Nutritious and even fragrant: discover the typical fruits of the Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest, one of the most biodiverse tropical forests in the world, is home to many native fruits.

Many of these fruits are little known to the general public, but deserve to be promoted for their unique flavor, health benefits and importance for environmental preservation. Discover some of them!

Araçá: With different varieties, araçá offers flavors ranging from sweet to sour. Some say the taste is reminiscent of guava.

Araçá is rich in vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants, beneficial for health, especially for the immune and digestive system.

Cereja do Mato: this is one of the “species” of araçá. It may be called cerejeira-do-mato, araçazinho, cherry-do-mato, cerejeira-da-terra, cherry-do-rio-grande, guaibajaí, ibá-rapiroca, ibajaí, ibarapiroca, ivaí or ubajaí.

The fruit is sweet, has a lot of pulp and looks a lot like the cherry sold at the market.

Pitanga: Versatile and tasty, pitanga offers a sweet and citrus flavor, with a spicy touch. Source of vitamin C, potassium and phosphorus, it is perfect for fresh consumption, juices, sauces, preserves and even desserts.

Grumixama: Small and tasty, the grumixama has a thin skin and sweet pulp with a sour touch. Source of vitamin C, iron and phosphorus, it is excellent for fresh consumption, juices and jellies.

When ripe its skin is black or dark purple. In addition to being rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber, grumixama also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Cabeludinha: Also known as yellow jabuticaba, this fruit native to the Atlantic Forest can be grown in pots or in small gardens.

Furthermore, the hair can be consumed fresh, in juices, desserts or ice cream. In addition to being delicious, it is nutritious and provides numerous health benefits.

Pitangatuba: Also known as pitanga-carambola or pitanga-ubá, pitangatuba is part of the Myrtaceae family, the same as pitanga and jabuticaba.

The fruit has an elongated shape, similar to a small eight-pointed star, and its color varies from yellow to orange when ripe. It can be eaten fresh, but is more commonly used in juices, jellies and other culinary preparations due to its intense flavor.

Plum: Very similar to the jaboticaba, the plum has white, juicy and sweet pulp. It usually bears fruit in summer, between December and March.

Juçara: Like açaí, juçara is often consumed in the form of pulp, mixed with other ingredients to make juices, ice creams, creams and other desserts.

Juçara is rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals and is considered a very nutritious fruit.

Grapes: Sweet and juicy, raisins have thin skin and white pulp with a flavor reminiscent of grapes and lemon. Rich in vitamin C, potassium and phosphorus, it is excellent for fresh consumption, juices, jellies and even wines.

With a very pleasant aroma, grapes are also widely consumed by birds. Its plants are used to help reforest degraded areas.

Cambuí: it is a fruit much appreciated by birds, as well as having a pleasant aroma that can be smelled from afar.

The fruit is small, rounded and has a color that varies from red to purple when ripe. It can be consumed fresh, but is more commonly used in the preparation of juices, jellies, compotes, liqueurs and ice creams.

Cambucá: Considered one of the tastiest fruits in Brazil, cambucá is native to the coastal area of ​​the Atlantic Forest.

The flavor of cambucá is intense and reminiscent of jabuticaba, being a balanced sweet and sour flavour.

Guabiroba: The name guabiroba has Tupi origins and means “bitter bark. It is a fruit that can be eaten fresh, as a dessert or snack.

Guabiroba can also be used for the preparation of desserts, such as jams, jellies and mousses, as well as for the preparation of liqueurs.

Cambuci: Considered a treasure of the Atlantic Forest, this fruit offers a surprising citrus flavor, with notes of lemon and pineapple.

Rich in vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants, cambuci is very versatile: it can be consumed fresh, in juices, caipirinhas, sauces and even preserves.