Sapote facts for kids
Sapote is a cool word for a yummy, soft fruit! It comes from the Nahuatl word tzapotl. You'll find fruits called sapote growing in places like Mexico, Central America, and the northern parts of South America.
The word "sapote" is used for many different fruits, and they don't all come from the same plant family. It's a bit like how "berry" can mean a strawberry, a blueberry, or a raspberry, even though they're different!
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Types of Sapote Fruits
Many fruits are called sapote. They belong to different plant families. Let's explore some of the most common ones!
Sapotes from the Sapotaceae Family
This plant family gives us several popular sapote fruits.
Sapodilla
The Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) is a sweet fruit that comes from a tree. It is originally from Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Belize, and possibly El Salvador. It has a grainy, brown flesh and tastes a bit like caramel or brown sugar.
Yellow Sapote
The Yellow Sapote (Pouteria campechiana) is also known as Canistel. It grows in Mexico and Central America. This fruit has bright yellow flesh and a creamy texture. Some people say it tastes like sweet potato or pumpkin pie!
Mamey Sapote
The Mamey Sapote (Pouteria sapota) is a large, oval-shaped fruit. It grows from southern Mexico all the way down to northern South America. When you cut it open, you'll see beautiful orange or reddish-brown flesh. It's often used in smoothies and desserts because of its rich, sweet flavor.
Green Sapote
The Green Sapote (Pouteria viridis) is native to the lowlands of southern Mexico. It's related to the Mamey Sapote but has a green skin even when ripe. The inside is usually a creamy orange color, and it has a sweet, unique taste.
Sapotes from the Ebenaceae Family
This family includes some interesting sapotes, like the famous black sapote.
Black Sapote
The Black Sapote (Diospyros digyna) is sometimes called "chocolate pudding fruit" because of its dark, soft flesh when ripe! It grows from eastern Mexico south to Colombia. This fruit was likely the original tzapotl that the Aztecs knew and loved. It's super sweet and often used in desserts.
Chapote
The Chapote (Diospyros texana) is a smaller sapote. It grows in the lower Rio Grande valley region, which is on the border of Texas and Mexico. This fruit is not as well-known as the others, but it's still part of the sapote family!
Other Sapote Fruits
Not all sapotes fit into the Sapotaceae or Ebenaceae families. Here are a couple more interesting ones!
White Sapote
The White Sapote (Casimiroa edulis: Rutaceae) comes from northern and central Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala. It has a creamy, soft flesh that is often described as tasting like a mix of pear, banana, and peach. It's very sweet and can be eaten fresh or used in drinks.
South American Sapote
The South American Sapote (Quararibea cordata: Malvaceae) grows in the Amazon rainforests of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. This fruit has a bright orange pulp and a unique, slightly tangy flavor.
Images for kids
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Black sapote
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White sapote
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South American sapote
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Lòng mứt, a kind of Vietnamese sapote
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Mamey sapote
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Sapodilla
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Yellow sapote
