
3. Mangosteen
This purple-husked, white-fleshed fruit reduces inflammation and boosts your immune system. It’s about the size and shape of a tangerine, though its taste is significantly different.
Mangosteens don’t have a ton of nutrients other than vitamin C. One large health benefit they bestow, however, is an antioxidant it contains called xanthones. These substances fight free radicals which cause cancer, making the mangosteen a superfood.
4. Sapodilla
This fruit is also called a sapota in some countries. The flesh has a plum-like texture and toffee-like taste.
Researchers have studied compound extracts from the sapodilla fruit to search for possible medicinal uses. Extracts from the seeds have shown anti-bacterial effects, while extracts from the leaves have shown anti-diabetic and antioxidant effects. The fruit contains significant amounts of iron and pantothenic acid (B5) as well as vitamin C.
5. Guanabana
Westerners may know this fruit better as
Buying fresh fruit from Amazon is pricey, but it gives you access to a huge variety of foods you would not be able to otherwise taste. These fruits contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that may be hard to find elsewhere. For a little taste of everything, we recommend a 5-pound variety box.