Colombia's fruit diversity < >
There are countless fruits in all shapes, sizes, flavours and colours. Like green, red, yellow or the one that gives it its name: Naranja (orange), Mora (blackberry) or mandarin. Some of them, such as the Granadilla, also known to us in Europe, show wonderful flowers from which the wonderful fruits grow. The granadilla belongs to the genus of passion fruits.
As a varied and tasteful offer, one finds it in the displays of the supermarkets, in big or small Tiendas de frutas or on market places.
Often piled up on antique-looking wooden carts, offered for sale by flying traders. Some of the fruits are also displayed properly, in special fruit bowls on the heads of the folkloristically dressed fruit sellers of the Caribbean or the Palenqueras. They are also served as juicy fruit salads in the so-called "bolsitas de frutas" or as delicious tasting fruit juice drinks. In nature they can be found in green and ripe condition on trees and fertile fields.
The fruits of Colombia are another delicious way to get to know the sweetness of the country. This includes:
Anon, Agraz, Araza, Uva Isabella, Guanabana, Guayaba, Chirimoya, bananas in many varieties, as well as Platano, Brevas, Borojo, Mangostino, Mamoncillo, cocoa, Amazon Guave, Guama, Papaya, Lúlo, Piña Manzana, Limon, Tomate de Arbol, Carambolo, Coconut, Lime, Chirimoya, Curuba, Ciruela, Noni, Nispero, Uchuva, Zapote, Toronja and many others.
The variety of exotic fruits is due to the different climatic conditions of the country:
From tropical hot to temperate warm to high mountain cold. Some even thrive in different climates at the same time.
You don't necessarily have to go to the fields to find them. The result of the country's fruit production can already be seen on the main roads. Especially in the warm and hot climate zones, you will find inviting fruit stands along the roadsides, which decorate the landscape and present the year-round generosity of the fertile soil.
Sweet flavours and inspiration
The fruits are considered a special feature of Colombia: a colourful, cheerful and tasty country. They are the source of proteins, vitamins, water and minerals, but also the source of inspiration for poets and singers who compare the love and sensuality of women with the sweetness and juiciness of fruit in Metafern.
It is not only here that Colombia surprises with its inexhaustible inventiveness in the use of these agricultural products. New fruit varieties are also cultivated by crossing them with others, such as Gulupa (a member of the passion fruit family) or Guayaba pera (a cross between pear and guava).
The fruits as symbols of the respective regions of Colombia
Every Colombian region identifies itself with the product that thrives in its fields. In the same way that the visitor gets to know the different regional customs, the tasting of their very own fruits is also part of it.
Fruits in the coffee zone
An example is the visit to the Cerritos rest stops near the town of Pereira (coffee triangle), where one cannot resist the temptation to taste the delicious pineapple grown there. It is considered a speciality and one of the best in Colombia in its sweetness and taste. One of the juiciest oranges is the Tangelo. A large Tangelo produces up to 1 glass of orange juice and sometimes weighs over 600 grams. Bananas, Platanos in different varieties enrich the offer.
Fruits in the Caribbean
In the Caribbean region and mainly on its beaches, everything revolves around coconuts: the nut itself, the coconut water and the many recipes that are prepared with it. These include the traditional cocadas, flat cakes made from shredded coconut, which are refined with brown raw sugar syrup and partly with additional fruit.
Thanks to the abundance of the harvest and the need to create new forms of gastronomy, in many parts of the country the fruits are not only peeled and eaten raw or drunk as juices, but also in many forms further processed into compotes, aperitifs, desserts, jellies and in combination with other ingredients.
Fruits as a contribution to health and beauty
A fruit cure uses the healing effects of the vitamins and minerals of the fruits in the treatment of various ailments.
In Colombia it is very easy to test the positive effects of the fruit, as it can be harvested all year round. On the trees, bushes etc. they thrive in abundance and you can find their deliciousness in every corner of the country.
Fruits are not only rich in nutrients, but also contribute to the discovery of new uses as a remedy for some ailments and diseases. See the healing and positive effects of Aloa-Vera, avocado, guava, pitaya (dragon fruit), grandadilla, physalis, chontaduro, etc. to name but a few.
If you often eat fruits, you feel good inside, but they are also used as a cosmetic base for shampoos, creams and face masks, which improve the appearance and revive hair, skin, eyes and nails. There is nothing they are not useful for.
Delicious food, refreshing juices and cocktails, healthy living: these are the synonyms with which one equates the fruits that thrive in Colombia. And it is very easy to test the positive effects of the fruits because they can be harvested all year round.
Try these delicious exotic fruits for yourself! Even better, come with us on our Jeeptour Ruta de las Frutas!
