The cherimoya is one of my top five FAVORITE fruits!!! I love it so much, I made it a part of my Shari Likes Fruit logo and apparel!
Thankfully, I found the incredible cherimoya during my high fruit, early days of raw vegan life! What an absolute BLESSING.
And of course, regardless of the diet you follow, you will LOVE cherimoyas, sugar apples, and custard apples! So this article is for YOU.
They all smell like heaven.
And cherimoyas taste like a tropical combination of pear, banana, and jackfruit – just pure sweetness.
Note for trivia fans: “Annona cherimola” is the scientific name for the cherimoya fruit.
Cherimoyas are also called “the ice cream fruit” because they have a creamy texture and sweet flavor.
Depending on the size and type of cherimoya (and the size of the skin indentations), there are many seeds, but they’re chunky enough seeds that they’re easy to navigate within the flesh – and spit out!
You can’t eat the seeds OR the skin on a cherimoya like you can with other fruits.
Health Benefits of Cherimoyas
- Rich in lutein, an antioxidant that has proven benefits for eye health, protecting against cataracts and macular degeneration.
- High amounts of potassium and magnesium help naturally reduce elevated blood pressure. Magnesium also helps with muscle relaxation and digestion.
- Cherimoyas also have a decent amount of B6, which helps with high blood pressure. B6 also has benefits for blood vessel health, memory, and mood.
- They are high in vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system!
How to Tell if a Cherimoya is Ripe
But how can you tell if your cherimoya is ripe and ready to enjoy? Here are a few tips from yours truly:
- Give it a gentle squeeze. If it gives a little, it’s ready to go! If it’s hard, it needs a bit more time to ripen.
- Check out the stem. As the cherimoya ripens, the skin around the stem will crack open a bit.
- Take a peek at the color. A bright green cherimoya is probably still unripe. As it ripens, the green will soften and start to turn brownish.
You can’t eat cherimoyas when they’re green and hard. You have to wait until they’re softer to the touch, similar to an avocado.
But it’s definitely worth the wait!!
Facts about the Cherimoya
Cherimoyas are considered a tropical fruit and cost more than store-bought fruits like apples, bananas, and melons.
They have a more limited selection than most fruits. I’ve found them growing in Southern California, where I used to live. And they grow in South America. Since they have limited ability and seasons, that increases their cost.
Their growing season is shorter than most. And they’re harvested from late winter to early spring. And if they’re not in season, good luck finding them in stores! Again, that leads to higher prices.
They’re also more delicate than other fruit, especially once they’re starting to ripen. So they have to be handled more carefully during transport (similar to the ripening and delicate nature of white sapote).
So as an imported fruit, that would drive up the cost too. Way more care is required to get them into other countries.
Thankfully, they’re growing in popularity so they’re trying to make them more available to the masses. They have a unique, tropical flavor and tons of health benefits.
But higher demand will mean higher prices, too. I don’t expect them to ever be as affordable as mainstream fruit. But once a year be sure to treat yourself, at least!
Custard Apples – a Fruit Fit for the Gods (and You!)
According to folklore, Zeus himself ate custard apples!
The photo by Muhamad Farihin via Unsplash is a “Fresh sugar apple or custard apple growing almost ripe on a tree in the back garden in Indonesia.”
A Treasure in Disguise
It has a bumpy green skin and might deter some of you. But once you peel it, there’s a creamy, delicious fruit flesh inside that is well worth the effort!
A Flavorful Fiesta
Once you taste it, you’ll realize why it’s so desired within the raw vegan community. I’ve only had one frozen from an Asian market so far, but I’ll get a fresh one before I die, that’s for sure!
Like the cherimoya, it has hints of banana, pineapple, and pear all rolled up into one fabulous flavor!
More Than Just a Fruit
Custard apples are a fun snack for kids, too – as long as they don’t eat the seeds. They’re a sweet alternative to processed foods, and they have all the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants a growing body needs!
