 The tall, tropical coconut palm tree is unusual in that it is so tolerant of salty, sandy soils that it grows right at the beach. This location, coupled with the fact that the fruit's buoyant, protective covering is impervious even to saltwater, has allowed edible coconuts, bobbing along the Gulf Stream, to float as far as Norway.
Unlike other transplanted foods dispersed by colonists and traders, self-sufficient coconuts set sail on their own and planted themselves throughout the tropics. All parts of the coconut plant are used; the fronds for roofing material; the nut's hairy outer fiber for matting, ropes, and clothing; and, of course, the nutmeat as an important food and oil source. Although the coconut is popularly considered a nut--and is an exceptional source of lipids--it is technically a fruit.
Health Benefits: Coconut helps the heart but is not recommended for people with high cholesterol because it contains 60 percent fat and, unlike almost all other plant foods, that fat is primarily saturated fat. Coconut milk quenches thirst and is used in the treatment of diabetes, edema, and for clearing summer heat.
Use: White coconut meat is a popular ingredient. Toasting it caramelizes sugars on the surface, turning the coconut golden and enhancing its flavor and aroma. Use it with chocolate, fruit desserts, chutney, cakes, cookies, puddings, pies, and confections. Coconut is also excellent with curries and vegetable, fish, and grain dishes. While it is often coupled with highly flavorful (spicy or sweet) dishes, a little coconut added to a pot of millet or oatmeal elevates an otherwise basic staple. Shredded or flaked, coconut is a common ingredient in trail mixes.
 A kiwi looks like a furry brown egg, with a sweet but acid-tasting, brilliant green flesh. Tiny edible black seeds surround a creamy yellow center.
Health Benefits: According to a nutritional analysis made buy the Rutgers University Food Science Department, kiwis are the most nutrient-dense of our common fruits. They have nearly twice the vitamin C of oranges, are a significant magnesium source, and are higher than bananas and oranges in potassium. At 45 calories per fruit, kiwis are a low-calorie food.
Use: Kiwis are eaten out of hand – peeled or unpeeled. They can also be served juiced on ice cream, and in fruit salads.
Buying: Look for firm, plump, unwrinkled fruit. Some kiwis appear to have “water-stains” on their skin; this is normal. Allow to ripen by leaving at room temperature for a few days or until the fruit feels like a ripe pear and gives to gentle pressure. A kiwi will also ripen gradually if it is refrigerated for several weeks.
 Sensuously sticky and lush, the mango is one of the most popular tropical fruits, after the banana and the coconut. It is a cashew relative and grows on an evergreen tree. The mango has a smooth, leathery skin colored green, yellow, or red. Mangos are generally round to oval and vary in weight from six ounces to one and a half pounds. The juicy orange-colored flesh clings to a large, flat stone.
Health Benefits: This delectable fruit is a superior source of vitamins A and C and provides a good source of potassium. It is moderately high in calories.
Use: Mangos should be firm, plump, and fresh looking and have a pleasant, spicy aroma at the stem end. If there is no scent, the fruit will be flavorless. Ripen at room temperature in a brown bag until the fruit yields slightly to pressure, like a ripe avocado. As the mango ripens, the skin intensifies (green skinned mangos excepted). Once ripe, a mango may be refrigerated for several days.
What Mangos and Poison Ivy have in common
Four botanical relatives - mangos, poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac - all contain urushiol. For people with allergies, this toxic resin can cause contact dermatitis or blistering skin. The peel and juice of a mango seem to be more of a problem than the flesh-especially immature fruits. Eating mangoes to excess may cause itching or skin eruptions.
 The Ataulfo variety is prized for its wonderfully creamy texture and is considered the "champagne" of all mangoes. It contains less of the string-like fiber found in most other varieties and has a pleasantly sweet flavor with a hint of tartness when ripe. Simply chill, cut and serve for a refreshing way of finishing off a meal.
 Perhaps the best tasting mango available! Grown exclusively in Haiti, the Franscique mango has bright orange flesh with an irresistible tropical aroma and flavor...
 A native of Central America, the papaya tree, which is similar to a palm tree, bears pendulous fruits weighing from one to twenty pounds. Columbus called it a melon tree, and this fruit is indeed melon like in shape, and taste. Papayas have a dense, silky texture and a mild, refreshing taste. It lush pink-to-orange flesh contains many black seeds in a central cavity; the seeds look like oversize caviar and have culinary and medicinal properties.
Health Benefits: Papayas are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E, and are rich in calcium, iron, potassium, and phosphorus. They are low in calories and, when ripe, contain about 8 percent sugar.
Use: Green, immature papayas are used throughout the tropics as a squash like vegetable. A ripe papaya with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to heighten its flavor is delicious in fruit salads, kabobs, and frozen desserts. Do not use raw papaya in a gelatin or agar dish, since papain prevents gelling. Cooking, however, deactivates the enzyme. The peppery papaya seeds make a tasty salad dressing ingredient. Puree the seeds in a blender and add oil, vinegar, and your choice of seasoning.
Buying: Although some varieties remain green when ripe, the skin of most papayas turns yellow or orange. A ripe papaya, like an avocado, is slightly soft to the touch. If green, it will ripen at room temperature. Once it has ripened, refrigerate it.
Papaya Neutralizes Mosquito Bites
A home remedy to reduce mosquito bite irritation is to rub the bite with a piece of green papaya, its seeds, or a meat tenderizer made of papain. The papain digests or breaks down the irritating proteins injected by the insect. If you have allergic reactions to insect venom, do not use this kitchen remedy.
from Rebecca Wood's The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia |
