Fruit is not only a delightful addition to breakfast, a snack or dessert but also a powerhouse of vitamins, fibre and other nutrients that are generally beneficial for our health. But have you ever pondered which fruit could be the healthiest of them all?
You might think of oranges with their vitamin C punch, or pomegranates lauded for their antioxidants and anti-inflammatory prowess. Yet there’s one fruit that might not immediately spring to mind but has clinched the top spot on a BBC list as the “world’s most nutritious foods” boasting a “nutritional score” of 96 out of 100. It’s the highest-ranking fruit on the list and is second overall, surpassed only by almonds, which score 97.
This fruit is praised for being “rich in sugar and vitamins A, C, B1, B2 and potassium”, reports Surrey Live.
Robbie Sigona, a vendor who sells this fruit, refers to them as “a real treat, kind of custard-like in texture” and likens the taste to “a banana meets a pineapple”. He insists: “It’s a real treat that you have to try.”
The fruit in question is the cherimoya, also known as the “custard apple” due to its creamy consistency. Externally, it presents as a green, cone-shaped fruit with a tough skin, while internally it offers a creamy, sweet pulp that can be scooped out with a spoon and is sometimes savoured chilled, akin to a refreshing cold custard.
Healthline highlights that the cherimoya fruit is “loaded with antioxidants” and “rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals”, suggesting that it may bolster immunity, reduce inflammation, and promote eye and heart health. However, it also warns that “certain parts of cherimoya contain toxins that may damage your nervous system if consumed in high amounts”. Antioxidants are known to combat free radicals in the body, which can trigger inflammation linked to chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.
Cherimoya is also a valuable source of vitamin B6, which can enhance your mood. It’s also rich in fibre, beneficial for digestion and gut health. Interestingly, it even possesses anti-cancer properties due to its flavonoid content, “which have been shown to stop the growth of cancer cells in test-tube studies”, as per Healthline.
