Before I came to Indonesia, I already knew that in this equatorial country grows a lot of interesting kind of fruits. When I arrived I was really surprised of the species that exist there, because I did not know about them. New kinds of fruit occurred during a year, because every kind of fruit starts its season in a different part of year. In this article I would like to show you 11 healthy fruits in Indonesia you can easily try. Some of them you may have never heard.

Avocado

Avocado is fruit with green skin and the shape of a pear. The avocado is actually a large berry that has a big seed at its center. It comes with a decent amount of health benefits. Avocados offer nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Avocados are high in fat. But it’s monounsaturated fat, which is a good and healthy fat. Avocado helps reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood. It is good for your body because it lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.  Avocado also provides nutrients to help develop and maintain your body’s cells.

Mango

Mango is one of the most popular fruits in Indonesia. Mango comes in season around August, September and October. Mango can be in different shapes and sizes depending on types. Its flesh is extremely juicy, it closely resembles a peach. Mango fruit has been found to protect against different types of cancer – colon, breast, prostate and leukemia. Mango fruit is an excellent source of vitamin A – 100 g of fresh fruit provides 25% of recommended daily levels of this vitamin. Fresh mango is a good source of potassium, which is important component of cell and body fluids. It helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. It is a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin E. Mango composes moderate amounts of copper that is required for the production of red blood cells.

Papaya

Papaya is a large herbaceous plant, usually with a single, straight trunk. Its pulp is orange color and it contains black seeds grouped at the central space. The papaya is very low in calories – 39 calories/100 g and contains no cholesterol. Papaya is a rich source of phyto-nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. This fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C and one single medium fruit provides 224% of your daily needs. A higher intake of fruits, 3 or more servings per day, has also been shown to decrease risk of and progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Durian

Durian is known as a king of fruits. Its season lasts typically from June until August. It is fruit of huge size. It can reach up to 30 cm long and 15 cm in diameter. Durian falling from the tree can cause serious injury if it lands on people’s head because typical weigh is from one to four kilograms. If you have diabetes you cannot eat a lot of durians because of the fruit’s high sugar content – average 1 kg sized durian having close to 1,350 calories, so be careful because it can cause weight gain. On the other hand durian is naturally rich in potassium, dietary fibre, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B complex. Durian is characteristic for its offensive odor. Odor is so strong that fruit is banned in most public places in Singapore.  The smell is usually described as something between incredibly bad foot odor, a dirty nappy and vomit.

Markisa

Markisa is also known as a passion fruit. Passion fruit acquired its name from Spanish missionaries who thought parts of the plant’s flower resembled different religious symbols. There are a number of varieties of passion fruit. In Indonesia, there are two types of passion fruit – white flesh and yellow flesh. The white one is normally eaten as a fruit and yellow variety is commonly strained to obtain its juice. The skin is leathery and purple. The fruit contains a jelly-like pulp yellow color with black edible seeds. Main nutrients of passion fruit are Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A and C.

Rambutan

The name of this fruit is derived from the Malay word meaning hairy. Its taste is usually described as sweet and sour and is very refreshing. It tastes much like a grape. Rambutan has white flesh and has a big seed in the middle. Rambutan fruit gives you a big boost in vitamin C, each 100-gram contains approximately 40% of the daily recommended intake of this vitamin. You will also receive about 1 percent of the daily-recommended intake of vitamin B3 or niacin.  The iron in rambutan promotes the right level of oxygen. Eating this fruit may also help kill intestinal parasites, and it can help get rid of a diarrhea.

Mangosteen

The rind of the mangosteen is thick and rubbery. Inside are sweet, extremely delicious, white segments. Each segment contains one to four bitter-tasting seeds. Mangosteen is typically opened by pressing firmly or twisting the outside until it breaks apart. Parts of the mangosteen tree, including the fruit and bark, have been used in folk medicine in Asian countries for many years.

