Fruits are a perfect way of gaining some major nutrients and are the best source of Vitamin A, vitamin C, and some other minerals. They are also considered the best sources of dietary fiber.
Fresh fruits are generally low in calories because they contain enough water in them with a little fat. But in the case of frozen foods, the addition of sugar will result in increasing the calories. We generally refer to fruits by their sweet or sour taste, but fruits are a seed-bearing structure in biological terms.
In this article, we will discuss all different types of fruits along with their properties. After reading the interesting facts about these fruits, you will appreciate them more.
What is a Fruit?
The fruit is just a product of trees that bears the seed and can be consumed by all living beings. Some of them are sweet, while the others are sour. There are wide varieties of fruits available on the planet. Some of them can be eaten raw, while some can be eaten in frozen form. Some of the vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, etc., are also treated as fruits.
Different Categories of Fruits: Introduction
Fruits are generally divided into some subcategories such as:
Achene
Achene is a dry fruit developed from a single ovary and consists of a thin wall around its seed. Strawberry, Sunflower Seeds, etc., are some of the examples of Achene.
Berry
Berries are the most popular types of fruits because of their delicious taste. They are also considered the healthiest food on the planet.
Berries are small juicy fruits with a sour, sweet, or tart taste depending on their categories. Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberry, etc., are some of the examples of Berries.
Berries are very healthy because they are packed up with a lot of antioxidants in a small package.
Pomes
Pomes are those fruits that have a hard covering around their seed. Apples and Pears are examples of Pome fruits.
The main characteristic of this category of fruits is its central core, which surrounds the seed.
Caryopsis
Caryopsis is a type of fruit mostly seen in cereals; it is the single fruit in the walls of the ovaries joined to the outer seed covering.
Corn, Rice, Rye, Oats, etc., are some of Caryopsis Fruits’ most common types.
Drupe
Drupes are those kinds of fruits with a single seed only and are surrounded by a hard layer. Drupes are generally sweet, juicy fruits, and they are also a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
Mangoes, apricots, cherries, plums, etc., are different examples of Drupes.
Legume
Legumes are generally long sized fruits and contain many seeds inside them. These seeds are released when the fruit is peeled along.
Peas, Beans, Peanuts, etc., are some different examples of Legumes.
Nut
A Nut is considered a dry fruit with a tough outer covering, and inside the hard shell, there is a single edible seed.
Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Acorns, etc., are some different examples of Nuts.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are also considered as a variety of berries. They come in different colors ranging from yellow to orange. Their segments are filled with tiny liquid-filled carpels that contain citrus juice.
The protective covering around the citrus fruits is also very beneficial. It contains volatile oil, which is mostly used in making essential oils.
Lemon, Lime, Pomelo, etc., are different examples of Citrus Fruits.
Pepos
Pepos are large fruits that have multiple seeds inside them. Most of the pepo’s fruits are also considered vegetables such as cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, etc.
List of Types of Fruits to Eat:
1. Apple
Apple, also known as Malus Domestica, is a juicy and delicious fruit. It mainly originates in Central Asia, but now they are spreading to various other parts, which results in multiple varieties of apple fruits.
Apple is grown from flowers first and contains multiple seeds inside itself. Only the edible part is considered as the fruit.
They can grow to a maximum of 4 inches and come in different colors such as yellow, red, and green. The taste mainly depends upon its acidity level. You can consume them as the whole fruit or as other desserts.
2. Banana
The Banana is considered a tropical fruit that is famous for a lot of nutrition. It generally belongs to the Musaceae family, and it has multiple seeds inside it.
Banana comes with an outer, yellow-colored covering, which after peeling reveals the edible part. The fun fact with bananas is that both ripe and unripe varieties can be edible.
Bananas are readily available anywhere in the country and are very inexpensive too. They are also used for making chips, cakes, and desserts.
3. Mango
Mango, also known as Mangifera Indica, is considered the king of fruits and mostly grows in tropical areas. It consists of a yellow-colored pulp, which has a delightful taste. Mango belongs to the Anacardiaceae family and is only available in the summer season. Depending on the variety of mango, their taste also differs, such as the unripe mango tastes sour while the fully ripe mango tastes very sweet.
Mangoes are beneficial because they are rich in vitamin C and various other antioxidants. That is why it is considered the most nutritional kind of fruit.
4. Orange
Orange comes in the category of Citrus fruits and is fully loaded with vitamin C. They are mostly round, and they have an outer covering of green or yellow color. After peeling the outer layer, there are bean-shaped edible fruits that have juicy pulp and a mixture of a sweet and sour taste. The taste also depends upon the stage of ripening.
This fruit is very beneficial as its juice can be used as a health drink worldwide. Its outer peel can also be used as an aromatic agent and in cosmetics.
5. Papaya
Papaya is another trendy fruit that comes in tropical fruits and can be mainly found in Mexico and Central America. The scientific name of Papaya is Carica Papaya or Paw Paw. Papaya is enormous and has a sweet pulp and numerous black colored seeds inside it.
They are usually cylindrical, and they can maximum grow up to a size of 20 inches. They are mostly seen in hot countries. Both the ripe and unripe variety of papaya are edible.
6. Watermelon
Watermelon is a trendy fruit that is available only in summer. It belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae and usually grows on a vine and crawls on the ground. They are mostly oval with a green colored outer covering. Inside the hard outer covering, there is a juicy red flesh along with the black seed.
Watermelons are very rich in water, almost 92 percent, and rich in other nutrients such as vitamins and antioxidants. It can be eaten as cut fruit or in the form of juice.
7. Kiwi
Kiwi, also known as Chinese Gooseberry, was initially found in New Zealand. They belong to the family of Actinidiaceae and have a brown colored outer cover that resembles the feather of a kiwi bird. After peeling the outer cover, there is a green-colored flesh along with many black colored seeds. The taste of kiwi fruit is delightful and sometimes acidic.
There are more than 50 varieties of the Kiwi fruit which are growing all around the world. Some of them are seedless kiwi, red skin kiwi, yellow kiwi, etc.
8. Grapes
Grapes are also one of the most popular types of fruits which are chiefly used in making wines. They belong to the family of Vitaceae and grow in clusters. Their taste is usually sweet or sour.
Grapes are mostly round or oval. They are mostly available in green, red, and purple colors. It can be consumed as fruits as well as in the form of juice.
9. Guava
Guava is considered a tropical fruit and is mostly found in Mexico and other warm countries. They grow on trees and belong to the Myrtaceae family. Their outer skin is thick and dark green colored. Inside it, there is a white-colored flesh. They also contain numerous seeds inside them that are edible.
Guava can be consumed in the form of fruit as well as juice. It can also be served with cocktails.
10. Pineapple
Pineapple is a trendy fruit that grows mainly in tropical countries. They mainly grow from unpollinated flowers. The crown’s outer covering is inedible, and the inner flesh can be consumed in the raw form or the form of juice.
11. Strawberry
Strawberry is a red-colored fruit that belongs to the Rosaceae family. Strawberries contain more than 200 seeds on their outer surface. They are mostly cultivated in spring; they are handpicked and stored in inboxes.
Strawberries are very delicate fruits and require high maintenance. Their taste mostly depends upon the weather conditions and their stage of ripening.
12. Plum
Plums come in the category of drupe fruits. They mostly grow on small trees, and they require another plum tree to be planted next to them to produce fruits. They come in different colors, such as Red and Deep Purple plums.
Many countries in the world cultivate a local variety of plum, and they mainly require temperate zones to grow.
13. Pear
The Pears are a trendy fruit that comes in the family of Rosaceae. They are also considered the oldest cultivated fruits. They originate from a medium-sized tree and mainly grow in countries with a mild temperature, such as Europe, Asia, etc.
Inside the fruit, there is edible flesh and seed, which are known as stone cells. More than 3000 varieties of pears are available and come in different shapes, sizes, and colors.
14. Melon
Melons are one of the best fruits which come in the Cucurbitaceae family. More than 30 different varieties of melons are cultivated all around the world but vary in their shape and sizes. Some of the most popular varieties of melons are watermelon, casaba, cantaloupe, etc.
Melons are very rich in water and have a juicy and sweet taste. There are plenty of seeds inside the melon, which are referred to as berries in botanical terms.
15. Lychee
Lychee fruit belongs to the soapberry family, which grows in clusters, and there is a maximum of 30 litchis in one cluster. They have a rough red colored outer skin, which looks like that of a strawberry. Inside, there is white jelly-like flesh, which is sweet. The inside has a black core, which is inedible.
Litchi can be consumed as a fruit or in the form of a juice.
16. Jackfruit
Jackfruit is one of the enormous fruits in the world, which mainly grows in tropical regions. They can maximum grow up to a size of 2 feet. Jackfruit has a rough green colored outer skin, which is very tough to remove. Inside, there is a white-colored flesh along with multiple seeds. All the parts of jackfruit, including its seeds, are edible. Jackfruit is considered as a replacement for meat for vegans.
17. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is considered a tropical fruit and belongs to the family of citrus fruits. They are generally round-shaped fruit which has a red-colored pulp that tastes sweet and sour. Their name is derived from their growth as they grow in clusters, just like the grapefruit.
They are very beneficial and enriched with vitamin C. In many countries, Grapefruits can be used as breakfast. It can either be consumed as fruits or in the form of juice.
18. Cherry
Cherries belong to the family of drupe fruits. There are mainly two categories of cherries named – Sweet Cherry and Sour Cherry. Sour Cherries are mainly used in cooking due to their high acidic content. The Sweet Cherries are mostly consumed in the form of juice.
Cherries only grow in winter climates and cannot survive in the tropical regions.
19. Blueberry
Blueberries are tiny, round-shaped fruit that gets their name from their blue color. They belong to the family of Vaccinium and are mostly native to North America. They can grow maximum up to a size of 16 mm. They have the shape of the crown on their top with a flat base. They taste lovely.
Blueberries mostly grow from May to August, and Peru is known as the largest exporter of Blueberries worldwide.
20. Blackberry
Blackberry is one of the famous fruits which belongs to the family of Rosaceae. They mostly grow in temperate areas such as Asia, America, etc. They consist of tiny drupe fruits that contain small edible seeds.
Blackberries have low fructose levels compared to other fruits, and they are also rich in various nutrients. They can be either consumed as a fruit or in the form of juice.
21. Apricot
Apricot belongs to the members of the Prunus family. They are lovely edible fruit that has a reddish-orange colored shade on the outside. Inside, there is yellow-colored flesh. A large seed is present in the central core of the fruit, which is considered highly toxic.
Apricots can grow up to a maximum size of 8 cm in length. They are considered highly nutritious and are very rich in Iron.
22. Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit, also known as Pitaya, belongs to a family of cactus. It has a pink colored outer layer with a texture of leather and has spikes on the surface. Inside, there is white-colored flesh, which tastes very sweet and has numerous black seeds.
It almost resembles the shapes of kiwi fruit, but the taste is entirely different from that. It can be either consumed as a fruit, in the form of juice, or the form of sorbets.
23. Avocado
Avocados are technically a fruit but are usually categorized as a vegetable. They belong to the Lauraceae family. They have a green-colored outer layer, which is very rough. Inside, there is yellow colored flesh along with a large seed.
They are generally used for making dishes, and Guacamole is one of the most popular dishes which can be made using Avocado. It can also be consumed as salads or in smoothies.
24. Peach
Peach is the other most popular fruit which comes from the Prunus family. It mainly grows in temperate regions and requires warm temperatures to survive. They have a reddish outer layer, and inside there is a yellow-colored flesh, which is very delicious. The stone which is present at the center of the fruits is inedible.
They can either be consumed as a fruit or in the form of juice.
25. Passion Fruit
Passion fruit is a tropical fruit enriched with different vitamins such as Vitamin A and C. There are more than 100 varieties of this fruit are available worldwide. They are generally oval and have a tough brown colored outer layer. Inside, there is orange pulp with several edible seeds.
They can grow maximum to the size of up to 8 inches.
Final Words
There are numerous fruits available on the planet which are enriched with many useful nutrients. They come in different shapes and sizes, and their taste also varies with one another.
This is all about the different types of fruits. We hope you liked the article, and if you have questions/queries regarding the topic, you can paste it in the comment section below. We will be delighted to resolve all your queries.
Those are lovely fruits I like very much……