Anona: what it is, taste and benefits of the fruit

What is it?

The anona is one of the most beloved and underused tropical fruits of Mesoamerican cuisine: a globose or heart-shaped fruit of six to twelve centimetres in diameter, with reticulated skin (hence the epithet reticulata) of green-yellow to brown-pink when ripe, and inner pulp of white-pink-yellow, creamy, sweet and aromatic, with numerous flat black-brown seeds distributed through the pulp. Its flavour is sweet and mild, with notes reminiscent of a mixture between cherimoya, soursop, banana and mango, with a more delicate, less intense profile than its more famous relatives. The texture is notably creamy and smooth, similar to a natural dessert. It is eaten mainly fresh, splitting the fruit and eating the pulp with a spoon, spitting out the seeds, as well as in aguas frescas, milk shakes, ice creams, sorbets and jams. It is especially prized in the traditional cuisine of south-eastern Mexico and Central America, where it is considered one of the refreshing fruits par excellence of the warm season.

Origin and history

The anona is native to Mesoamerica and the American tropical basin, particularly south-eastern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America, where its use is documented from pre-Hispanic times. The name anona comes from Antillean Taíno, the Caribbean language that the Spanish brought from the Antilles. In Nahuatl it was known by various regional names that have been lost or changed. Francisco Hernández in his Historia natural de la Nueva España (sixteenth century) documents several species of the genus Annona, including the anona, attributing food and medicinal uses to them. It belongs to the genus Annona of the Annonaceae family, one of the most diverse and ancient families of tropical fruits in the Americas, which also includes the soursop (Annona muricata), the cherimoya (Annona cherimola), the atemoya (a hybrid between Annona cherimola and Annona squamosa) and other famous tropical fruits. The main species of the anona is Annona reticulata, also known as custard apple in English for its creamy texture. After the conquest, the anona spread through tropical Africa, Asia and Oceania, where it has become naturalised in many countries. Today it is traditionally grown in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche and Oaxaca, as well as throughout Central America and the Caribbean. CONABIO documents several Annona species as part of Mesoamerican biocultural heritage.

Characteristic ingredients

The anona is Annona reticulata, a small deciduous tree of the Annonaceae family that can reach ten metres in height, with alternate elliptical leaves and small yellow-green flowers with three fleshy outer petals. The fruit is harvested when it begins to soften and the skin changes colour slightly (from grey-green to brown-pink tones); it ripens fully at room temperature in one to three days. It is ready when the skin yields to gentle pressure and the reticulated segments (the cores of the skin) appear slightly separated from one another. To prepare, it is split in half and the pulp eaten with a spoon, spitting out the large flat black-brown seeds (which are not eaten and may be toxic). The pulp contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, dietary fibre and antioxidants. The flavour is sweet, mild and aromatic, with notes that combine cherimoya, soursop, ripe banana, mango and a touch of vanilla, forming a distinctive but less intense profile than its relatives. The texture is creamy, similar to a natural flan or pudding, which gave the fruit its English name (custard apple). The main culinary uses are: fresh consumption with a spoon; aguas frescas (blended with water, strained to remove seeds); milk shakes with a little vanilla; artisanal ice creams and sorbets; jams and traditional sweets; and, among contemporary chefs, mousses, signature desserts and combinations with nuts and spices. In indigenous traditional medicine, the leaves and bark have been used to treat digestive complaints and as an insect repellent.

Cultural significance

The anona is biocultural heritage of south-eastern Mexico and Central America, an emblem of the diversity of the Annonaceae family, one of the most important in the American tropics. It is a traditional ingredient of the Mesoamerican cuisine of south-eastern Mexico (Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Oaxaca) and of all Central America, where it appears in local markets and regional fruit fairs in the harvest season. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes native fruits such as the annonas among its cultural components. Economically, the anona supports rural producers in tropical and subtropical areas of south-eastern Mexico, mainly in backyard systems and small orchards, without large-scale intensive commercial cultivation. SADER (gob.mx) has highlighted the potential of the annonas as underused crops of both fruit and nutraceutical interest, given their high profile of antioxidants and bioactive compounds. Mexican and US researchers have studied the compounds of the genus Annona, particularly the acetogenins, which have shown anticancer activity in preliminary studies, although their therapeutic use requires more research. In contemporary cuisine, the annonas in general (anona, cherimoya, soursop, atemoya) are experiencing a revival thanks to chefs such as Margarita Carrillo Arronte, Daniela Soto-Innes and Enrique Olvera, who incorporate them into modern desserts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between anona and cherimoya?

Both are annonas but different species. The anona (Annona reticulata) has reticulated skin that turns brown-pink as it ripens, white-pink-yellow pulp, a mild sweet flavour, and thrives in tropical lowlands. The cherimoya (Annona cherimola) has skin with raised scales of a green colour, creamy white pulp, a more intense and aromatic flavour with banana-pineapple notes, and thrives in temperate highland areas. The anona is more subtropical-tropical.

What does anona taste like?

It has a sweet and mild flavour, with notes that combine cherimoya, soursop, ripe banana, mango and a touch of vanilla, with a more delicate, less intense profile than its famous relatives. The texture is notably creamy, similar to a natural flan or pudding, which earned it the name custard apple in English. The aroma is mild and pleasant, without the intensity of the soursop or the penetrating perfume of the cherimoya.

How is anona served?

Fresh, it is split in half and the pulp eaten with a spoon, spitting out the flat black-brown seeds. It is also prepared in aguas frescas (blended with water and strained to remove seeds), milk shakes with vanilla, artisanal ice creams, sorbets, jams and traditional sweets. In contemporary cuisine it appears in mousses, signature desserts, smoothies, dessert sauces and combinations with nuts. The seeds are not eaten because they may be toxic.

Where does the anona come from?

It is native to Mesoamerica and the American tropical basin, particularly south-eastern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America, where its use is documented from pre-Hispanic times in sources such as Francisco Hernández. The name comes from Antillean Taíno. Today it is traditionally grown in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche and Oaxaca, as well as throughout Central America and the Caribbean, and has become naturalised in tropical Africa, Asia and Oceania.