Are you looking for a list of fruits that start with J? Expand your produce knowledge with our helpful guide.
Below, you’ll be taken on a sweet adventure as you learn about all sorts of fruits. You may know some of them, but we hope you’ll discover a few new additions.
Keep reading this guide on fruits that start with J to inspire your sweet tooth.
Fruits that Start with the Letter J
1. Jackfruit
Jackfruit is an ancient fruit that grows in tropical climates. With bumpy green skin and a dense yellow texture, this variety looks like it came straight from a lab, but it’s all natural and hails from Southeast Asia.
When you cut through the textured exterior, you’ll find fiberous yellow fruit inside. It looks halfway between a banana and pineapple in appearance, but expect the flavor to taste different.
Jackfruit tastes very distinct, with a unique flavor likened to pulled pork. For this reason, you can often use it as a meat substitute in vegan cooking.
2. Jatoba Fruit
The Jatoba Fruit also goes by the less-appealing name, Stinking Toe Fruit. It’s named appropriately because this fruit has a, well, unique fragrance likened to BO.
Luckily, this fruit contains a stubby outer shell that conceals the questionable odor. If you crack open the shell, you’ll find pulp with a flour-like consistency.
If you can get past the title and the smell, the pulp’s flavor is actually better than you might think. It has a slightly cheesy flavor with hints of herbs and tastes almost like a fine ground parmesan. Just remember not to breathe through your nose while consuming.
3. Jujube
Also known as the Chinese date, the jujube is a sweet dried fruit with a flavor likened to plums.
The size is halfway between a cherry and a kiwi, with shiny wrinkled skin coating the chewy fruit. Inside, you’ll find a large pit with two seeds you must remove before enjoying.
This Chinese fruit has been growing in the US since the 1800s but has been used in traditional medicine for nearly 3000 years.
This red fruit is jam-packed with antioxidants and a high fiber content to aid digestion. It’s rich in vitamin C, which can help support healthy immune function.
4. Juniper Berry
If you glance at any Juniper tree during the winter months, you may see these tiny blueberry-like fruit growing amid the pines. But don’t be fooled into thinking these berries have a taste resemblance to the latter.
If you pop one of these into your mouth, you can expect a tart, pine-like flavor that’s hard to stomach. That’s why you’ll more frequently see these berries as a flavoring agent or spice.
Early research suggests that they might have health benefits. They contain a high dose of vitamin C, promote heart health, and have a high percentage of antioxidants.
5. June Plum
The June plum is a relative to the mango and tastes just as delicious. Any tropical fruit-lover will appreciate the flavor halfway between a pineapple and an orange.
You must get past the thick, bitter skin to get to the fruit underneath, but once you do, you can expect a crisp, juicy texture that melts in your mouth.
These small plums grow in Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America. While you can enjoy this fruit raw, many regional cuisines cook June plums into jams, preserves, chutneys, and curries.
As far as nutrition goes, this fruit is a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants.
6. Jostaberry
If you’re looking for a fruit that’s a crossover between a black currant and gooseberry, the jostaberry will be your new favorite.
This fruit boasts a complex flavor that tastes sweet, tart, and tangy all at the same time.
The jostaberry grows to be the same size as a large grape and has a shiny maroon skin with a long stem jetting out.
These berries are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Some research suggests the juice has anti-fungal properties.
7. Jambolan Plum
This fruit also goes by the names Malabar, Java, and black plum, which makes sense because the skin has a shiny dark purple color.
Inside the fruit, you’ll find fuchsia-tinged flesh that tastes sweet, sour, and astringent. After gobbling down a Jambolan plum, you can expect your tongue to turn slightly purple to match the plum.
This variety is native to Southeast Asia and has since been introduced to tropical regions of the world. You can even find these plums growing in Florida.
8 Jabuticaba
If you see Jabuticaba growing in the wild, you might think it’s an invasive tree disease. These small black berries grow directly on the bark and form mounds that resemble bubbles.
Jabuticaba tastes similar to lychee, with a sweet and acidic flavor that’s very juicy. The skin is tart and very tough, so this fruit is most often used in fermentation to make wines.
If you can get past the chewy exterior, the Jabuticaba can offer you potent anthocyanins found in the dark purple skin. This tree hails from Brazil and appropriately also goes by the Brazilian grape tree.
9. Jacote Fruit
Jacote fruit is almost too pretty to eat. The skin has an ombre effect that includes colors like green, orange, red, and yellow.
If you sink your teeth into this visually-stunning fruit, you’ll be treated to a flavor similar to a plum, mango, and apple. If the fruit is ripe, you’ll find a creamy texture that melts in your mouth.
This fruit originated in Central America and has been a mainstay in local cuisines. You can find it in salsas, sauces, baked goods, and rum.
10. Junglesop
Junglesop is one of the biggest fruits on the planet and can grow up to a foot long.
This unique fruit is native to Central Africa, where it provides fruit in abundance. It’s been planted in other rainforest zones like Hawaii, Malaysia, and Australia but has yet to produce fruit successfully.
Junglesop has a beautiful pattern on its skin that looks otherworldly. After cutting through the leathery exterior, you’ll find a soft yellow pulp with a peachy flavor.
11. Jelly Plum Fruit
This orange fruit looks similar to an apricot but has a flavor likened to a pineapple. You’ll commonly find it throughout South America.
While you can gobble up these fruits raw, you’ll likely find them used to make jams and jellies. They have a high pectic content which acts as a natural preservative.
