ssly that most Brazilians unfamiliar with Botanics will swear they’re from here.
The Portuguese named coconuts in the 1400s and then imported them from Southeast Asia within the next century. The slender trees have since gained huge swaths of our coast, especially in the warmer Northeast (where coconut milk is typically used in fish-based recipes). Coconut trees are, however, just one in hundreds of palm trees you’ll come upon across Brazil. We even have a whole palm tree forest!
If you visit any of our beaches and don’t sip on some ice-cold Brazilian coconut water, don’t bother bragging about your trip!
25. Custard Apples
Count of Miranda do Corvo, a Portuguese colonial administrator, was responsible for introducing custard apples in the country in 1626. Brazilians were forever thankful: one of the fruit’s popular names in Portuguese is precisely fruta-do-conde (i.e. the “count’s fruit”).
I have to say I’m not a fan of custard apples because they seem to have more seeds than pulp. Yet thanks to their extra sweet taste they hold a special place in many people’s hearts (and stomachs).
Originating in Central Africa, watermelons were first brought to Brazil in the 1650s by enslaved people. We’ve been loving some Brazilian watermelon sugar high ever since. Although China grows more watermelons than the rest of the countries combined (!), we rank fourth among the humble others. They’re one of few fruits we rarely cook desserts with.
Shockingly, coffee farmers once tore down the huge forest underneath the Christ the Redeemer statue to replace it with their crops. The terrible move triggered a water crisis and a citywide temperature rise and prompted Emperor Pedro II to order a massive reforestation effort.
That’s when jackfruit trees saved the day, as initially all other plants had a very hard time blooming. As of now, they remain the most widespread fruit-bearing tree around the streets of Rio.
Jocotes first landed on the Brazilian shores from Central America during the colonial era. Their taste somewhat resembles that of cashew apples, while the texture is more like that of olives.
Unlike those two, though, you won’t find jocotes in grocery stores. But considering that they thrive spontaneously in backyards and empty lots, it’s relatively easy to spot jocote vendors in busy areas of large cities.
Now that you’re an expert on little less than 3% of Brazilian fruits, you can up your juice-ordering game next time you set foot in one of Rio’s countless juice bars. Flavor, smell, and texture are really up to you to discover!
And in case you can’t stop reading about all things Brazil, check out some fascinating facts on the South American country.