A wide variety of green fruits are available, including apples, pears, and grapes, which are the most commonly known green fruits. Some green fruits, such as limes, gooseberries, sour plums, and the unique cucamelon, have a sour and sharp taste. There are also green tropical fruits such as breadfruit and jackfruit, which have a delicious flavor. Although avocados and cucumbers are often considered vegetables, they are also green fruits.
Green fruits are not only delicious, but they are also nutritious. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are essential for maintaining good health. Green fruits and vegetables are rich in chlorophyll, vitamin K, folate, and lutein, which help support cardiovascular and immune systems.
When it comes to being environmentally friendly, choosing locally grown green fruits can reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Additionally, selecting organic green fruits can help reduce the use of harmful pesticides and promote sustainable farming practices.
Types of Green Fruits: Introduction
The five categories of green fruit are as follows: Drupes, pomes, berries, citrus fruits, and pepo are among the drupes. Tropical fruits with an foreign taste, as well as fruits that are normally classified as vegetables, are examples of these types.
Green olives, for example, are a drupe with a fibrous structure that encompasses a huge stone. Cucumber is a berry or pepo that grows on a vine and is green in color. Pomes come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Types of Common Green Fruits
Let’s take a look at some common green fruits that you can buy in stores and cultivate in your garden.
Green Mangoes
In Asian countries, green mangoes are a popular dietary staple used in candies, ice cream, and juice. These mangoes have a sour-sweet flavor profile that perfectly balances their juiciness. When fully mature, they range in length from three to six inches and can be consumed raw or used to add taste, texture, and color to various dishes. The mango tree is the source of this green fruit.
Feijoa
This fruit resembles an apple in size and shape and has a smooth green skin. It has a juicy, sweet, and tangy taste. It is a common fruit in New Zealand, where it is native. This green fruit is also known as pineapple guava, and it is usually not consumed raw. Instead, it is used to make jams, juices, and liquors.
Jacote
Jacote is a green fruit with a large pit in the center. The leaves of the tree it grows on are similar to those of lime trees and can also be found on other trees, such as sapodilla. The fruit has a subtle sweetness with hints of plum flavor. It is commonly fried in oil or bacon grease and is a popular fruit in Central America and other tropical regions worldwide.
Marang
This green fruit is known for its succulent texture and incredibly sweet taste. It has a lush green color and grows on small trees or shrubs belonging to the Ebenaceae family. Adding this fruit to your diet can be a healthy choice. Roasting the seeds is another way to enjoy its sweet flavor. However, it is important to consume the fruit as soon as possible after opening it, as the flavor may deteriorate due to oxidation.
Green Apples (Malus domestica)
When the term “green fruit” is mentioned, most people would think of green apples. Some varieties of apples develop a rosy blush as they mature, but some remain green when ripe. Green apples have a waxy skin and crunchy white flesh.
Apples are a type of fruit that grows on trees. Tarter apples are more common in round green apples than in red ones. Several green apple cultivars are best for eating off the tree or cooking because they are less sweet. Their crunchy flavor adds freshness to sandwiches and pairs well with salty, savory cuisine like mature cheese.
Here are some popular green apple varieties:
- Granny Smith: Green apples with a tart, almost sour flavor, crunchy flesh, and a waxy sheen. They are great for baked goods, such as classic apple pies.
- Newtown Pippin: The flesh of this heirloom green apple is firm and has a tart to sweet taste. Pippin apples are great for cooking, much like Granny Smith.
- Crispin (Mutsu): The tough, crisp flesh of the large Japanese apple has a sweet taste and is covered by a yellowish-green skin.
- Golden Delicious: The classic green apple has a light green color with yellow undertones. The crunchy, sweet white flesh of Golden Delicious apples is well-known.
Papaya
Papaya is a juicy and sweet fruit that is widely consumed in tropical regions worldwide. The skin of this green fruit is its most distinguishing characteristic, with green stripes on an orange background. Papaya has a long history as a natural dye for clothing and textiles. Different types of papaya are consumed fresh, while others are used to make juice or preserves. The best time to eat this fruit is during the summer months when it is in season. In the northern hemisphere, it can be found in supermarkets throughout the year.
