Continuing our glossary of fruits that start with different letters, today, we’re going to be showing you different types of fruits that start with the letter J.
If you’ve read any of our other alphabetical lists, you’ll already know just how many different types of fruits there are in the world. With thousands of different varieties to choose from, knowing them all is virtually impossible.
However, by looking at things alphabetically, you can start to build a better knowledge base about fruits from around the world.
As far as the letter J is concerned, like with any letter, there are weird, wonderful, delicious, and alien-looking fruits to talk about.
We’ve put together a comprehensive list that tells you more about the fruits that start with the letter J so stick around if you want to learn more!
1. Jackfruit
One of the most famous fruits in the world that starts with the letter J is the Jackfruit. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that grows in hotter parts of the world that have a tropical climate.
Jackfruit has bright yellow pulp and brown and green skin. You have to break through the tough rind to get to the fruit. Related to the fig, and the size of a melon, this fruit has a subtly sweet flavor that’s often compared to banana and apple.
Interestingly, it also has a slightly meaty flavor which is why it’s often used in alternative diets as a meat replacement.
2. Jaboticaba
Jaboticaba fruit isn’t too dissimilar to lychee. It may be dark black but like the lychee, it has an almost transparent flesh. Circular in shape, the jaboticaba fruit is commonly referred to as the ‘tree grape’.
In terms of taste, this fruit has a unique flavor that’s both sour and sweet. Most people compare the flavor of jaboticaba to sour grape candy and lychee.
You can eat jaboticaba raw but a typical application is fermentation. This fermentation helps turn the fruit into syrups and wines.
3. Juniper Berry Fruit
A fruit that looks quite similar to jaboticaba is the juniper berry fruit. Like jaboticaba, juniper berries are circular. They can also have dark black skin, although they tend to be blue.
Juniper berries have some pretty interesting uses, the most interesting of which is as a herb. A strong and aromatic herb, they can be used to add extra flavor to drinks. Juniper berries are also commonly used as a natural preservative in food.
Quite bitter, these berries also have strong antibacterial properties.
4. Jamun
Next up, we have the jamun fruit. Known scientifically as Syzygium cumini, Jamun is a type of purple berry that has a sweet and acidic flavor. A popular summer fruit, this berry is native to India.
Due to its strong flavors, it isn’t unusual for people to season the berries with salt before eating them.
Like most types of berries, Jamun is packed with vitamins and minerals. This includes Vitamin B, potassium, antioxidants, and magnesium. Their color changes based on how ripe they are.
5. Jatoba Fruit
The jatoba fruit is one of the weirdest types of fruit on our list. In some ways, jatoba looks a little bit like a potato. It has a hard outer shell and an edible dry pulp.
Commonly grown in the Caribbean and South and Central America, jatoba is an excellent source of protein and starch.
If you want to try jatoba, it’s important to remember that you can only eat the pulp. This pulp can be consumed raw or used to make snacks like cookies. This fruit is typically used to prepare flour.
6. Jocote Fruit
Jocote is a tropical fruit that’s known by two names, both of which start with the letter J. Aside from being known as the jocote fruit, this fruit is also called the Jamaican plum.
Most of the time, this bright orange and yellow fruit is added to salads or pickled. They can also be pureed to make a sweet and sour sauce. Best paired with spicy dishes, the sourness of the jocote fruit will make your taste buds tingle.
Jocote can be eaten raw but the sour taste tends to be too overpowering. Having said that, this fruit is seasoned with salt and eaten raw in Costa Rica.
7. Jambolan Plum
Despite being called the jambolan plum, this fruit is a type of berry. Oblong in shape, jambolan plums have dark skin that varies in color depending on ripeness. They can be dark purple or bright red.
This has to be one of the most delicious types of fruit on our list. Jambolan plums have the most amazing sweet and acidic flavor that goes beautifully in a wide range of desserts.
