Why Eat It

This delicious dessert fruit is the result of a cross between a cherimoya and a sweetsop, or sugar apple. From the outside, an atemoya looks something like an artichoke carved from clay; inside, it has cream-colored flesh with the flavor and texture of a vanilla or fruit custard. Unlike custard, however, the fruit is practically free of fat and sodium, and rich in potassium.

Availability

Atemoyas are grown in south Florida and are also imported from the West Indies; they are usually available from August through October.

Shopping

Look for a pale-green fruit that is slightly tender to finger pressure but that has not cracked open (which the fruit often does as it ripens).

Storage

Keep the atemoya at room temperature for a day or two if it is not already softened and ready to eat when you bring it home. Once it is ripe, you can refrigerate the fruit for a day or two. The atemoya tastes best chilled.

Preparation

To serve, cut the atemoya in half through the stem end and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Alternately, you can use cubed atemoya in a fruit salad.

Nutrition Chart

Atemoya/1 cup
Calories	212
Total fat (g)	0
Saturated fat (g)	--
Monounsaturated fat (g)	--
Polyunsaturated fat (g)	--
Dietary fiber (g)	5.4
Protein (g)	3
Carbohydrate (g)	54
Cholesterol (mg)	0
Sodium (mg)	7