Salak or snake fruit is covered in brown scaly skin and has a delicious tart sweet taste. It is rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and calcium and helps maintain a healthy immune system.
Mangosteen
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is a tree that grows in tropical regions and is cultivated in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. It is a member of the Clusiaceae family and bears edible fruits containing many essential nutrients and xanthones (6).
Mangosteen is a favorite fruit of the Balinese and has been described as having flavors of lychee, strawberry, and citrus. It is a large fruit that contains segments of soft, white flesh that surrounds small seeds.
Observations of 192 mangosteen trees in West Sumatra (Pasaman and Kamang), Jambi (Muaro Tebo) and Bengkulu showed that mangosteen morphological characteristics vary. Variations include canopy shape, mature leaf color, fruit weight and diameter, pedicel length, flower clustering habit, and stigma lobe shape, size, and thickness. These variations were attributed to geographic and abiotic factors.
Papaya
Many foreign tourists claim that they have never had a mango that tasted like the ones in Bali. The same can be said for guava, pineapple, starfruit and the king of fruits, durian.
Fruit seeds from tropical exotic fruits with high annual productivity, such as mango, sweet orange, snake fruit, jackfruit and rambutan, have a high protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and carotenoid content and may serve as raw materials for food fortification agents. Moreover, they are able to hinder the growth of human lung (A549), breast (MCF-7), liver (HepG2) and colon (HT-29) cancer cell lines.
Mangoes in Bali are not only delicious, they also pack an immune boosting punch. They are rich in Vitamin C, A and B-6, calcium, iron and potassium. They also contain soluble fibre, which aids digestion and prevents many diseases.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is one of the world’s largest tree-borne fruits. It has a bumpy rind and bulbs of seed-containing flesh enclosed by a stringy core. It has a sweet aroma, which has been likened to bananas, pineapple and bubble gum.
The jackfruit plant is rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. It also has anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
The fruit can be eaten ripe or unripe. Ripe jackfruit tastes like a combination of mango, banana and melon. It can be used as a tropical dessert or in smoothies. It can also be roasted or fried as a snack or used as a cocktail garnish. It has also been used as a plant-based meat substitute. Jackfruit is high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.
Sirsak
The perfect tropical climate in Bali allows for many different exotic fruits to grow year round. Some of the most popular include mangoes, papaya, jackfruit and sirsak.
Sirsak, also known as snake fruit due to its brown scaly skin is a popular and unique treat to try on your trip to Bali. It has a crunchy texture similar to an apple or pear and is a sweet combination of tart and fruity flavors.
Pomelo is another delicious fruit you can enjoy on your trip to Bali. This citrus fruit is a little larger than grapefruit and can be enjoyed fresh or used in recipes. It is a rich source of vitamin C and the peel is a natural mosquito repellent! Rambutan is a sweet and juicy small hairy fruit that can be found in January.
Tamarind
The tamarind tree produces a pod-like fruit that has a sweet and sour flavor. It’s native to Africa, but it grows in tropical climates throughout the world.
You’ll find tamarind on the menus of many Indian restaurants. It’s also used in Indonesian cooking and in Filipino dishes.
It’s high in dietary fiber and antioxidants. And it contains vitamin C and potassium, which help lower high blood pressure.
Other Bali Class Tropical Fruit you’ll want to try are jackfruit (a big, spiky-leafed fruit that can be eaten whole or made into juice and salads), oranges, soursop (also known as custard apple or graviola) and snake fruit. You’ll also find a variety of fresh coconut varieties. These are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium and phosphorus.