These berries are also extremely juicy which is always a nice bonus. One of the best things you can do with these berries is make a fruit smoothie.
8. June Plum
Also known as ambarella, June plums are bright green in color and oval in shape. They have a similar appearance to some varieties of green apples. They also have a crunchy texture like an unripe apple.
However, when it comes to taste, they have a more mango and pineapple-like flavor. This sweet and sour flavor tastes great on its own but most people tend to enjoy the June plum with lime juice.
June plums are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Melanesia and Polynesia.
9. Jujube Fruit
Ziziphus, better known as jujube fruit or Chinese date, is a popular fruit native to Southeast Asia. Ripe jujube fruits are purple or dark red. They usually feature wrinkled skin too.
They look a lot like a berry and they have a very similar taste to that of an apple. The reason this fruit is also known as the Chinese date is because it tastes a lot like a date once dried.
Jujube makes a great snack or addition to a dessert recipe and it’s also used for its health benefits.
Jujube is believed to decrease anxiety and help insomnia patients.
10. Jelly Palm Fruit
The jelly palm fruit might be the most interestingly named fruit on our list. Jelly palm fruit is native to Brazil. Shaped like a cherry, but bright yellow, it grows in clusters and has a seriously sharp tart taste.
Grown on the Pindo Palm tree, you can probably guess how this fruit is used. As you would expect, the jelly palm is used to make jelly. This fruit can also be used to make wine or eaten raw.
Jelly palm is quite fibrous so some people prefer not to eat it raw.
11. Japanese Plum
You might know the Japanese plum as loquat. Loquat is a tree-grown fruit famous for its orange appearance and beautiful flavor. Japanese plums have a sweet, tart, and citrusy taste that goes well in herbal teas or on their own.
Japanese plums are occasionally harvested earlier as they also have an impactful sour flavor when unripe.
Despite being known as the Japanese plum, this fruit originated in China. However, it can be grown all over the world.
12. Jostaberry Fruit
The next fruit on our list that starts with the letter J is the jostaberry fruit. Jostaberry is a cross between the European gooseberry, the North American black gooseberry, and the black currant.
It is a little bit bigger than a black currant and slightly smaller than a gooseberry. When it comes to flavor, jostaberries are delicious.
They have a flavor that sits between the tartness of gooseberries and the sweetness of blackberries.
13. Junglesop Fruit
Another uniquely named fruit that starts with the letter J is the Junglesop fruit. Junglesop is a large African fruit that can grow to weigh up to 15 kg. Having said that, they usually weigh just 5kg.
Described as having an acquired taste, junglesop is an important food source that’s packed with nutrients and minerals. Considered a super fruit, junglesop is rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
It is widely believed that this alien-looking fruit can improve heart health, aid the immune system, improve the skin, and promote weight loss.
14. Jazz Apples
The famous jazz apple was always going to make its way onto our list. Jazz apples are a variety of domesticated apples that were made by crossing Royal Gala apples with Braeburn apples.
This cross was first made in New Zealand but they are now grown all over Europe, the United States, Chile, and Argentina.
Jazz apples are crisp, hard, juicy, and super sweet. We can eat them raw or use them in a huge range of different dishes and desserts.
15. Java Apple
The last fruit on our list is the Java apple. Despite its name, this fruit isn’t an apple at all. It’s a different type of fruit that grows in tropical climates.
Originating in Java, Indonesia, Java apples are pale pink and red, and they have a thin sponge-like skin. They can be eaten raw and are most commonly used in salads.
A lot of people also like to pickle Java apples.
Final Thoughts
That concludes our list of fruits that start with the letter J. There is a staggering range of different fruits from all over the world that start with the letter J.
In this post, we’ve given you a better understanding of the tastiest, most interesting, weirdest, and most popular.
Now you know more about the different fruits that start with the letter J, why don’t you see which ones you can find in your local grocery store?
Some of the fruits we’ve looked at are quite rare so you might have a task on your hands.
