Discover the Unique Flavors and Benefits of White Colored Fruits

An Introduction to White Colored Fruits

Fruits come in a vibrant array of colors, from the rich reds of cherries and cranberries to the sunny oranges of citrus varieties. While many fruits are known for their bold hues, there are also quite a few white fruits that deserve recognition. White fruits can add visual interest and bright freshness to any dish or snack. Some are exotic imports, while others are familiar supermarket staples. Read on to learn more about these intriguing white fruits and how to enjoy them.

Dragon Fruit

With its hot pink skin and striking white flesh, dragon fruit is one of the most striking white fruits. Also known as pitaya, this tropical fruit is native to Central and South America but is now grown around the world. The flesh has a mildly sweet taste and crunchy texture akin to kiwi or pear. Dragon fruit is low in calories but packed with vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidant compounds called betacyanins that give it its color.

You can dice dragon fruit up and eat it raw, add it to fruit salads, blend it into smoothies, or even use it in sorbets. Try pairing it with other tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and banana. Look for dragon fruit at Asian or Hispanic markets for the best quality and price.

Bananas

Though bananas turn yellow as they ripen, they are picked and shipped green. An unripe green banana has starchy white flesh inside. Green bananas offer a number of health perks, with a lower glycemic index, more resistant starch, and higher antioxidant levels than their yellow counterparts. They are often cooked and used like a starchy vegetable in many cuisines around the world.

While green bananas need to be cooked to be palatable, adding a just- ripening banana with white or white-streaked flesh to your fruit salad or smoothie gives you slight banana flavor with lower sugar. Peel and eat fully ripe, yellow bananas for the classic sweet treat. With loads of potassium and fiber, bananas make a nutritious fruit choice.

Guava

This tropical fruit has green or yellow skin encasing creamy white flesh dotted with edible seeds. With its perfumed aroma and sweet, floral flavor, guava tastes akin to a pear crossed with a strawberry. Though often eaten raw, guava is also popularly used in juices, candies, and preserves in its native regions of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Fresh guava is low in calories and high in immunity-boosting vitamin C. Compounds in guava called flavonoids and carotenoids also offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Seek out fresh guavas at produce markets and choose fruits that yield slightly to pressure when ripe. Store at room temperature until ready to cut open and enjoy.

White Nectarines

White nectarines are a genetic variant of the popular yellow-fleshed fruit. With their smooth, pale gold skin and snowy white flesh, they make a beautiful addition to summer fruit bowls and dishes. White nectarines are a bit lower in vitamin A than their yellow counterparts but still offer antioxidants like vitamin C and beta carotene.

White nectarines have a very sweet, low-acid flavor. Try using their delicate sweetness to balance more tart fruits like raspberries and strawberries. They also pair well with soft herbs like mint or basil. Choose nectarines that yield slightly to gentle pressure for peak ripeness and flavor.

White Peaches

Like white nectarines, white peaches are a genetic variant of traditional yellow-fleshed peaches. White peaches have pale, fuzzy skin that ripening to a golden white. Inside, the juicy flesh is creamy white instead of golden orange. The flavor is sweet with subtle floral aromas.

Enjoy white peaches raw, roasted, or grilled. They work nicely in fruit crisps and galettes as well. Try pairing white peaches with fresh herbs and spices like ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg to complement their flavor. Choose peaches that feel heavy for their size and yield to gentle pressure.

Pomelos

Pomelos look like oversized green or yellow grapefruits. Also called Chinese grapefruit or shaddocks, these large citrus fruits have very thick, soft rind and pale flesh ranging from pink or red to white. While often consumed raw like grapefruit, pomelo can also be incorporated into salads, marinades, and drinks.

The taste is sweet and mild with little bitterness, while the watery flesh has a refreshing juiciness. Pomelos offer antioxidants like vitamin C and potassium. Look for fruits that feel heavy when lifted and avoid any with brown spots. Pomelos can be stored at room temperature.

Sapodilla

This oval brown fruit is native to Central America but also grown in parts of Asia. Sapodilla has soft, sweet, grainy flesh that tastes like brown sugar. Unripe sapodilla is high in tannins, which gives an unpleasant astringent mouthfeel, but the tannins subside as the fruit ripens.

Enjoy ripe sapodilla raw, simply cut open and scooped out with a spoon. It also makes tasty juices, smoothies, and ice cream. Sapodilla is high in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, B, and A. Buy fruits that feel slightly soft and avoid any with mold.

White Mulberry

Most known for their leaves as food for silkworms, white mulberries are also valued as a tasty fruit in their own right. White mulberry trees produce clusters of plump, juicy drupe fruits that are white to pale pink. The flavor is pleasantly sweet and reminiscent of figs.

Use fresh mulberries as you would other berries. Eat them raw or cooked into pies, tarts, and crumbles. Mix them into yogurt, oatmeal, and salads or blend them into smoothies. Dried white mulberries make a nice chewy snack as well. Mulberries are packed with iron, calcium, vitamin C, and protein.

White Cherries

While most cherries turn deep red-black as they ripen, there are a few white-fleshed cherry varieties. White cherries have yellow, pink, golden, or blushed skin with creamy white flesh. Popular varieties include Rainier, Queen Anne, and Gold cherries.

Like other cherries, enjoy white cherries raw as a healthy snack, baking into pies and tarts, or mixing into cocktails. Try pairing their sweet-tart flavor with almonds, chocolate, vanilla, and citrus. Look for plump, brightly colored cherries without any bruising.

Jackfruit

Jackfruit is a tropical fruit prized for its gigantic size as well as its flavor. Inside the bumpy, greenish-brown exterior are large bulb-like lobes of pale yellow flesh enveloping edible seeds. Unripe jackfruit has an apple-like crunch and savory flavor. When ripe, the texture turns soft and the flavor sweet.

Young, unripe jackfruit is popular for use in curries, stir-fries, and other savory dishes in place of meat. Ripe jackfruit can be eaten raw or used in smoothies, ice cream, fruit salads, and desserts. Its natural sweetness needs little added sugar. Look for unblemished, firm fruits.

Tips for Selecting and Enjoying White Fruit

When shopping for white fruits, select those that are undamaged and free of bruises or soft spots. They should feel heavy for their size with taut, smooth skin. Avoid fruits showing signs of mold or wetness. For the most flavor and nutrition benefits, allow fruits to fully ripen before eating. Store ripe fruits in the refrigerator to help slow further ripening.

Wash or scrub all fruits before cutting to remove dirt and surface microbes. Use a sharp paring knife and cut off outer rind, skin, or peel before slicing open. Discard any bruised or damaged portions. Refrigerate cut fruits in an airtight container and enjoy within a few days for the best quality.

While delicious eaten raw, white fruits also pair nicely with herbs, spices, citrus, chocolate, vanilla, nuts, and more. Use them in both sweet and savory dishes from breakfast to dessert. Blending white fruits creates refreshing smoothies and frozen

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.