Top 5 Tropical Fruits To Eat As A Vegan In Nigeria

Daniella Obuwan Oshiame
3 min readJan 14, 2022

It’s no news, some exotic fruits that are easily accessible in other countries aren’t readily available to vegans here in Nigeria, and that is why we must make do with the available tropical fruits we have in Nigeria, instead of depending on imported fruits.

Getting to purchase tropical fruits as a vegan in Nigeria shouldn’t be stressful, as Nigeria is blessed with different types of tropical fruits, which are affordable and accessible. Most of these fruits are available year round, while some are seasonal, and are sold in Nigerian open markets, small outlets, and shopping malls.

In this article, I will be focusing on top 5 tropical fruits to eat as a vegan in Nigeria.

• Banana

Nigeria is one of the major African countries that cultivate bananas, making them available year-round. Bananas are sweet and full of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, with numerous health benefits, that shouldn’t be overlooked by vegans. It provides your body with the energy it needs to thrive when eaten daily, enabling you to cope with the hustle and bustle of city life. Especially in Lagos, Nigeria.

Bananas help to control blood sugar, aid digestion, and weight loss, promote a healthy heart, hair, and skin, treat ulcers, reduce menstrual problems, boost fertility, prevent kidney stones, reduce stress, and help to prevent bad effects during pregnancy.

• Mango

Mangoes are not always available year-round, but when they are, they come in different tastes, colors, shapes, and sizes, and the nutritional benefits are significantly the same, as the differences are deemed negligible. Mangoes are succulent and they contain amazing health benefits. They are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which help to alleviate certain diseases and other health conditions, when eaten regularly.

Mangoes fill you up and kick-start your day, when eaten first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. They help to boost the immune system, maintain normal blood pH levels, promote digestion, strong bones and skin health, reduce the risk of heatstroke and cholesterol levels, treat anemia, prevent asthma and cancer. The health benefits of mangoes cannot be overemphasized as it contains lots of vital nutrients which vegans need to function properly.

• Orange

Oranges are a year-round, super-juicy fruit, that vegans can’t resist, with a range of vital nutrients, including essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that contribute positively to human health, and a vegan lifestyle when consumed regularly.

It nourishes and cleanses your body, leaving you refreshed and feeling alive all through the day. Oranges help to ward off cancer cells, promote weight loss, healthy eye, skin, and hair, regulate blood sugar levels, boost the immune system and libido in men, energize the body, prevent heart diseases, poor blood circulation, and oxidative damage, aids digestion and stimulate hair growth.

• Pineapple

Pineapple isn’t a year-round fruit, but it is filled with sweet-nourishing healthy waters and lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that are good for the skin and your overall well-being as a vegan. It contains a significant amount of iron when eaten fresh. Pineapples boost fertility, enhance the immune system, support blood circulation, improve eye and skin health, promote strong bones, prevents cancer, aids digestion and weight loss, reduce nausea and blood clotting, relieve arthritis, cold symptoms, and cure chapped lips.

• Cucumber

The Nigerian weather never fails to tell us how hot it can be at times, and that is why it is imperative to always keep your body hydrated as a vegan, to avoid heatstroke. Cucumber is a year-round fruit, and it contains essential nutrients that contribute to hydration, like potassium and magnesium. Therefore consuming cucumber at intervals can help keep you hydrated on a hot sunny day.

Cucumber is an excellent fruit that can improve one’s beauty and health. Eating cucumbers lead to numerous health benefits, which include balanced hydration, promoting digestion, hair growth, healthy bones, and weight loss, lowering blood sugar levels, controlling diabetes, preventing inflammatory diseases, and lots more. Cucumber juice can replace energy drinks and supplements, strengthening your overall body as a vegan.

The Bottom Line

These top five tropical fruits are super nourishing, affordable, accessible, and can be eaten any time of the day. They are packed with lots of nutrients required for a balanced vegan lifestyle and healthy body maintenance. So when next you go shopping for fruits, do make sure to include them in your shopping cart.

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Daniella Obuwan Oshiame

|Freelance, Vegan, Health & Nutrition Writer|Ghost Writer|Vegan Content Writer @PlantStand, USA & @ Casa Vegan, NG |Writer @TheHealthCity 📩 verycaya@gmail.com