Mangosteen was identified as a xanthone, what is a type of anti-oxidant in the middle of 19.century. Laboratory studies suggest xanthones have anti-cancer effects when they are studied in test tubes. Mangosteen has also been found to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties. Xanthones are believed to be one of the active ingredients in the popular herbal anti-depressant. Mangosteen is very popular for its effects. For example Queen Victoria had offered 100 pounds to anyone who would bring her a mangosteen.

Pitahaya

Pitahaya is also known as a dragon fruit. There is no smell when you hold an unopened fruit up to your nose. The plant is actually a type of cactus. It is magnificent plant with stunning and fruit that has beautiful color and shape. Dragon fruit have a taste similar to that of kiwi fruit, pear and watermelon.  Folkloric health benefits from dragon fruit were promote healing of wounds and cuts, improving appetite, eye sight, memory and weight reduction.

The seeds are unsaturated fats that are good for health because it lowers good cholesterol and it helps to get rid of the bad cholesterol. Dragon fruit is a good source of antioxidants and helps to neutralize toxic substances such as heavy metals. Dragon fruit can help to fight cough and asthma. It has high amount of vitamin C, vitamin B1, B2 and B3 and helps in the healing of bruises and wounds quickly and boost the immune system. Because it is a good source of phosphorus and calcium it helps strengthens bones and teeth healthy. Dragon fruit is also very helpful in reducing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Jackfruit

Jackfruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world. It can weight from 3 kilograms to 36 Kilograms and have a length of 96cm and width that extends to 50cm! The exact origin of jackfruit is unknown, but it is believed to be indigenous to the rainforests in India, dating back to 3000 to 6000 years ago. The wood of Jackfruit is used in making musical instruments, furniture and house construction.

Jackfruit serves as an excellent protective agent against viral and bacterial infections and is known to strengthen the immune system. Jackfruits monitor the health of the skin and eyes, because it is excellent source of vitamin A.  Large amounts of magnesium absorb calcium in the body and contribute to strengthening of bones and prevention of bone related disorders like osteoporosis. It contains anti-cancer and anti-ageing properties as well. With simple sugars such as fructose and sucrose, it is useful in boosting energy levels and it doesn’t add fat or cholesterol to the body. Jackfruits play a significant role in thyroid metabolism due to the presence of copper in their flesh. Thereby it promotes hormone production and absorption.

Carambola

Carambola is also known as a start fruit, because in cross-section, it resembles a star. It has beautiful shape and delicious taste. The entire fruit is edible, including the slightly skin. The flesh is crunchy, firm, and extremely juicy. The taste is difficult to compare, but it is like a mix of apple, pear, grape and citrus fruits.

Carambola is rich in antioxidants, potassium, and vitamin C. It is low in sugar, sodium, and acid. It is also a potent source of polyphenolic antioxidants. That’s why start fruit has both antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Extracts showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Its leaves and roots can help to cure headaches, ringworm, and chickenpox and it is mainly used to cure hangovers. Carambola contains oxalic acid, which has been considered harmful to individuals suffering from kidney failure, kidney stones, or those under kidney dialysis treatment.

Salak

Salak is also known as snake fruit due to the brown scaly skin. Salak is a species of palm tree native to Java and Sumatra.  The fruits grow in clusters at the base of the palm. It is about the size and shape of a ripe fig. The pulp is edible. The fruit is easily peeled by pinching the tip. The fruit inside consists of three lobes with the two larger ones with a large inedible seed inside. The taste of salak is sweet and acidic. Salak is one of the most important fruits in Indonesia, especially in the Yogyakarta.

According to investigation, salak consists of beta-carotene that is great for eyes. Consuming less twenty grams of fresh salak can help to eliminate diarrhea. Salak as one of several fruit is extremely rich in Potassium and pectin that are beneficial to brain. Salak contains saponins, beta-carotene, tannin, flavonoid and calcium. Salak deals with indigestion stomach. Eating salak with its skin can help with constipation.