Fruit Tax In The Way Of Your Diet Plan? Here Are Some Local Alternatives
Don’t let the new SST scheme on imported fruits stop you from getting your essential nutrients.
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With Malaysia expanding its Sales and Service Tax (SST) to include imported fruits, consumers may face higher prices for popular imports like apples, oranges, grapes, cherries, and berries.
Fortunately, Malaysia has a wide range of locally grown fruits that are delicious, affordable, and often more sustainable. In fact, many locally-grown fruits also provide similar nutrients to the imported fruits that we all love.
Here are some local fruit alternatives compared to their imported counterparts to consider:
Apple alternative: Guava (Jambu Batu)
The guava, or jambu batu as we call it here in Malaysia, is arguably a healthier alternative to red apples.
According to food and nutrition website Foodstruct, guavas contain more protein, fats, and carbohydrates while containing less sugars. They are also richer in all vitamins and minerals.
Most notably, guavas are significantly richer in vitamin C compared to red apples.
There are many types of guavas grown in Malaysia, with the most commonly consumed one being the Crystal Guava. These are the guavas we typically see at fruits stands, with green skin and white flesh, eaten with a sprinkle of asam (plum) powder.
Another type of guava grown locally is the Red Malaysian guava, which also sometimes known as the Thai Maroon guava. They have a sweet-tart flavour profile and can be typically found in local markets. Red Malaysian guavas are also high in vitamin C, just like Crystal guava and red apples.
In summary, Malaysian guava is a nutritional powerhouse, particularly rich in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and protein.
If you’re aiming for more nutrients per bite, especially for immune support and digestive health, guava is superior. But for a milder, sweeter fruit with a softer bite, apples are still great.
| Nutrient | Red Apple (100g) | Malaysian Guava (100g) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 52 kcal | 68 kcal | Guava is more calorie-dense due to higher sugars. |
| Carbohydrates | 13.8 g | 14.3 g | Both are high in carbs, mostly from natural sugars. |
| Sugars | 10.4 g | 8.9 g | Apple slightly sweeter. |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.4 g | 5.4 g | Guava has more than double the fiber. |
| Protein | 0.3 g | 2.6 g | Guava has significantly more protein. |
| Fat | 0.2 g | 1.0 g | Still low, but guava has more. |
| Vitamin C | 4.6 mg (5% DV) | 228 mg (250% DV) | Guava greatly outshines apple in vitamin C. |
| Vitamin A | 3 µg | 31 µg | Guava has more pro-vitamin A. |
| Potassium | 107 mg | 417 mg | Guava again wins in potassium. |
| Magnesium | 5 mg | 22 mg | Guava provides more. |
| Calcium | 6 mg | 18 mg | Guava triples apple here. |
Orange alternative: Pomelo (Limau Bali)
If you’re a fan of citrus fruits, a good replacement for oranges would be the pomelo.
Also known as limau bali, pomelos are slightly lower in calories and sugars, and richer in potassium and vitamin C, compared to oranges.
However, oranges are higher in fiber, calcium, and vitamin A and as far as taste goes, orange is sweeter and juicier, while pomelo is milder, drier, and often slightly bitter or tangy. But don’t be put off by that; there are many great recipes that use pomelo to make delicious dishes with its flavour profile.
Pomelos are primarily grown in the regions of Perak, Kedah, Johor, Melaka, and Kelantan, although Perak, specifically in Tambun, is renowned for its high-quality pomelos. The unique limestone-rich soil in Tambun is believed to contribute to the juiciness and sweetness of the pomelos grown there.
| Nutrient | Orange (100g) | Pomelo (100g) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 47 kcal | 38 kcal | Pomelo is slightly lower in calories. |
| Carbohydrates | 11.8 g | 9.6 g | Orange is higher in natural sugars. |
| Sugars | 9.4 g | 7.5 g | Orange is sweeter. |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.4 g | 1.0 g | Orange has more fiber. |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 0.8 g | Almost equal. |
| Fat | 0.1 g | 0.0 g | Both are fat-free in practical terms. |
| Vitamin C | 53.2 mg (59% DV) | 61 mg (68% DV) | Pomelo slightly edges out. |
| Vitamin A | 225 IU (11 µg) | 8 IU (0.4 µg) | Orange has more vitamin A. |
| Potassium | 181 mg | 216 mg | Pomelo wins here. |
| Calcium | 40 mg | 4 mg | Orange has 10x more calcium. |
| Magnesium | 10 mg | 6 mg | Orange has more magnesium. |
Grape alternatives: Langsat or Duku
Grapes are great to snack on while watching TV or as a healthy dessert after a meal, but now that it’s going to be taxed under the new SST scheme coming into effect on 1 July, you could consider langsat or duku as alternatives.
