Fruits that start with A

Abiu is a yellow orange colored fruit that is shaped like a peach, but is far from tasting like one. Commonly grown in South American countries, Abiu thrives in tropical climates. Recently, some farmers have begun cultivating the yellow fruit in Hawaii.

The outside of abiu is inedible, but the flesh inside is safe to eat. To enjoy an abiu, just cut the fruit down the middle and use a spoon to eat the sweet, jelly-like fruit inside. Abiu is said to have a subtle taste that is reminiscent of caramel. If you can get your hands on Abiu, definitely give it a try. 

Whether it’s in a smoothie bowl or in juice, Acai has become a popular fruit that is often touted for its versatility and smooth texture. Originating from Central and South America, acai is a small dark purple berry that is either juiced or pureed, then used in desserts or smoothies. It is typically not eaten directly as it has quite an earthy and tart taste.

Though most people only consume the berries, acai palm can also be eaten. The palm hearts of the acai plant are enjoyed in Latin American countries, but as a vegetable! The fruit ripens during August to December and in the spring.

Ackee, or ackee apples, are a reddish-orange fruit that grows most in African countries and the Caribbean. The fruit comes from the evergreen tree and is only in season two times a year.

When it’s fully ripe, farmers actually have to open the fruit before picking it. This helps the toxins “leave” the fruit, so that they can be safe to eat. Ackee cannot be eaten fresh, or straight from the tree.

Ackee is usually cooked into savory soups and curries. It has a nutty taste and squishy, jackfruit-like texture that pairs well with savoury dishes.

Also known as Imbe, African mangosteen is a small fruit that is about the size of a passion fruit. The mangosteen has a thin bright orange skin and a light orange flesh inside. It has a sweet taste and is often enjoyed fresh.

African mangosteen grows during the warm season in parts of Africa, and have many unique uses. Their lovely flavor is often used for traditional medicines or to make alcoholic beverages.

Unlike the ackee apple, alligator apples actually look a lot like apples. The green fruit grows in swampy areas of Florida, Central America and the Caribbean, which is why it’s also known as swamp apple.

The name “alligator apple,” or "alligator pears" comes from the fact that it is a favorite fruit amongst alligators. But, it can also be eaten by humans. When the fruit is cooked it tastes like honeydew and has a custardy texture, which is why alligator apples are usually cooked into jam rather than eaten as is.

African mango looks and tastes a lot like regular mangoes, but are more popular in supplement form. The mango's seed is high in fat and protein, and is used to make oils that can be used in cooking.

The mangoes are about the size of a typical mango, but it is tough to find them in your local grocery stores. African mangoes are most often traded within African countries. They grow during the spring season, and can be commonly found in West Africa.

Mango can be used in a whole range of dishes from bingsu, Thai sticky rice, salsa, canapes and salad.

In tropical areas of the West Indies, Americas, and Asia grows the ambarella fruit. Also called hog plum and amara, ambarella is a sweet fruit that is often used in juices and desserts. The outside of the fruit isn’t eaten, but the crunchy flesh is edible.

However, it is often used for cooking savory dishes rather than eaten straight from the tree. Internationally, ambarella fruit is more popular in supplement form. The seeds of the hog plum are high in oil, and are often used in essential oils for aromatherapy.

Annatto is quite different from your typical fruits. Hailing from Mexico and Brazil, annatto is a small spiky fruit that is filled with red seeds. The seeds are what is eaten rather than the skin or flesh. When annatto is harvested, the seeds are removed and often dried and ground and is used like chili powder.

Ground annatto has a mild flavor with notes of pepper. It is mainly used as a natural coloring agent. Many cheeses and dishes in Latin America use Annatto to give them a bright and appealing color.

These days acerola cherries have become incredibly popular in health grocery stores. Growing mostly in Central America and India, these cherries have a bright red color and a bell-pepper like shape.

They have a sweet and juicy taste, but aren't typically eaten straight from the tree. They go bad very quickly, so they're more often dried and ground, or made into juice.

What list of fruits starting with “A,” would skip the most famous “a” fruit, apples? Not this one! Apples probably originated in Asia, but today they grow almost everywhere in the world and are enjoyed in a plethora of ways.

There are over 7,500 varieties of apples, so you'll likely see many more apple fruits on future lists. You can enjoy this yummy fruit cooked, raw, in sauce, in jams, juiced, and even in sausages. Apples can be sweet, sour, crunchy, or soft.

Check out this Salted Caramel Apple Crumble recipe.

Apple berries are an Australian fruit that sometimes are referred to as apple dumplings. They look nothing like apples, but many describe their flavors as a mix of apples and kiwi fruit. In appearance, apple berries look a lot more like mini eggplants with their elongated shape!

They have a tangy taste and are ripe once they fall from the shrub. Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy this soft and crisp fruit. The apple berry is also a popular fruit for birds!

Just like apples, apricots are a popular and well-known fruit that starts with “a.” Apricots may look like a smooth peach, but they are in fact part of the prune family. The small fruit has been cultivated for many years, dating as far back as ancient Egypt. It is likely that apricots, like apples, originated from Central Asia and spread throughout the world via traders.

