Black sapote or the chocolate pudding fruit tastes so much like chocolate pudding and it offers the same texture too. Surely, this fruit is a much healthier option than pudding because it is much lower in fat and abundant in vitamins A and C.
The word ‘sapote’ originates from the Aztec ‘tzapotl’ which is a collective name for several species of sweet and spherical fruits that have big seeds.
This tropical fruit is a species of persimmon which is grown from an evergreen tree originating from Colombia, eastern Mexico, and Guetamala, but is also cultivated worldwide, i.e. Australia, Cuba, Hawaii, Florida, and the Dominican Republic.
If you want to learn more about this fruit and why it definitely needs to become a part of your diet, continue reading the article!
The Amazing Black Sapote
This fruit, a type of sapote, when ripe, can be eaten fresh or used as a chocolate replacement in different recipes and drinks or mixed with some lemon juice or yogurt. In Mexico, they commonly mash the pulp of the fruit with orange juice or brandy and serve it with cream.
The tree of this fruit is usually below 600 meters but it is not too demanding in terms of soil and is able to tolerate light frost. However, the tree is drought-sensitive and thus, requires irrigation in drier climates.
The black sapote has a thick and pudding-like texture with a chocolate-like flavour. It has the size of a tomato and a dark green color on the outside and brown meat. It has a sweet taste and offers plenty of valuable nutrients, that is, vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.
Thanks to its rich and dark brown meat, it is often referred to as the chocolate pudding fruit. Because of its sweet taste, this type of sapote is an excellent dessert fruit.
Similarly to avocados, black sapote is best when bought under-ripe and left to ripe fully at home.
So, the next time you are heading to a trip in Mexico, make sure you buy this delicious fruit if you are able to. People living in Florida can also enjoy it in the months of December, January, and February.
The Health Advantages of Black Sapote
- Abundant in vitamins A and C, potassium, and protein
- It is low in fat and can protect from strokes and heart attacks
- It speeds up the healing of wounds and better the non-heme iron absorption
- It helps keep the collagen and connective tissues in the body
Sources: