Curious what Sugar Apples are, what they taste like, where to find them? This post will go over everything you need to know about what Sugar Apples are.
What are Sugar Apples
Despite the name, Sugar Apples or sweetsops actually do not belong to the same family genus (Malus domestica) as traditional apples. The Sugar Apple belongs to the Annona squamosa genus, which is a small bushy shrub and bears the fruit.
They are small round almost heart shaped fruit with tough greenish / yellow skin. They are about the size of a larger baseball. The inside of the apple is white creamy flesh, and dark black seeds.
Can you eat Sugar Apples
Sugar apples are indeed edible, the fruit can be eaten with a spoon by scraping out the creamy flesh. You can eat these fruits similar to a Loquat, that is you will eat the flesh around the seeds and spit them out.
However since the apple is not a part of the apple family the seeds are not edible. The seeds are in fact poisonous along with the leaves and bark. Conversely, regular apple seeds are edible along with their core.
Where can you find these Apples
Sugar Apples are native to tropical climates, and can be found grown in South America, West Indies, Jamaica, and Australia. Basically any tropical region this apple can grow there.
They are widely produced and available in most super markets such as Sprouts, Walmart, Trader Joe’s etc. You can also find these fruits online via sites such as Etsy but the price online is much more expensive compared to a supermarket.
They are available mid-summer to fall, keep an eye out in your super market during those seasons. Most places will sell these fruits for around $2.00/lb of course price will vary based on location and seasonality.
What do Sugar Apples Taste like
Sugar apples come in many names such as sweetsops or custard-apples. With the name custard-apple it makes sense they will have a custard flavor when eaten. In addition, you will notice hints of mint when eating this fruit raw. The texture is creamy and juice which makes these quite the enjoyable snack.
They can also be used in smoothies, shakes, jelly sundaes, and created into a sweet sauce. Just make sure to separate out the seeds when preparing a dish with these awesome fruits!
Thanks for reading and let me know how you enjoy these fruits!