Rambutan Fruit Nutrition Facts and Recipes
A hairy strawberry or chestnut was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the rambutan fruit.
I had never seen it, tried it or heard of it before. Some of the fruits that I now enjoy whenever I can get them and previously was unaware of are Fuchsia Fruit and Sabras Cactus Fruit.
This little fruit is native to Malaysia, and Indonesia and growing in popularity throughout the world. It is now widely grown in India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand followed by Australia and Hawaii.
There are very few places that don’t import it now thanks to worldwide travel and demand.
With more and more people being adventurous in both visiting countries and trying exotic dishes, this has all helped to highlight the unusual rambutan fruit which is classed as one of the most exotic fruits in the world today.
About the Fruit
The name rambutan stems from the Malaysian word for hair “rambut” and it certainly was a wisely chosen one.
The fruit grows on the rambutan tree which may grow up to 12 m high and is commonly grown in gardens throughout Asia and Indonesia.
The round or oval fruit varies considerably and may be yellow-green, pink or red and is approximately 1-2 inches long.
This fruit tree has two harvesting times a year, end of June to August and again in December/January.
Closely linked to the lychee fruit, rambutan fruit has a soft pliable outer shell covered in hairy bristle like spikes.
First impressions are that it is bigger than a lychee but once the outer shell is removed, the fruit is in fact smaller in size.
A soft, juicy milky-white fleshy fruit, translucent and grape like in texture, it has a slightly more acidic taste than that of a lychee or Chinese gooseberry as it is also known as.
Have you tried Rambutan Fruit?
Nutritional Value
Rambutan fruit are low in calories with an average fruit containing 59 calories.
Extremely low in fat they contain a small amount of protein with the majority of calories coming from carbohydrates.
This soft little fruit is rich in vitamin C. A 100g serving of rambutan will equate to 40% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C making it a great addition and boost to your daily diet.
It is also a source of niacin (B3), iron, phosphorus, calcium and fibre.
Uses
The fruit is best eaten raw and does not have a long shelf life, and this may vary from a day or two up to a week.
If you want to extend this life, place this fruit into a perforated bag and keep it in the fridge.
To open the fruit follow this easy video which shows how to cut around the outer shell easily with a knife and pop out the fleshy rambutan.
Rambutan fruit may be used in many dishes and drinks.
A tropical fruit salad, smoothies, cocktails, deserts, yogurts, jams, jellies, chutney, syrups, soup and salsa are some of the ways to use this fragile little fruit.
You could confidently substitute it in most lychee recipes for something different such as a stir-fry or savory dish.
How to Eat
Salad With Rabutan
Vietnams Cai Be Floating Market
Recipes
- Rambutan Martini Cocktail Recipe
- Tropical Fruit Salad in Kaffir Lime Leaf Syrup | Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once
With Rambutans, Mangoes, Lychees and Longans.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.
Questions & Answers
Can rambutan be grown in the USA?
It will depend on your location as rambutan loves heat and humidity, and are sensitive to temperature drops. Here is a good link regarding this subject that should prove useful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/ram... My philosophy is why not give it a go? You've got nothing to lose!
© 2013 Suzanne Ridgeway
Comments
They are like a grape texture really good
I never heard of them either. But I would love to try them, if they're available in my neck of the woods. Voted up for interesting!
Dear Editor, Author, or persons authorized to give copyright permission.
I am writing to you to get the permission to use your articles in my book The Foodpedia Fresh Fruits and Vegetables books series and other books will follow, on the history of other items in the food world. That will help the people of the world to eat and stay Healthier.
I care and I hope you care about passing on to the new generation to stay Healthier.
(REMEMBER SHARING IS CARING ! )
I am writing these books to “give back” my knowledge to the next generation of people, all over this world. I am writing these books to educate the people about the advantages of eating “Fresh Fruits” and “Fresh Vegetables” and how they can help themselves to have a healthier body, and the foods that are not good for a healthy body.
I got your name from the website. On the Fruit you wrote about. I have your name on the information that I used, so that you will get all the credit on it. I do not want the credit for your works. You’re the one that did all the research on the food items. I have to rely on you for all this knowledge and your researchers.
I praise you for this, that is why I want you to get all the credit you put in to these articles.
I have to rely on your help to teach and training our next generation to live healthier. Then living on all this junk food and all the chemical’s they put into the foods we eat today.
That is why we are the product of this generation of obesity etc. We have to help our new generation to eat and stay healthier so they can have a better life, then being sick and overweight all the time.
The world is changing and we have to change with it NOW for our kid’s sake.
This is the 21st Century NOW, and we have to do something about it NOW!
I am on a movement (mission) of caring and share to help, not to make the same mistake this generation and our pass generations has made, to help them live healthier lives better then we did.
But I need your help to get this mission (movement) going. I need your permission to let this happen, to use your research in food, to train and educate the people of the world to eat healthier.
Remember the people will go to your website for more updates. Because you are always updating it, that I cannot do.
