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What to eat & drink in South America? Top 24 South American Fruits (Types and Products)

Last update: Wed Feb 19 2025
Top 24 South American Fruits (Types and Products)
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best South American Fruits (types and products) Types

01

Berries

MINAS GERAIS, Brazil and  2 more regions
4.5
Jabuticaba
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Jabuticaba are traditional Brazilian berries native to the states of Minas Gerais, Goiás, and São Paolo. The berries are dark purple in color with a thick skin and they grow on tree trunks. Jabuticaba berries have a very short shelf life and begin to ferment 3 to 4 days after being picked, and the jabuticaba tree takes between 6 and 8 years to ear fruit, which is why these berries are so prized.


They also contain antioxidants, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins C and E. The flavors are a combination of sweet and acidic. People usually enjoy them fresh and eaten out of hand, but the berries are also often made into jellies, juices, and jams.

02

Tropical Fruit

COLOMBIA and  one more region
4.5
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Naranjilla or lulo (lat. Solanum quitoense) is a tropical fruit native to the Andes mountains in South America, particularly found in countries like Ecuador and Colombia.


The name "naranjilla" translates to "little orange" in Spanish, a nod to its appearance, although it is not closely related to oranges or other citrus fruits. Instead, it belongs to the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. 
03

Wine Variety

MENDOZA PROVINCE, Argentina
4.4
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Malbec originally comes from southwest France, but recently it has become one of the most important grape varieties in Argentina, where it developed an entirely different flavor profile. Due to the unique geographic and climatic features, Argentinian Malbec usually displays fruity notes of cherries, strawberries, or plums that are complemented by soft and velvety tannins.


When aged in oak, the wine usually develops chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, or cocoa nuances. Argentinian Malbec is best paired with grilled or roasted beef, especially leaner cuts such as skirt steak, but it can also work well with pork or poultry.

THE BEST Malbec Argentina Wine Varieties
1 Malbec Argentino 2017
Catena Zapata
Malbec Argentino 2017

5.0

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Vivino - 4.7

04
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The açaí palm is a palm tree cultivated for hearts of palm and for its fruit, known as the açaí berry. The berries are highly sought after due to their supposed medicinal properties, and they are often classified by producers as a type of "superfood." They are a dark purple in color, resembling large blueberries.


In the Amazon region, where they have been a staple food for centuries, açaí berries are consumed beaten into a pulp. The flavor is described as a combination of chocolate and berries. As the raw fruit must be processed within 24 hours of harvesting, the berries have only recently gained worldwide popularity due to modern technology and transport. 
05

Tropical Fruit

PERU and  3 more regions
4.2
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Lúcuma is a fruit native to the Andean region of South America, most notably valleys of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador. It is characterized by a high nutritional value, as it is full of calcium, protein, iron, zinc, and beta-carotene. Its flavor is best described as slightly sweet and similar to maple, making it an ideal ingredient for baked desserts and ice cream.


Originally, lúcuma was called gold of the Incas and was viewed as a symbol of fertility. Today, it can be found in most regional markets from January to April.

06

Tropical Fruit

MISIONES PROVINCE, Argentina
4.0
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Native to tropical America, from where it has spread to other tropical parts of the world, guava (Psidium guajava) is a fruit-bearing tree or bush that has long been harvested by the local indigenous people living in Argentina, especially in the northwestern province of Misiones.


The fruit is distinguished by a sweet and somewhat granular flesh which represents a great source of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. It can be consumed in a variety of ways - fresh, in salads or as a dessert, canned, or in the form of jellies, jams, or juices. 
07

Berries

AMAZONAS, Brazil
4.0
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Guarana is a plant that is cultivated throughout northern parts of Brazil and Venezuela, countries that are often praised for their berries. The name of the plant comes from the Guarani tribe that lives in Brazil. The tribe believes that guarana has magical properties and that it is a cure for many bowel problems.


Both the tribe and the plant were discovered in the 18th century by a German botanist named C. F. Paullini. The key ingredient of guarana is guaranine, an element that is chemically identical to caffeine, which is the main reason for the energy boost after the consumption of guarana. 
08
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Belonging to the passionfruit family, banana passionfruit is a tropical fruit that is native to South America’s Andean regions of Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. With its distinctive oval shape and light yellow to orange-yellow leathery skin, this fruit closely resembles a small banana, hence the name banana passionfruit.


The fruit’s banana-like resemblance, however, ends with its visual appearance of the exterior since the interior reveals a juicy, orange pulp that surrounds many small black seeds. This exotic fruit has a pleasant fragrance reminiscent of oranges, while the flavors are sweet, tangy, and tart. 
09
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Cape gooseberry is a plump yellow fruit, yielded from an unusual perennial plant native to high-altitude areas. The plant and the fruit share the same name, and are believed to have originated in Brazil, from where they spread to other South American highland regions, and eventually to other continents, primarily southern African regions and Australia, where they are still cultivated and used as a common ingredient.


Ripe cape gooseberry has golden yellow or light orange color, smooth skin, and its insides are filled with barely noticeable seeds. The fruit is usually no bigger than a grape pod. It has a sweet and slightly tart taste, which makes it a perfect ingredient that is commonly incorporated in sweet pies, tarts, cakes, or jams.

10

Berries

PERU and  5 more regions
3.8
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Native to South America, aguaymanto (Physalis peruviana), called topotopo in the indigenous Quechua language, is a perennial herb that produces edible, round, yellowish-orange berries which have a soft, succulent flesh characterized by a pleasant, tangy sweetness.


Mainly distributed in Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and the Argentine provinces of Salta and Jujuy, the plant is typically gathered from the wild, and it is closely related to tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes. The indigenous populations, including the Incas, have long consumed the fruits of the aguaymanto plant. 
11
Passion Fruit
MISIONES PROVINCE, Argentina
3.7
12
13
14
15
Tropical Fruit
CENTRAL-WEST REGION, Brazil
3.5
16
17
18
19
20
Berries
NEUQUÉN PROVINCE, Argentina
n/a
21
22
Tropical Fruit
SOUTH REGION, Brazil
n/a
23
Prickly Pear
CHACO PROVINCE, Argentina
n/a
24

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 24 South American Fruits (Types and Products)” list until February 19, 2025, 1,116 ratings were recorded, of which 649 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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South American Fruits (types and products)