Trying to find new ways to perk up your diet? Tired of eating the same old foods? Put down that orange and try something new and exotic.
Supermarkets offer a wide variety of produce these days, but many people stray away from the more exotic fruits and vegetables because they look, well, strange. An apple is an apple, but how on earth do you eat a dragonfruit?! I’m here to tell you to out away those trepidations and take advantage of the fruits of globalization. You could be missing some of the sweetest, most unique, and most delicious flavors out there. Here’s how to start diversifying your diet.
Papaya
Papaya is a long yellow-green fruit that most closely resembles a mango. Inside it has orange flesh and slimy alien-esque seeds that you can easily scoop out. In fact, the whole fruit is quite easy to prepare—all you have to do is cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then dig in with a spoon. When ripe (you’ll see mottled brown spots on the skin and it’ll be tender to touch), it is sweet and juicy. Even more, papaya is a ridiculously low-calorie fruit that is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked it as one of the most nutritious fruits!
Lychee
Small and spiky, these small red-yellow fruits look a little intimidating. But peel away their prickly exterior and you’ll find an intensely sweet pulp that tastes faintly of grapes, pears, and cherries. This fruit is great for mixing into smoothies or Greek yogurt or as a topping on desserts. But eat them fresh, not canned. Their natural sweetness should be enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Dragonfruit
What exactly is dragonfruit? With bright pink skin and yellow leafy protrusions on the outside, it looks like it hails from another planet altogether. Cut the fruit open and you find white pulp dotted by hundreds of black (edible) seeds. For such a colorful appearance, dragonfruit tastes remarkably bland—kind of like a tamer version of kiwi. Mix it with yogurt or other fruits for a yummy fruit salad and to take advantage of its high fiber content. And to be able to tell other people, “I’ve eaten dragonfruit!”
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are one of those foods that make you question if the effort of preparing it is worth it. But every time, I decide it is. You might have gotten a taste of pomegranate since it’s become a popular flavor in smoothies, juices, yogurts, and even chapstick, but nothing beats the taste of fresh pomegranate. Its rich half-sweet-half-tart taste evokes the taste of raspberries, blackberries, and acai berries all at once.
This fruit takes preparation and a bit of skill to eat. First, wear an apron or old t-shirt that you aren’t afraid of getting dirty. Chop the fruit in half (Be careful not to splatter! The juice stains.), then rip it into sections with your hands. It should crack easily if ripe, but juice is bound to spray and leak out. Once you’ve split it into manageable sections, eat to your heart’s content! Each fruit conceals a cove of small, juicy pulp-seeds that can be eaten whole. Watch out for the white skin though—its slightly bitter taste may throw you off.
Durian
I saved the best—or, er, the scariest—for last. Yes, you may have heard some awful things about this fruit. It’s spiky, it stinks, it tastes like mushy garbage and wet socks and blah blah blah. I’m here to beat down those claims and represent the probably less than 1% of the population who actually enjoy the fruit. I love durian. I really do. I love its rich and thick and creamy texture, I love the unique bold flavor, I even love the pungent smell that makes it stand out from any other fruit. Chances are this fruit won’t be your cup of tea, but you won’t know it until you try it. Buy durian pre-sliced (and probably frozen) at your local Asian market, or try the Durian Freeze smoothie at Joy Yees, which is made from the actual fruit. Fun tip: Have a friend take a video of you as you’re taking your first bite. Reactions may vary.