Apricots are usually eaten as is and have a slightly sour taste and crunchy textures, but they can be used in different ways. People use apricots in cooking, baking, and even as traditional medicine. It’s a versatile fruit that is popular across the globe.

This versatile fruit can be used in many dishes, from sosaties, cobbler, chutney, tart to stuffing.

Asian pear is known by many names like zodiac pear, Chinese pear, apple pear, Korean pear, Japanese pear and more. As the name suggests, the pear is from East Asia. It has a round shape and is bigger than the typical pear like shape.

It has a soft edible skin and a crunchy interior. It tastes similar to your typical pear, but with a milder flavor. Though Asian pears are commonly eaten as is, they are also used a lot as a natural sweetener in savory sauces in meat dishes.

Atemoya is often confused with soursop, but they are different fruits. The main difference is that atemoya is a hybrid of sugar apple and cherimoya, while soursop is not a hybrid. The hybrid atemoya can be found in tropical parts of Taiwan, Cuba, and a few other countries.

From the outside, atemoya is a bumpy, light green, heart-shaped fruit. But, inside it is filled with a soft white flesh. It has a sweet flavor that is likened to a mix of pineapple and vanilla. Just cut the fruit open and scoop out the flesh to enjoy this sweet fruit.

If you haven’t heard of Australian finger lime, then you may have heard its second name - caviar lime or lime caviar. It grows in the rainforests of Australia and is seen as a gourmet ingredient.

The inside of the Australian finger limes looks and feels like caviar, and are usually used as a garnish for dishes. Finger limes are also used to make marmalade. It has a sour and bitter taste comparable to an Australian round lime.

Another Australian lime fruits that start with a is the Australian round lime! It has a bumpy green skin, but looks a lot more like a traditional lime. The pulp of these limes is more of a yellow orange color. Its taste is sour and bitter, so it's best to use round limes as a flavoring in cooking.

These limes actually grow during the Australian summer months which are October to February.

Yes, you read that correctly. Avocado is one of the fruits that start with a! We may be used to eating avocados in savory dishes like guacamole or avocado toast, but avocados are technically a fruit. That’s why you may see them in sweet treats like smoothies and ice cream.

Avocado has a creamy texture and subtly sweet and savory flavor. The flesh is commonly eaten fresh as a topping, but some people enjoy turning them into avocado fries. There are a variety of avocados that grow throughout South America.

Avocados can be used to be stuffed, in soups, pasta, guacamole, wraps, salad, smoothies and dips.

If you can't get hold of avocados, check out these substitutes.

Grown in Japan, Akebi is a purple fruit that looks a lot like a small eggplant. The outside of the fruit is thick, but the inside is filled with seeds that are covered in a gooey flesh. When eaten raw, akebi is simply cut open and the flesh and seeds are eaten. 

The little fruits have a mild sweet flavor that many enjoy. However, some people choose to not eat the seeds and only eat the jelly-like covering. Akebi skin is sometimes used in Japanese cooking. It is filled with a variety of fillings then deep fried for a bitter and savory snack.

Amanatsu is another Japanese fruit that starts with an “a.” It’s a type of mandarin orange that grows exclusively in Japan. They are known to be a bit sweet and sour, akin to the taste of a pomelo fruit. Its texture is very similar to mandarin oranges.

The amanatsu can be eaten raw like a regular mandarin orange, but it can be found in many different forms. If you ever visit Japan, you will likely find many candies and juices that are amanatsu flavored. The fruits have a bright orange color and bumpy skin that makes it stand out.

More commonly known as Indian gooseberries, Amla is a tart berry commonly used in jams and sauces. The skin of amlas is thin and almost transparent, while the inside has a large seed. Once the seed is removed, the amla fruits can be eaten.

Amlas are very sour with a gelatinous texture, so they aren’t usually eaten as is. When eaten raw, the southeast Asian fruits are sprinkled with salt to help with its sourness. Similar to other gooseberries, amla is usually cooked down into sauces and jams.

It can also be made into chutney, fool and crumble.

The best way to describe an arava melon is to say it’s a cross between honeydew melons and cantaloupe. Hailing from Israel, arava melons are smaller than the typical melon, but are packed with flavor. When ripe, arava melons are tender and are sweet in flavor. 

They have a rough golden yellow skin, and a pale green interior. Eating an arava melon is like eating any other melon. Cut it in slices and scoop out the seeds. The flesh can be enjoyed as is, or try it as a topping for a lovely summer salad.

Alphonso mangoes are one of the most common and popular varieties of mangoes in Southeast Asia. Originating in India, alphonso mangoes are smaller than most mangoes found in America. They have an oval shape and a bright yellow skin when ripe. 

The texture of ripe alphonso mangoes is soft and slightly fibrous. Their popularity likely comes from their wonderfully sweet taste that is used in local desserts and drinks. Every part of the mango can be eaten except for the seed. 

Alphonso mangoes are highly seasonal fruits and grow from mid-April to June. If you can get your hands on these sweet mangoes, definitely give them a taste!