Whether enjoyed on their own, blended into smoothies (once the seeds are removed), or incorporated into vibrant fruit salads, cherimoyas, and sugar apples, bring a burst of tropical goodness to your raw vegan diet, inviting us to savor nature’s bountiful treasures with each delectable bite.
Sugar Apples
Sometimes called Sweet Sop, Sugar apples come from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
They Look Kinda Like an Artichoke
With its bumpy green or yellow-green skin, the sugar apple might remind you of a tiny, knobby artichoke. It’s part of the fun! Cuz once you’re inside that weird exterior, you have the sweetest, creamiest treat you can imagine!
Packed with Goodness
It is delicious, low-calorie, and low-fat. It contains vitamins C, and B6, plus minerals like potassium and magnesium. Will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth!
A Healthy Hero
Thanks to its antioxidants, the sugar apple may help with digestion, boost your immune system, and even reduce the risk of chronic diseases. But you can’t say that online, so I’ll just hint at it. 😉
A Cultural Icon
Where sugar apples are well known and loved, they’re used in desserts, juices, jams, and smoothies. Some cultures use them in festivals and other celebrations! Cuz they know what’s up!
Tropical Homebody
These sun-loving fruits thrive in warm, tropical climates with sunshine and well-drained soil. They’re sensitive to the cold, so you’ll mostly find them growing in tropical or subtropical regions.
Easy to Grow
You can even grow your sugar apples if lucky enough to live in a tropical area! They’re relatively easy to cultivate from seeds or by grafting. So why not add a touch of the tropics to your backyard?
Soursop
Sometimes called Guanabana, Soursop are native to the Caribbean and tropical regions of the Americas.
Soursop has spikier green skin and is larger than its relatives. It smells similar to a pineapple and tastes like a combination of strawberries and apple with a hint of citrus – all packed in a sweet, creamy texture not unlike a banana!
Nutritious Goodness
Soursop is delicious, low-calorie, very low fat and will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth! It is high in vitamin C and rich in other nutrients and antioxidants. One whole soursop also provides almost the recommended daily allowance of fiver, which aids digestive health.
A Culinary Delight
Like sugar apples, the soursop is often used in desserts, fresh fruit juices, and ice cream. The seeds are often left in during preparation, and then removed during consumption.
Download/view the full screen Comparison Chart here
Cherimoyas are just one of the many fruits I cover in my Pocket Guide to Choosing and Storing Fruits and Vegetables, where I share tips on how to pick, store, and enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables. Whether you’re a seasoned fruit lover or just starting to explore exotic produce, this guide is for you!
Custard Apples vs. Cherimoyas vs. Sugar Apples
Sugar and custard apples are often used interchangeably, but technically, they’re not the same.
They’re like cousins in the same fruit family (called “Annonaceae”).
The sugar apple is the one we just talked about – it’s got that bumpy, artichoke-like look and a super sweet, creamy flesh.
The custard apple can refer to a few fruits in the same family, including the sugar apple. But sometimes, it refers explicitly to the cherimoya, which has a smoother, heart-shaped appearance and a slightly tangy flavor along with the sweetness.
So some people use their names interchangeably, but they do have subtle differences. They’re all delicious – they’re all healthy – and they’re all part of a healthy plant-based diet. The only thing to remember? Eat them if you find them!
I’m originally from California and, in sunny SoCal, Cherimoya season runs from November through January.
Custard Apple vs. Sugar Apple
Sugar apples (Annona squamosa) and custard apples (Annona reticulata) are tropical fruits from the Annonaceae family, often confused due to their similar names and characteristics. However, they have distinct differences in appearance, taste, nutritional content, and cultivation.
Appearance
- Custard Apple: Known as bullock’s heart, the custard apple has smoother, thinner skin compared to the sugar apple, with a pattern reminiscent of reptile scales. Its flesh is also white and creamy but has a custard-like consistency, with seeds embedded throughout.
- Sugar Apple: Also known as sweetsop, the sugar apple has a round or heart-shaped form with bumpy, green skin that resembles an artichoke. The flesh is white, creamy, and divided into segments, each containing a hard, black seed.
Taste
- Custard Apple: It offers a milder sweetness with a custard-like texture, featuring hints of vanilla and a creamy mouthfeel.
- Sugar Apple: The flavor is intensely sweet, often compared to a blend of vanilla, pineapple, and strawberry, with a slightly grainy texture.
Nutritional Content
Both fruits are very sweet, delicious, and nutritious, providing vitamins and minerals beneficial to health. Here’s a comparison per 100 grams:
Custard Apple:
- Calories: Approximately 56 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g
- Vitamin C: 21% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
- Potassium: Higher than sugar apple
- Copper: Higher than sugar apple
- Thiamin (B1): Higher than sugar apple
- Riboflavin (B2): Higher than sugar apple
- Niacin (B3): Higher than sugar apple
- Vitamin B6: Lower than sugar apple
- Manganese: Lower than sugar apple
Sugar Apple:
- Calories: Approximately 94 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 23.64 g
- Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g
- Vitamin C: 36.3 mg
- Potassium: 247 mg
- Magnesium: 18 mg
- Iron: 0.6 mg
- Calcium: 24 mg
- Phosphorus: 32 mg
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.11 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.113 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.883 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg
- Folate: 14 mcg
- Vitamin A: 3 mcg
- Vitamin E: 0.27 mg
- Vitamin K: 0.5 mcg
Both fruits are rich in antioxidants, particularly polyphenols like flavonoids and terpenoids, which help reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases.
Cultivation and Seasonality
- Custard Apple: Also suited for warm climates, it thrives in temperatures ranging from 68°F to 95°F (20°C to 35°C). The tree prefers well-drained soils and can grow up to 20 feet tall. In tropical areas of Africa and Asia, such as India, custard apples bear fruit from March through June.
- Sugar Apple: Thrives in warm climates with temperatures between 68°F and 86°F (20°C to 30°C). It prefers well-drained sandy or loamy soils and requires regular watering. The tree can grow up to 20 feet tall. In regions like South and Central America, sugar apples are typically harvested from April through August, peaking in June.
Culinary Uses
Both fruits are versatile in the kitchen:
- Custard Apple: Commonly consumed fresh, but its creamy texture makes it ideal for custards, mousses, and milkshakes. It’s also used in baking and pairs well with other tropical fruits.
- Sugar Apple: Often eaten fresh by scooping out the flesh, especially if you’re a raw vegan! It’s also used in smoothies, ice creams, and desserts. In some cultures, it’s incorporated into beverages and sweets.
Health Benefits
As mentioned above, both fruits offer several health benefits:
- Antioxidant Properties: They help inhibit the formation of free radicals that promote tumor cells in the body.
- Immunity Boosting: The vitamin C present in both fruits helps boost immunity and fight against diseases.
Cherimoyas vs. Sugar Apples
Cherimoya and sugar apples are delicious tropical fruits with similar characteristics but some subtle differences.
Cherimoya, sometimes called a “custard apple,”- have a taste combination of pineapple, banana, and strawberry. It has a green, scaly skin and soft, sweet flesh with large black seeds.
Sugar apple, conversely, is also called “sweetsop” or “sugar pineapple.” It has a knobby green skin known for its sweet, custard-like flesh with a flavor reminiscent of vanilla and apple. It contains black seeds embedded within the soft flesh.
While both fruits are delectable and share some flavor similarities, cherimoya tends to have a more complex taste profile, while sugar apple has a distinctive sweet and creamy flavor.
They’re both delicious. I say if you can find either, buy one and try it out for yourself!
My favorite is CHERIMOYA, but they’re both fantastic – and you should try them both. RIPE in this lifetime.
The Beauty of Fruit
Love learning about fruits like cherimoyas? Don’t miss my Produce Pocket Guide—your ultimate companion for choosing and storing fruits and veggies. Available as an instant download on ETSY and as Kindle and paperback on Amazon.
I hope you try as many fruits as possible as long as you’re alive. They provide energy, nutrition, fiber, and extra joy in your life. And if you’ve tried any of the fruits above, please let me know your favorite!
