By: Bethany Barich (Follow on Instagram & Twitter)
It’s summer, which means it’s time to try new things. What better things to try out than fruit? There are so many exotic fruits out there waiting to be eaten. Three of those include: star fruit, dragon fruit, and passion fruit. Don’t be intimidated by their names or even their looks – these fruits are semi-easy to get your hands on and even easier to eat, and also, they’re all loaded with a lot of amazing benefits!
Star Fruit
Also known as Carambola, star fruit is found throughout the world – mostly in Asian countries. It’s also found in Latin America, the Caribbean and in some parts of the United States. Star fruit can be found throughout the summer and in the beginning of autumn and winter. Just look for star fruit that has some brown on the side, and is a good greenish-yellow color. It’s super easy to prep too, all you do is cut it into slices! Throw away the ends and enjoy star fruit in a fruit salad, regular salad or paired with some type of meat or seafood dish!
Not only is it great to pair with cooking but also it’s a great fruit because it’s packed with nutrients! Star fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, which means that star fruit is a big immune booster. It’s also packed with fiber so if you’re trying to lose weight, definitely try and find some star fruit. The star fruit is also excellent for cholesterol thanks to the potassium and sodium content. Overall, star fruit is just an amazing fruit to try, and it’s only 30 calories!
Passion Fruit
A rather odd fruit, passion fruit, or granadilla, is primarily found in South America but can be spotted in some areas of North America. They can found throughout the year but do have certain seasons in other areas. When searching for the perfect passion, try finding the ones that are plump and heavy – ones with wrinkles may have more flavors to them. All you have to do is cut the fruit in half and scoop out the juicy pulp in the middle, afterwards just discard the shell. You can use the pulp in drinks or as a flavoring for salads!
Like the star fruit, passion is packed with vitamin C so this is also a good immune booster. Passion fruit also has a lot of vitamin A, which can be beneficial to our eyesight and can actually prevent certain oral or lung cancers! The antioxidants passion fruit contains can also benefit our colons as a cleanser. It has soluble fibers, which cleanse the colon and helps regulate our digestive system and fight constipation. It’s also great for making our skin look healthier by reducing wrinkles and hydrating us. What’s even nicer about passion fruit is that it’s only 17 calories!
Dragon Fruit
One of the most gorgeous fruits with an interesting taste, passion fruit, or pitaya, is also found in both South American and Asia but like the others, can also be found in the United States. Don’t be intimidated by this fruit because all you have to do to eat it is, is cut it in half and scoop out the middle!
Like the other two fruits listed, dragon fruit also is rich with antioxidants to help fight common colds to help warding off particular cancers. It’s also extremely beneficial for our hearts. Dragon fruit also helps decrease signs of aging due to it’s antioxidant count – try looking up recipes to make masks to help treat wrinkles or acne, or sunburn! Dragon fruit is also good for treating arthritis. This fruit also does loads for our body it’s fiber and protein count – which is found in the seeds. This fruit also is only roughly 70 calories!
So where do you find these fruits? Check out local farmer’s markets or if you’re lucky enough to have any exotic food stores (like Indian or Asian based), they normally sell these particular fruits there. So go on the hunt and try something new!
