19 Fruits That Start With I (With Photos!)

Are you looking for fruits that start with I? Here are 19 fruits that begin with the letter I, along with some helpful information about each one. 

 

We can think of half a dozen reasons to want a list of fruits that start with I. If you are just preparing for trivia night or working on a school project, let these fruits that start with the letter I inspire you! Have you heard of them all?

1. Imbe
2. Icacina
3. Iboga
4. Icaco
5. Indian Jujube Fruit
6. Indian Prune
7. Indian Sherbet Berry
8. Ice Apple
9. Indonesian Lime
10. Ilama
11. Ita Palm Fruit
12. Indian Almond Fruit
13. Imbu Fruit
14. Incaberry
15. Ice Cream Bean Fruit
16. Ichigo
17. Illawarra Plum
18. Indian Gooseberry
19. Indian Persimmon

Imbe

Imbe is also called the African mangosteen, lowveld mangosteen, and Livingstone’s garcinia. They grow in much of Africa from Somalia down to South Africa. It is a small, sweet, orange berry typically from 1-4 cm in diameter. This nutritious fruit is generally eaten fresh and its juice is known to be very staining.

Icacina

Icacina is grown in Western Tropical Africa specifically Sudan and Angola. The fruit, seeds and tuber are all edible. The tuber, however, is poisonous and leads to dysentery if not detoxified before eating. This makes the tuber into a “famine food” eaten only in hard times. The fruit is known for its sweet taste and gelatinous texture.

Iboga

Iboga is a small orange berry that grows in parts of Africa, and is sometimes called eboka. It is tasteless and sticky and used by some under the belief that it can assist with withdrawal symptoms from opioids though this is an unsubstantiated claim. It is illegal in the United States. So, I guess to sum it up this is a sticky berry with a name that sounds like Ebola, has no taste, and little use. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

Icaco

Icaco is a shrub that grows in tropical regions of Africa, the Americas, and Southern Florida. It bears an edible fruit with a mildly sweet taste and is sometimes used in jams.

Indian Jujube Fruit

Indian Jujube Fruit is also known as the Chinese date, Chinese apple, and dunks. They are often eaten raw, but also pickled or juiced into beverages. They are also popular in India candied. Nutritionally, these are very high in Vitamin C. 

Indian Prune

Indian Prune also known as Indian plum, governor’s plum, or rukam are generally eaten raw or dried but are quite bitter until fully ripe. They initially grow with a peach color ripening to yellow before turning blue to black at peak ripeness. Plums 101 (nutrition info and so much more).

Indian Sherbet Berry

Indian Sherbet Berry is a blueberry sized fruit with a tangy sweet flavor that is used in India to make hot weather drinks. It has a notable nutrition profile and provides vitamin C as well as a host of other micro nutrients. Many purported health benefits include blood sugar control and reduction of hypertension.

Ice Apple

Ice Apple is native to Southeast Asia and India. They are used primarily in drinks, and at only 12 calories per ounce (43 calories per 100g) are a low-calorie fruit that provides reasonable amounts of vitamins C, A, E, K and Iron. They are valued in India where they are considered a remedy for stomach aches and digestive issues.

Indonesian Lime

Indonesian Lime are also known as kaffir limes, and are native to Southeast Asia and Southern China. In Asia the leaves are the most used part of the plant, and are used in Thai Tom Yum, Cambodian Kreung and a variety of other national dishes. The lemon rind is commonly used in Thai curry paste, and the most common use of the whole fruit appears to be candied. Indonesian limes are as versatile As more commonly known US varieties, and if you have a hankering for a refreshing lime drink try this Healthy Key Lime Pie Smoothie Recipe.

Ilama

Ilama are tropical fruits native to Central America where it is cut in half and the fruit scooped out and chilled. Ilama are green or pink. The green rind variant contains a sweet white flesh and the pink rind a rosy tart fruit. These fruit grow to as large as two pounds (900g).

Ita Palm Fruit

Ita Palm Fruit is also known as Aquaje or Moriche palm. It is native to the tropics of South America. The fruits skin is hard, brown, and scaly and its fibers can be used as thread. The fruit is very high in vitamin A, but is known among native people as “The Miracle Fruit For Women” with a belief that it aids in fertility, menopausal symptom relief, increased estrogen, and increases in buttock, thigh, breast and hip measurements. We aren’t supporting this claim, just passing it along.

Indian Almond Fruit

Indian Almond Fruit is native to Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands and Madagascar. While the name implies a more traditional fruit, this is really an almond often called Indian Almond, Malabar almond, sea almond, tropical almond or beach almond. They are said to have a mildly acidic taste with little flavor but a pleasant aroma. If you are looking for health information on almonds and so much more give this guide a look. 

Imbu Fruit

Imbu Fruit also called Brazil plum or umbu is native to Northeast Brazil. The small (size varies from cherry sized to as large as a lemon) green or yellow fruit grow in one of Brazil’s driest and poorest regions, so it is regionally an important food source. They are often eaten fresh, made into jams, or made into a regionally popular compote by mixing them with sugar. They are not easily found outside of Brazil.

Incaberry

Incaberry also known as Aztec berry or Cape gooseberry is native to high altitude regions in South America. The orange berries are about the size of a marble are tangy and sweet. Peru exports these to the United States as the Goldenberry. An online search will reveal a variety of desert and salad recipes.

Ice Cream Bean Fruit

Ice Cream Bean Fruit is native to South America. Its taste is described as being much like vanilla ice cream which makes the fruit’s succulent pulp a regional favorite in desserts, but the fruit ripens quickly making it difficult to export. The fruit is also used in a variety of native folk medicines. Hey, at least your medicine tastes like ice cream.

Ichigo

Ichigo is really just the Japanese word for strawberry, but as strawberries are just such a great fruit we had to include them in fruits that begin with the letter I. You can find our best strawberry recipes here and all about strawberry nutrition here.

Illawarra Plum

Illawarra Plum is also known as Daalgall, Goongum or Plum Pine. They are native to Australia’s east coast and are regarded as a bush food though they are popular with both the Aboriginal people and Australians of European descent.

Indian Gooseberry

Indian Gooseberry is called Amla in India where its primary use is in making amla juice. These bright green sour berries are used locally in candies, pickled, and in chutneys. In southern India it is used in a lentil based dish called dal. The gooseberry is also believed to aid in reducing LDL and triglyceride levels.

Indian Persimmon

Indian Persimmon is a tropical persimmon native throughout India and Southeast Asia. These trees are grown more for the beautiful ebony timber than for the fruit. Persimmons are eaten throughout the world raw like an apple, dried or cooked into cookies, cakes, puddings, curries, and pies. Try them as a breakfast cereal topping.