Both langsat and duku are both types of fruits from the Lansium domesticum species.
Langsat has a sweet-tart flavour that is slightly citrusy, and refreshing. It is rich in fiber, potassium, and contains mild levels of vitamin C – making it a healthy, low-calorie tropical snack.
Duku on the other hand is sweeter and has denser flesh. They’re a good source of vitamins A, B and C, and contains minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium.
Just like grapes, these two alternatives are great if you’re looking for small fruits with moderate amounts of vitamin C and high in potassium to snack on.
| Nutrient | Grapes (Vitis vinifera) | Langsat (Lansium domesticum) | Duku (Lansium parasiticum) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 69 kcal | 57 kcal | 57 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g | 14 g | 14 g |
| Sugars | 15 g | 10 g | 9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.9 g | 2.3 g | 2.0 g |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 1.0 g | 1.0 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g | 0.2 g | 0.2 g |
| Vitamin C | 10.8 mg | 9 mg | 9 mg |
| Potassium | 191 mg | ~275 mg | ~275 mg |
Cherries alternative: Rambutan
Cherries and rambutan share almost the same amount of calories, carbohydrates, and sugars. However, rambutans have much higher vitamin C content while cherries beat rambutans with higher amounts of potassium.
Although rambutans are slightly higher in calories, they are better for immune system support and bone health thanks to its higher content of vitamin C and calcium.
Cherries are generally sweet, juicy, and has a mild tartness in its flavour. Rambutans on the other hand are also sweet but has a floral lychee-like fragrance and a slight acidic tang.
Being a tropical fruit, rambutans are locally grown in Malaysia and are available all year long. Alternatively, you could also opt for pulasan which is a fruit closely related to rambutan and is rich in antioxidants.
| Nutrient | Cherries (sweet) | Rambutan (tropical) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 63 kcal | 68 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g | 16.5 g |
| Sugars | 13 g | 13.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.1 g | 0.9 g |
| Protein | 1.1 g | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g | 0.2 g |
| Vitamin C | 7 mg | 20.9 mg (35% DV) |
| Potassium | 222 mg | 42 mg |
| Calcium | 13 mg | 22 mg |
| Iron | 0.4 mg | 0.35 mg |
Strawberry alternatives: Sapodilla (Ciku)
Although they’re not direct alternatives, swapping out strawberries for sapodilla (ciku) is more of a choice of indulgence.
For one, ciku is much higher in calories and natural sugar which in a way, gives a boost of energy. They’re also very high in fiber, making it excellent for digestion. Besides that, ciku contains more iron and healthy fats compared to strawberries.
When it comes to flavour, those who have tried ciku will know how irresistible the sweet, malty, caramel-like flavour is.
Ciku is a popular tropical fruit in Malaysia and is widely cultivated, particularly in states like Pahang, Johor, Kelantan, and Terengganu.
| Nutrient | Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) | Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 32 kcal | 83 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 7.7 g | 19.9 g |
| Sugars | 4.9 g | 14.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.0 g | 5.3 g |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 0.4 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 1.1 g |
| Vitamin C | 58.8 mg (98% DV) | 14.7 mg (24% DV) |
| Calcium | 16 mg | 21 mg |
| Potassium | 153 mg | 193 mg |
| Iron | 0.4 mg | 0.8 mg |
Choose local fruits, support local farmers
By choosing local fruits, you’re supporting Malaysian farmers, avoiding higher taxes, and reducing your carbon footprint from long-distance imports.
Check your local wet markets or pasar tani (farmers markets) for the freshest and cheapest locally-produced fruits. It’s as easy as asking your local fruit trader for “buah-buahan tempatan”.
READ MORE: “It Doesn’t Make Sense” – Mydin Boss On Expanded SST On Imported Fruits
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