Jabuticaba are traditional Brazilian berries native to the states of Minas Gerais, Goiás, and São Paolo. The berries are dark purple in color with a thick skin and they grow on tree trunks. It also contains antioxidants, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins C and E.

The flavors are a combination of sweet and acidic. People usually enjoy them fresh and eaten out of hand, but the berries are also often made into jellies, juices, and jams.It has long been popular in Brazil but is little known across the rest of the world. We get the lowdown on this mysterious and mighty berry.

1. Who eats them?

Brazilians, mainly, prefer to eat them raw and freshly picked. To avoid them going to waste, they’re often turned into jam, jelly, juice ,and liquor, or added to Brazil’s beloved cocktail, caipirinha. The berry’s name derives from Tupi — an ancient Brazilian language — and means turtle and land (caba), in a nod to the turtles that once surrounded the area and grazed on the fruit.

2. Why are they so rare?

The jabuticaba tree only thrives in a subtropical climate, and in rich, well-drained soil. Once planted, the tree can take anywhere between six and eight years to bear fruit. This, combined with their short shelf life, makes the berries veritable gold dust outside Brazil.

3. What do they taste like?

Their taste and appearance are most often compared to the muscadine grape — and they’ve even been nicknamed ‘the Brazilian grape’. Jabuticaba berries are both sweet and acidic, with tough, tart skin and a pale, fleshy center that’s incredibly sweet.

4. What makes them so healthy?

When it comes to the number of antioxidants per 100g of fruit, jabuticaba berries out-trump blueberries, grapes and even acai. They also contain vitamins C and E, calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus, as well as anti-inflammatory properties.

In reality, Jabuticaba is one of the healthy, nutritious grape like fruits with a charmingly sweet fragrance. It is a good source of essential micronutrients and macronutrients. Also, potent anthocyanins are found in great amounts in the dark purple skin. These nutrients help to prevent chronic illnesses such as inflammatory respiratory diseases.Jabuticaba berries have a very short shelf life and begin to ferment 3 to 4 days after being picked, and the jabuticaba tree takes between 6 and 8 years to eat fruit, which is why these berries are so prized.