Bursting with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants, tropical fruits promote health. So check out our tropical fruit list and try these delicious recipes.
Even while we try to eat locally there’s still room to indulge in tastes from afar—in moderation. Tropical fruits are a special treat to satisfy our summer appetites for refreshing and healthy foods.
Bursting with vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants, flavourful tropical fruits boost immune function and promote digestion and heart health. With a little know-how and recipe inspiration, you can easily incorporate delicious and good-for-you tropical pizzazz into your everyday meals.
Recipes
- Grilled Chili Squid Salad with Passion Fruit Dressing
- Lemongrass Chicken with Mango in Lettuce Cups
- Upside-Down Pineapple Quinoa Cake
- Striped Coconut and Acai Popsicles
Exotic fruit guide
| Choose | Health benefits | |
| Acai berry | Acai berry is available in juice, capsule, or frozen purée form in North America. | With a low glycemic index, the antioxidant-rich acai berry contains vitamins B, C, and E; potassium; magnesium; and zinc. |
| Mango | A ripe mango will yield to gentle pressure and have a fruity aroma at the stem. | Mangoes are high in fibre and rich in vitamins A and C and potassium. |
| Passion fruit | Purple-skinned passion fruit are preferred for eating. When ripe, passion fruit will be heavy for its size and look wrinkled and dimpled. | Passion fruit is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. When eaten with the seeds, passion fruit is an excellent source of dietary fibre. |
| Pineapple | Pick pineapple that feels heavy for its size and has a sweet fragrance. | Pineapple is high in vitamins B6 and C, manganese, thiamine, copper and contains a special enzyme called bromelain, which helps promote good digestion. |
| Coconut | Pick coconuts that have dry eyes and, when shaken, sound full of liquid. | Coconut meat is high in dietary fibre, manganese, and iron. Coconut water is one of the highest sources of electrolytes and also contains vitamin C. |
| Papaya | A ripe papaya has bright yellow skin. It should feel heavy for its size, yield to gentle pressure, and smell sweet. | Papaya is a good source of dietary fibre, potassium, folate, and vitamin A and an excellent source of vitamin C. |
Nancy Hillis
Michelle von Hahn
Alexa Everett
Laura Bolt