Believe it or not, fruits that start with Y are some of my favorite fruits. Even though the list isn’t that long, the fruits on it are incredibly tasty.
I love yellow watermelon, yellow passion fruit, and yumberries, and the nutritional benefits of the Yunnan hackberry fruit are pretty impressive.
Even though my Y list may be short, there are a lot of great fruits on it.
Do you have a favorite Y fruit, and did it make the list?
1. Yellow Guava
Although yellow guava doesn’t have as much vitamin C as its counterparts, it still has more than oranges and is very nutritious.
It has a smooth yellow rind, and the inside is light yellow.
The seeds are edible, and some people eat every part of the yellow guava raw, including the skin! (That is where you can find most of the vitamin C.)
It’s sweet and lemony, and while some people eat it raw, they more often use it for cooking or for making jam, jelly, smoothies, and juices.
2. Yumberry
Yumberries grow in China and are only in season for about two weeks out of the year.
They have one of the most exciting appearances of any berry I’ve ever seen.
They’re also delicate, so most people only ever taste them in juices, as the berries themselves are hard to keep, transport, or sell.
If you’re lucky enough to be able to try a raw yumberry, they’re tart and delicious.
They taste a bit like a mixture between pomegranate seeds and cranberries.
They’re very juicy, and the juice will definitely stain your clothes, so if you ever have one, keep a napkin close.
3. York Imperial Apple
The York imperial variety of apples is a delicious variety. They’re juicy, though not as juicy as Fuji apples, and the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
They look a little funny, almost like they’ve been squished at a funny angle. They’re incredibly lop-sided.
You can eat them raw with or without the skin, or you can bake them, turn them into apple juice, or cook them some other way.
4. Yunnan Hackberry Fruit
Hackberries are pretty small and look very similar to grapes or cherries. Some of them are red; others are more purple than red.
The largest hackberries grow no larger than about three inches in diameter.
Each fruit is dry and crunchy, and each has a single, edible seed inside of it. The red/purple skin covers a crunchy shell layer.
They’re not juicy like most fruits and berries. Instead, they’re more like a colorful nut with a slightly sweet coating.
Some hackberries are very hard and nearly impossible to eat raw.
You can put them in a food processor and make them into yunnan hackberry paste, which is tasty, hearty, and very nutritious.
5. Yuzu
Yuzu fruits look like wrinkly oranges. They’re citrus fruits that grow in different regions throughout Asia.
They’re extraordinarily sour and tart, so almost no one eats them raw.
Instead, they’re used in recipes in much the same way lemons and limes are used.
They’re also used to garnish different dishes, especially seafood and mixed drinks.
6. Yemenite Citron
Often called the “original citrus fruit,” the citron has been around since biblical times.
They’re shaped similarly to lemons, but they’re much larger, and some of them have bumpy rinds.
The rind of the Yemenite citron is very thick and inedible, like most other citrus fruits.
While the pulp inside is edible, it’s very sour and bitter, so people primarily use it in recipes.
It’s also known as the etrog citrus, and people use it in Jewish celebrations.
7. Young Mango
There are so many varieties of mango that it’s hard to keep track of them all.
Young mangoes originated in South Florida and are hybrids between the Kent and Edward varieties of mangoes.
They’re round and golden-yellow, with an orange blush on parts of their skin.
Their insides are pale yellow, similar to a lemon. The flavor is lightly sweet and very mild.
They’re not one of the most popular varieties of mangoes, but they do well enough to sell commercially.
8. Yellow Passion Fruit
Yellow passion fruits aren’t the most lovely fruits I’ve ever seen. After they’ve been cut open, they look a little weird and unappetizing.
They’re mostly round or egg-shaped and have thick, yellow skins.
Their insides are white with a yellow-orangey pulp and dark brown seeds. You can eat everything inside the fruit, including the seeds.
Yellow passion fruits are sweet, with a tropical and floral-like flavor that’s hard to describe.
They’re rich in amino acids, niacin, carotene, citric acid, and riboflavin.
You can eat them raw, as toppings on yogurt, ice cream, or parfaits, or you can cook with them. They also make good jams, syrups, and pie fillings.
9. Yellow Watermelon
Yellow watermelons look exactly like their red cousins from the outside.
They’re the same basic size and shape and have the same multi-hued green rinds.
Once you cut them open, though, they’re as bright yellow as a banana. It’s mind-blowing the first time you see one, especially if you aren’t expecting it.
They taste similar to red watermelons, but they’re a little sweeter.
Some people liken them to apricots, but I think they taste more like watermelons dipped in honey.
10. Ya pear
Ya pears resemble comice pears in shape and size, but they’re almost entirely white. They’re juicy and sweet, and they’re delightfully crunchy.
They have a unique taste that’s somewhat floral and somewhat tropical.
11. Yucca Fruit
Yucca isn’t a fruit you’d want to eat for fun or enjoyment, but if you’re ever lost in the desert and need sustenance, it’s an easy fruit to pick and grill.
In actuality, it doesn’t taste that bad. When grilled or roasted, it tastes similar to a bell pepper, and if you season it with salt, red pepper, or garlic, it’s pretty tasty.
It definitely tastes more like a vegetable than a fruit, though.