List of Fruits that Start with A

Mother Nature has blessed us with more fruits than we can name and think of. It is quite easy to name apple and apricot when you’re naming fruits that start with A, but how many other A-named fruits do you know about? With the wide variety and range of fruits all across the world, it is quite hard to be able to name them all. In fact, most of us only know a few fruits out of thousands of fruits of the world. A major reason for this is different regions offer ideal growing conditions. So even if you’re well-versed in the local fruits that grow in the region, there are plenty of exotic fruits to be seen.

Contents show

Photo Credit

Fruits that start with A

1. Abiu

Photo Credit

Abiu is a fruit that is commonly found in countries like Peru, Brazil, or Colombia as it is native to South America. While it mainly grows in the Amazon, people in Hawaii have recently started to grow this fruit as well. This is possible due to the wet and warm tropical climate of Hawaii, which is important for Abiu fruit to thrive.

There is a reason we have added Abiu to our list of fruits that start with A; Abiu is a fruit very similar to the commonly-known fruit peach. It is oval in shape and has a pointy red end that turns yellow when ripe.

People claim that the Abiu fruit has slight hints of the taste of salted caramel. However, you must always eat this fruit by cutting it in half and consuming only the soft fleshy part inside. While it may look similar to peach, the Abiu peel is not very edible and contains a gummy sap.

2. Acai

Photo Credit

How can we miss out on Acai when talking about fruits that start with the letter A? After all, this fruit is quite popular and trendy these days. You are likely to find it in acai bowls or acai juice in any nearby restaurant.

Acai fruit comes from various Central and South American countries as the plant thrives in flood plains. An interesting thing about this fruit is that it’s called a ‘superfood.’ That’s because it’s cultivated for its edible palms as well as the fruit.

The berries are used in desserts and smoothies all around the world, while people of Central and South America eat Acai palms as a vegetable as well. Acai berries are the easiest-to-recognize fruits that start with A as they resemble grapes with a purple or dark green color.

3. Acerola Cherry

Acerola cherry - fruits that start with A

Photo Credit

Just like Acai, Acerola Cherries are native to South American countries such as Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as some Central American countries. Brazil also began cultivating this fruit shortly after World War 2. This is because the Acerola Cherries have the highest concentration of vitamin C among all fruits that start with A or any other letter. Therefore, it was a crucial step for Brazil to increase vitamin C concentrations in local produce.

Eaten locally in areas where they grow, these cherries taste slightly astringent. However, they are available in the form of frozen or dried fruit in regions that can’t grow Acerola Cherrie. Not to forget, the fruit is also often sold in the form of concentrated supplements due to its nutritional benefits. However, it’s important to be careful as over-consumption of this fruit can lead to health problems such as digestive issues.

Acerola cherries look a lot like normal cherries in terms of the lovely red color, but their shape is similar to those of bell peppers.

4. African Breadfruit

Photo Credit

African Breadfruit is an interesting fruit name to add to your list of fruits that start with A. Why? Well, the name is a combination of the words ‘bread’ and fruit’ when it actually does not look or taste like bread at all.

Breadfruit or Ukwa is a tropical food that is especially popular in Nigeria. The fruit is often cooked with fish or crayfish, and the seeds of this fruit are extremely nutritious as well.

They have a high nutritional value as they’re rich in carbohydrates, healthy oils, and protein. This explains why people enjoy eating breadfruit seeds as a way to gain nutritional benefits. Not to mention, commercial producers also grind the seeds to get flour or press them to produce seed oil.

African breadfruit bears similarities with fruits like figs, mulberries, jackfruit, and breadnuts. It’s green in color and round in shape with raised bumps all over the flesh.

5. Akebia

Photo Credit

Most commonly, you can find the Akebia fruit in Asian regions. These fruits were originally wild plants that foragers consumed seasonally. However, Akebias have more recently evolved and are now cultivated as a specialty crop.

