I love fruit! There are so many different kinds of fruit that grow on our amazing planet. This time I am talking all about the Pouteria Sapota also commonly known as the Mamey Sapote.
In this article you will learn where the Mamey Sapote comes from and where it is cultivate. You will also learn what the nutritional benefits are, how to eat it, and what it tastes like to me. Let’s get started!
Where does the Pouteria Sapota or Mamey Sapote come from and where does it grow?
At first glance you may think that the Mamey Sapote is just a large Sapodilla or Chikoo. They definitely do look similar and belong to the same family, however they are different.
Pouteria Sapota is the scientific name for the Mamey Sapote. They are native to parts of Mexico and Central America, and it is cultivated all over Latin America.
A lot of the different countries in Latin America grow them. It also it is cultivated in the Caribbean and Australia and Florida. You can grow it in California and in Arizona, kind of as a hobbyist if you want. But they grow a fair amount of these in Florida.
One interesting thing to point out is you can plant the see and the fruit will start bearing fruit within 5 to 7 years which is relatively quick. Of course if you buy a sapling you will get fruit faster.
What are the nutritional benefits of the Mamey Sapote?
First of all the Mamey Sapote is loaded with nutrients. Here are a few of the nutritional benefits for this amazing fruit:
- High in fiber
- High in carotenoids
- Helps prevent anemia
- Excellent source of calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium and magnesium
- High in calories and carbohydrates.
1 cup of the flesh contains roughly 217 calories and 56 carbs. You can find more health benefits on this WebMd article.
How do you know when it is ripe and how to eat the Pouteria Sapota?
How do you know when it’s ripe? Well, kind of like an avocado. You want to wait until there’s some give to it when pressed. Most likely when you buy it at the store or at the market, it’ll be more firm and then you just let it sit on your counter for a couple of days.
And then it’ll soften up exactly like you would an avocado. And you can eat this the same way as an avocado. So take a sharp knife and cut the mamey sapote in half down the middle lengthwise.
This sometimes is a little hard to get into because the skin is fairly tough. But if you just use the tip of your knife and just go down into the skin you should be able to cut it no problem. There is a large pit in the middle as well that your knife will probably hit. Sometimes there is more than one pit as well.
Then you can just scoop it out with a spoon and eat it fresh. Or it is commonly put in milkshakes and in ice cream. The skin is not eaten.
Store leftovers in the fridge. Once they are ripe eat them right away or they can be refrigerated in a bag or an airtight container for a few weeks.
What does the Mamey Sapote taste like?
So what does the fruit taste like?
Taste is definitely subjective. To me, the Mamey sapote tastes kind of like a mixture between a soft sweet potato, pumpkin, pumpkin pie, a hint of cinnamon in there, honey, and even a bit of cantaloupe.
So you mix all those flavors together and that is what you have. It’s very tasty. Very soft and easy to eat.
It’s not as grainy as the Sapodilla which has a little bit more of a grainy taste to it. Very delicious and nutritious fruit
Watch the video I made on the Mamey Sapote here:
How to Eat Mamey Sapote (Pouteria Sapota) | Taste Test
Well there you have it. I hope you enjoyed learning all about this amazing fruit, the Pouteria sapota or Mamey Sapote.
Here are some more articles and some recipes you may like:
Braided Puff Pastry
Homemade Granola Bars
What Does Durian Fruit Taste Like?
What does Longan Fruit Taste Like?
2-Ingredient Flatbread
Tags
fruit soft tropical
Matt Taylor
YouTuber and food blogger with a passion for cooking, eating, being outdoors and watching movies. Did you know I wrote an ebook cookbook called "All Things Chocolate: 30 of my favorite chocolate recipes."? Help support the food blog and YouTube channel by buying a copy in my shop. :)
8 Comments
Mel
April 2, 2024 at 12:25 pm·Reply
My family is Cuban, and we love having mamey as a milkshake! The texture and flavor are outstanding.
Matt Taylor
April 2, 2024 at 5:25 pm·Reply
That is awesome!
Moises Vargas Granada
August 22, 2022 at 5:56 pm·Reply
How can I avail of the seeds or seedlings for propagation here in the Philippines
Matt Taylor
August 23, 2022 at 8:57 am·Reply
You will probably have to buy them online. Or search on google to see if there are any nurseries that sell it there in your country.
Kenny
February 11, 2022 at 4:43 pm·Reply
Just had mamey ice cream and it was delicious. Just as you described- creamy, sweet potato, pumpkin, fruity, with a tropical overtone.
Matt Taylor
February 11, 2022 at 4:57 pm·Reply
So awesome!! 🙂
February 8, 2022 at 9:52 am·Reply
Your info about mamey sapote was very helpful to us vacationing in Mexico and finding new fruits to try!!
Matt Taylor
February 8, 2022 at 9:53 am·Reply
That is so awesome, Margaret! Glad it was helpful, and have fun in Mexico!! 🙂
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