Can you please e-mail the permission letter to authorize me to use your articles in my books (The History of Fresh Fruits. { Foodpedia The History of Fresh Fruit }) I have about 130 chapters of some of the fresh fruit used around the world, with over 5,000 color pictures, and about 5,000 pages).
Can you please email {foodpediapjh@gmail.com } with your permission to use your articles so we can help the this and the next generation to live and be healthier.
Thank You Chef Paul J. Hintersteiner
Enclosed is the website of the articles I need permission on
I learned about rambutan through a girl I sponsor in Thailand through Compassion International. Such a strange looking fruit! I would love to try one some time, but I am afraid the texture would bother me.
Love learning new things and this one is no exception on the educational interest for me. What a wonderful fruit. I wonder if it is available in the US? Would love to try it. Thanks for the information. Well done post!
What an interesting fruit. I wish we could get more exotic fruits here in NW Pennsylvania.
glad to be here. yes I loved it when it starts to fruit I'll just pick it up with my own hands
I love that fruit. We have a tree just besides our house here in the Philippines. Truly great fruit
I have seen Rambutan fruits in the open market last sunday here in our town in the Philippines. When I saw it, I just thought about it´s health benefits. What benefits I can get from eating them. Now you write about it and it´s great to know. I´ll be buying this fruit next sunday. It´s delicious. Thanks for sharing. Voted up and shared.
Great hub. I tried rambutan last year in Thailand - very distinct taste. There is such amazing diversity of food, it's nice to be reminded of it. Thanks.
I have tried this fruit and it is so sweet.
We get it in Asian markets. Great informational hub :) many votes ++
Oh my you have brought my child hood back to me- We lived in Singapore and I can remember the large bunch of Rambutan every so often and the way we used to peel them and eat them. I have just shown my children your photos and they think it looks odd- oh they don't know what they missed- thank you for a real treat and a trip down memory lane
Hi Suzie,
I have never noticed Rambutan fruits for sale in grocery stores. Will have to keep an eye out for them in some of the stores that specialize in more exotic foods. I would certainly enjoy tasting them. They are beautiful on the tree judging from the photo. Thanks for this most interesting hub. Voted UUI and will share.
I grew up in Thailand where rambutans were sold in pretty much every grocery store and supermarket. As a child, I didn't really like them. But now living in the U.S., I kind of miss them! Thanks for this lovely hub, Suzie. Rated up and awesome.
The cheerleader's pompom fruit! We used to have these fruit planted on our backyard. They are really tasty and sweet. so love this fruit.
I was a little weary of trying this fruit when I saw it. Thanks for breaking it all down.
I love Rambutan! We get them at the Asian Store and they really remind me of grapes without the skin. Awesome information here. I learned a lot about the nutritional value of these delicious fruits. Thank you. Up+ and shared...
JSMatthew~
I'm familiar with this fruit as Singapore is just south of Malaysia and we do get them when they're in season. It's very juicy and getting to the flesh can be a challenge to those not accustomed to eating it. Interesting hub and rated up.
This may be the cutest fruit in the world! Thanks for teaching me about it.
Suzie, I've never heard of this fruit but it appears very similar to lychee in its color and look, when the outer skin is off. I wonder if it tastes like lychee as well.
Thanks for introducing us to this fruit.
Voted up, interesting and shared.
Hi, Suzie. Good to see you here. I am glad you wrote about the fruit from my country. Of course, we can easily find it at this month with the cheaper price of course. Juicy and sweet, sometimes sour. Thanks for writing. My friend, you have done a good job by share this hub with others. Voted up and God bless you :-)
Prasetio
Never heard of it but I am always willing to try something new. A hairy fruit..oh well.. I will ask for it at the grocery store next time I go..Great hub..VOte UP and pinning.
I got to try a rambutan while I was working at a Whole Foods Market. It's definitely interesting but wasn't exactly my cup of tea... very jelly-like with a very hard seed in the middle. I'm glad I can at least say I've tried one! :)
suzie, nice hub you have here about rambutan fruit. i never even heard of this fruit but i do like the fact that they have nutritional benefits and the fact you included recipes was a great idea. thanks for your article. voted up.
Suzanne,
What a fascinating article! I especially enjoy reading Hubs in which I learn something new.
I had never heard of Rambutan fruit until I read your Hub. It certainly does look like lychee.
Yep, I don't do fruit. LOL Hey, I just wanted to let you know I linked you on my hub today. Anything for my dear friend from Ireland.
Have a great weekend!
Actually, rambutan can stay fresh longer than 2-3 days, extending to even a week without refrigeration. The skin might be drier but the flesh is still good. I normally open rambutan fruit bare-hand and I believe that is the common practice by many in my country as well as in neighboring countries. Some may give the skin a small bite, then use finger to split the skin open. Rambutan taste great, has many benefits - among which are improving male fertility, and help prevent cancer.
Hey Suzie. Have never heard of or seen the Rambutan Fruit. Very interesting. Looks tasty. Thanks for introducing this to us. I'll have to keep an eye out for it in my travels. Voting up and sharing this. I think will find this interesting.
I have never heard of them, so this is a very interesting read! I was surprised at their appearance underneath the spiky shell.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
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