Akebia is an interesting one among all fruits that start with A. This is because of its unique taste and pretty appearance that captivates everyone’s attention. Not to mention, the Akebi plant produces a variety of fruit, so the flavor and taste may also vary. These fruits have an oblong shape that is similar to that of eggplant with soft purplish colored skin.

Once the fruit is ripe, the thick skin or rind on an Akebia fruit splits open, revealing the inner lighter flesh and seeds. The fruit flesh can be eaten raw or cooked. Its seeds are covered in jelly-like flesh that has a mildly sweet taste. While they are safe to eat, a lot of people choose to spit them out like those of watermelon.

6. Almond

Photo Credit

We believe that almonds should come as a surprise to you when you find it among a list of fruits that start with A. Why? The Almond is usually seen as a nut. However, it is more of a fruit than a true tree nut. Almonds are grown from very ancient times in the Mediterranean regions, North Africa and Southern Europe. And while it is not a true tree nut, it does have similar nutritional properties and people may have strong allergic reactions to this fruit.

Almond seeds serve as ingredients for many food recipes as well as in confectionery desserts. Most people like to eat almond seeds as a nutritional snack. However, some Middle-Eastern cultures prefer eating whole almond fruits before it hardens and is still unripe. The fruit is a little sour so it is dipped in salt to counteract the sour taste.

On the other hand, almonds are also extracted into the water to make almond milk that can be used as non-dairy milk. Meanwhile, some people also grind the fruit into flour that can be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour to make cakes, cookies, or other foods.

7. Amara

Photo Credit

If you are looking for rare fruits that start with A, make sure you add Amara to the list. Amara is a rather uncommon fruit that grows in the West Indies and other Tropical American and Asian parts. It also goes by other names such as Hog Plum or Spondias Mombin. The evergreen trees of this fruit grow in conditions with high-intensity light but only live for a short period of time.

The Amara fruit is widely used due to its high oil content that the flesh, as well as the seeds, is enriched with. The juice from this food is used for various purposes and recipes. For instance, you can use it to prepare healthy beverages, serve as a concentrate, or even be used to add flavor to desserts like sorbet.

While you can brew the fruit in a cup of tea, people in Thailand use the young leaves of this fruit as a spice with chili powder.

8. Apple

Photo Credit

Did you think we’d have a list of fruits that start with A without Apple? While Apples are extremely common all across the world today, they originated thousands of years ago in Central Asia. Now, this fruit is grown and cultivated throughout Asia, Europe, America, and other regions of the planet.

Apples are quite a versatile fruit option as they can be eaten raw, cooked, or processed into sauces, jams, ciders, and juices. This fruit is a huge part of cultural dishes while it is also used to flavor savory foods, desserts, and confections. You can eat both the flesh and skin of this fruit. However, apple seeds are not edible or safe to ingest as they contain small amounts of toxins.

9. Apricot

Photo Credit

Apricot is another popular fruit that starts with A. These are small peach-like fruits from the prune family that grow on small-sized trees. Apricots are rich in vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and other phytochemicals healthy for the human body. Not to forget, they get their orange hue from beta-carotene.

They have been cultivated by Armenians since ancient times while other ancient cultures such as the Egyptians also cultivated different varieties of apricot. They are a big part of Middle Eastern, Asian, Jewish, and North African cuisines. Moreover, the Chinese also use this fruit in medicine.

Bottom Line

There are numerous different kinds of fruits that are spread across numerous regions. So, it can be hard to know about each one of them. However, you can still incorporate a wide range of rare and common fruits when you make a list of fruits that start with A.

What other fruits that start with A do you know? Share it with us in the comment section. Also, check out our other articles:

28 Food Items that Starts with the Letter A – Eating Richly

30 Foods that Starts with the Letter B to Cook with Love

28 Foods that Start with the Letter C – Sweet and Savory Treat

Author
Recent Posts

Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!