Jamaican Star Apple Fruit

The Jamaican star apple fruit, known as the “meanest fruit” in Jamaica, comes from the Chrysophyllum cainito tree and gets its name from the star-like shape in the middle of the fruit when it’s cut open. But how do we eat it, and what does it taste like?

Star apple, not to be confused with star fruit, is round, oblate, and medium-sized with glossy skin. The thick skin can be a deep dark purple or green colour depending on the type you get.

Being a tropical fruit, the start apple only grow in hot climate and is said to be a native of the West Indies and central America. The star apple tree can grow up to 70 feet or more. The tree usually start bearing fruit only after 5-6 years.

But once the tree is mature enough to produce fruit, the start apple tree bear in season between March to June.

There are two types of the Jamaican fruit start apple; one with a dark purple skin and the other has a green skin – even when ripe. The pulp of the dark purple variety is white with lavender peripheral and the green skin fruit has an all white pulp.

In Jamaica, if someone is being referred to as a “star apple” know that this person is tight and do not like to share because the start apple fruit would rather stay on the tree, shrivel and dry up instead of fallen to the ground and be eaten.

Star apple season in Jamaica

Star apple season in Jamaica runs from March to June. During this time, you can buy fresh star apples at local markets. The fruit is fairly abundant, but star apple trees are a rarer find than guinep, june plum, or mango trees, which you can find in just about every Jamaican backyard. Though uncommon, the star apple tree is a prolific fruit bearer.

What do Jamaican star apples taste like

Star apples are not very sweet. The sweet taste is usually mild and subtle, though you can sometimes find a purple star apple that is very sweet. Of the two types, the purple star apple is the sweetest. The green star apple can sometimes be so mild that it is almost tasteless.

How to eat star apple

Like most fruits, Jamaicans eat star apples straight from the tree- the best way to eat them, in my opinion. Pick the star apple from the tree (because it will never fall), then burst or cut it open and eat the creamy, jelly-like flesh. The star apple’s thick rind contains latex that makes your lips and the area around your mouth very sticky if you eat the flesh straight from the fruit. Some Jamaicans rub coconut oil on their lips before eating the star apple to keep the latex from making their lips sticky. Also use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin to avoid the latex. The star apple skin, rind and seeds are not edible.

Nutritional values and benefits of star apple

Health benefits of star apple include:

Antioxidants

Research suggests that star apples are high in antioxidants because they contain vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. Vitamin C and other antioxidants, such as polyphenols, neutralise free radicals, reduce inflammation, and help boost the immune system. Alkaloids in star apples that also act as antioxidants can help control blood sugar levels and work similarly to hypertension drugs to manage blood pressure.

Gut Health

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