Pears (Pyrus)
There are numerous pear cultivars, with some featuring smooth green skin and reddish hues, while others have unique shapes. The fruit tapers towards the stem and has a broad, bulging base. When ripe, the white pear flesh is typically soft and flavorful, with a sweet taste.
Pears vary in texture, depending on the variety. Some have crisp, firm flesh, making them ideal for poaching, while others have soft, juicy flesh that melts in your mouth. Comice pears are an example of sweet green pears.
In contrast, the Nashi pear, also known as the Asian pear, is a different type of pear. These small, golden-green pomes are ideal for snacking, with light green to yellowish skin and white flesh. Nashi pears are apple-shaped and resemble apples in texture.
Nashi pear (Asian pear)
Nashi pear, also known as Asian pear, is a fruit with a round, apple-like shape and a crisp, juicy texture. It has a light green to yellowish skin and white flesh. The taste of Nashi pears is sweet and mildly acidic with a distinct flavor that is different from other types of pears. It is often eaten raw as a snack, sliced in salads or used in desserts. Nashi pears are also used in cooking and can be used in recipes that call for regular pears or apples. The fruit is popular in Asia and has gained popularity in other parts of the world due to its unique taste and texture.
Green Grapes (Vitis)
Green grapes are small berry fruits that grow in clusters on vines and are commonly used in various culinary applications. They are characterized by their ellipsoid shape, although some may be spherical or ovoid-shaped. White grapes, a type of green grape, are among the most popular varieties. The Thompson seedless grape is the most commonly consumed green grape in the United States.
Some of the popular types of green grapes include:
- Mustang grape: A sour grape used to make grape juice, jelly, and pie.
- Muscat grape: A pale green round grape with a fine green skin and a white coating.
- Champagne grapes: Small, pea-like green fruits with a firm skin and a pleasant taste.
Types of Sweet Green Fruits
Although many green fruits are sweet, a few types of green fruits are well-known for their sweet, succulent flesh.
Honeydew Melon (Cucumis melo)
The honeydew melon is a large, round green fruit with a sweet, light green flesh and a pale yellowish-green skin. Typically, the most common variety is the 6″ to 9″ (15 to 22 cm) round to oval shape. The inner pale green flesh of this juicy fruit is surrounded by clusters of many yellowish-brown seeds.
Honeydew melons are known for their high water content, which is around 90 percent. They are sweet and can be found all over the world. The taste is similar to that of yellow cantaloupe melons, but without the musky aftertaste. Honeydew melons can be consumed in fruit salads, smoothies, and various desserts.
Mexican Sour Cucumber (Melothria scabra)
The Mexican sour gherkin, also known as the mouse melon, pepquinos, or cucamelon, is a small green fruit that grows on vines, similar to other plants in the cucurbit family. Despite its classification as a “sour cucumber,” it has a sweet flavor when fully ripe. The little oval fruits, about the size of grapes, resemble miniature watermelons.
Sweet Green Oranges (Citrus reticulata × sinensis)
The rind of the sweet green orange resembles that of a lime fruit, but the flesh resembles that of an orange. Sweet orange pieces are covered in a vivid green, thick skin. A citrus hybrid that tastes like a tangerine, the exquisite foreign green fruit is a delight. Sweet green oranges retain their color in warm areas and ripen naturally. The citrusy rind of oranges turns green in temperate regions, and orange in tropical regions.
Types of Sour Green Fruits
Green fruits have a distinct acidic flavor in many varieties. The kinds of sour green fruits are listed below.
Limes
Limes are spherical green citrus fruits with a puckering effect on your lips. Green limes, which range in diameter from 1.2 to 2.4 inches (3 to 6 cm), are often somewhat bigger than a golf ball. Light green citrus pieces are covered in a thin green rind. Limes have a stronger flavor than lemons.
The skin of most limes, such as Key limes (Citrus aurantiifolia), is smooth green when unripe, but becomes yellowish when ripe. In pies, such as the Key lime pie, or chutneys like lime pickles in Indian cuisine, limes are commonly used.
Here are some other varieties of limes:
Bearss lime (Citrus × latifolia)
The Persian lime, also called Bearss lime, is a green citrus fruit that is larger than a Key lime and has a thicker green skin. It is known for its sweeter taste compared to the common Mexican limes, such as Key limes. Persian limes typically have a diameter of 2.4 inches (6 cm).
Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix)
The Kaffir lime is a small, round green fruit with a rough skin. It has a small amount of juice and is usually acidic and bitter in taste. However, the citrus peel of the Kaffir lime is often used to add flavor to Thai curries in cooking. The fruit is typically 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter and has a rough green texture.
Finger Limes (Citrus australasica)
The finger lime is a unique green fruit with a cylindrical shape and a thick, slightly bumpy skin that contains small, juicy pearl-like balls. It is sometimes referred to as “lime caviar” due to the circular liquid vesicles inside the fruit. Finger limes can grow up to 3.1 inches (8 cm) in length with a tapering tip, and their flavor is a combination of sour and bitter notes. They are commonly used as a garnish, in cocktails, or as a unique addition to dishes like salads and seafood.
Sour Green Plums
Sour green plums are drupes with a hard, tangy green flesh and a shiny green skin that encloses a white pit in the center. These plums are usually not consumed fresh because of their sour taste. Instead, they are often used to make sauces, relishes, and compotes that add a tangy flavor to dishes. They are also used to create stews that have a sour taste.
Ugli Fruit (Jamaican Tangelo)
The Ugli fruit is a unique citrus fruit that has a rough, light green skin that turns yellow as it ripens, which is how it got its name. This pear-shaped fruit is roughly the size of a grapefruit and has juicy flesh that is a blend of orange and grapefruit flavors. The Ugli fruit is actually a natural hybrid between a tangerine and a pomelo, and is also known as a Uniq fruit. Because of its origins, this odd fruit is sometimes referred to as a tangelo. Its botanical name is Citrus reticulata × paradisi.
Gooseberries
Gooseberries are small green fruits that have a distinctive tart taste and come in either round or oval shapes. These fruits have a light green color with almost transparent skin, and they can also be found in red or yellow varieties. Gooseberries contain a soft flesh with multiple tiny seeds and grow on tiny, thorny shrubs. These little oval green berries are only about 0.5 inches (1.2 cm) in length.
Types of Bumpy Green Fruit
Osage orange (Maclura pomifera)
The Osage orange is a green fruit that has a bumpy, rough skin and is round in shape. It has a diameter of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) and weighs about the same as a baseball. The exterior of the fruit is yellowish-green and the interior is soft and yellow. Although it is said to have a taste similar to cucumber, the Osage orange is not typically consumed for eating purposes.
The Green Osage orange is a fruit that is not related to citrus. It is a spherical fruit with a prickly exterior that grows on a mulberry-family tree. The Osage orange is also known by other names such as hedge apple or horse apple.
Avocado
Avocado is a pear-shaped fruit that has a green, bumpy skin and grows on trees. The skin of avocados is typically covered with a layer of glossy wax. Despite being used as a vegetable in culinary applications, avocados are technically a large berry. The fruit can range in length from 3-8 inches (7-20 cm) and has a dark green color.
As avocados mature, their outer skin can vary in color from green to purple. The leathery, uneven skin encases creamy green flesh and a large seed in the center. Avocados are considered ripe when they yield to gentle pressure when squeezed.
Custard Apple (Annona cherimola)
The custard apple is a unique green fruit with thick, leathery, bumpy skin resembling a cone-shaped apple. Its skin is covered with overlapping scales or knobby warts. The custard apple is consumed by scooping out the creamy flesh of the sweet fruit from the skin. However, it is essential to be cautious while eating the custard apple, as every single black seed in the fruit contains toxins that may be poisonous.
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis)
Breadfruit is a green fruit that has a leathery skin with small bumps on it, and it grows to be about the size of a grapefruit. As the fruit matures, the skin turns yellowish-green or brown. The inside of the fruit is sweet with a starchy texture similar to that of a potato. The fruit has a diameter that can range from 4 inches to 12 inches (10 cm).
Noni (Morinda citrifolia)
Noni is an oval-shaped fruit with a rough, bumpy skin that is typically green or yellowish-green in color. It grows in tropical areas and can reach a length of 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm). As the noni fruit ripens, it develops a strong, pungent odor that is often compared to that of mature cheese. The mature white flesh is bitter in taste and has a strong smell. The large brown seeds of noni can be roasted and consumed as well.
Types of Spiky Green Fruits
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
Jackfruit is a massive, green tropical fruit with a bumpy outer skin. It is a close relative of breadfruit and grows in clusters on the jackfruit tree. The fruit is round or oblong in shape and can weigh up to 100 pounds (45 kg). When young, the fruit has a greenish-yellow color that turns to a yellow-brown color when ripe. The exterior of the fruit is covered with a spiky, thorny skin. Inside, the fruit is divided into segments filled with edible flesh and large seeds. Jackfruit is said to have a sweet, pleasant aroma and to taste like a combination of pineapple and banana.
Durian Fruit (Durio)
The durian is a large green or brown fruit covered in prickly thorns that is commonly found in tropical regions. The fruit can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) in length and weigh up to 7 pounds (3 kg). The creamy, fleshy interior of the fruit can range in color from pale yellow to red, depending on the variety. The odor of durian is notorious and divisive, with some people describing it as pleasantly sweet, while others find it unpleasant and liken it to the smell of rotting onions.
Cempedak
A fruit that is found on a tree is referred to as a green fruit. The skin is yellowish-green and the flesh is oblong and juicy. Each year, around the middle of June, the growing season will reach its peak. You can cook this fruit and add it to curry-based recipes to release your spices or eat it fresh, raw, or cooked.
Types of Tropical Green Fruits
Many delicious green fruits have a heavenly fragrance, delicate flesh, and a heavenly flavor.
Caribbean Guava
Guava is a round or oval-shaped fruit with a green skin that turns yellow or red as it matures. The skin may be smooth or bumpy, depending on the variety. Guava fruits can range in size from 1.5 to 4.5 inches (4 to 12 cm) and have a sweet or acidic flavor, depending on the variety and degree of ripeness.
Soursop (Graviola)
The soursop is a green tropical fruit with a prickly exterior and a pear-like shape. Also known as graviola or guanábana, the fruit has a sweet, fragrant aroma similar to pineapple and a flavor that blends strawberry and apple with a hint of citrus. The prickly green fruits can grow up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in length and are commonly found in Caribbean, North and South America, and Southeast Asian regions. The soursop fruit can also be cultivated in areas like southern Florida, which falls under USDA zone 10.
Types of Exotic Green Fruits
Fuzzy Green Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)
Kiwifruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry, is a green fuzzy fruit that grows on vines in USDA zones 5 through 9. The brown, hairy skin of the fruit covers sweet, green flesh with small black seeds. The size of a kiwifruit is about 2″ to 3″ (5 to 8 cm) in length, roughly the size of an egg. The light green flesh has a refreshing and tangy taste, balanced by a mild sweetness.
Green Star Fruit (Carambola)
Star fruit is an exotic fruit with a distinctive star shape, characterized by five or six pronounced ridges that run from its center to its edges. The fruit is initially green in color and then turns yellow as it ripens. Both green and yellow star fruit can be eaten, with the ideal time being when it is yellow with faint green patches on it. When sliced, the star shape is visible, making it a unique addition to any dish.
Green Fruits Used as Vegetables
Chayote (Sechium edule)
Chayote is a green fruit that belongs to the squash family. Its shape is similar to that of a pear, and it has a thin green skin covering the green to white flesh. Although it has a mild flavor, it is seasoned with salt and pepper and used as a vegetable. Chayote can be prepared in various ways, such as baked, stuffed, mashed, fried, or pickled.
Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
Green zucchini is a type of vegetable that is commonly used in savory dishes. This summer squash grows on a vine and has a dark green skin, measuring around 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) in length. This green fruit can be cooked in various ways, such as simmered, grilled, stuffed, baked, or steamed, and can be seasoned to taste.
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber is a fruit that is commonly treated as a vegetable in cooking. It grows on vines and has a pale green, crispy interior with a mild flavor. Some varieties of cucumber can be bitter, but most are not. The skin of long green cucumbers is usually smooth with small ridges, while short green cucumbers have a rough, spiky skin. Cucumbers are often used in salads, while pickled cucumbers, known as gherkins, are a popular snack or condiment.