Jonathan Wilhoite Blog: Facts About The Superfood “Lucuma”

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Facts About The Superfood “Lucuma”

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You may have heard about most of the South American superfoods such as chia, acai, quinoa, and maca. But these are not the only superfoods available to humankind. Have you heard of lucuma, the latest superfood addition to your diet? If you are wondering why lucuma is a great new superfood, keep on reading this article.

Why Lucuma Is A Great New Superfood?

Lucuma is a fruit. It is quite similar to a cross between a sweet potato and an avocado. Lucuma is native to South America – Peru to be specific. The fruit has been called “Incan Gold,” and is used in milkshakes, ice creams, dulce de leche desserts, and juices in Peru and Chile. The Incans cherished this fruit and referred to the lucuma tree as the “tree of life.”

What Does Lucuma Taste Like?

It has a unique flavour which is quite similar to a mix of maple or caramel with a sweet potato.

What Makes The Fruit So Healthy?

The fruit can be used as a sweetener as a fruit or in powdered form. It comes with a low glycemic index – two grams of natural sugar for every eleven grams of carbohydrates to be precise. This is great news for people who are on a low GI diet or trying to lose weight. It is absolutely packed with important antioxidants, beta-carotene, zinc, fibre, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and niacin (vitamin B3). Vitamin B3 is a tough vitamin to find outside of meats, and it helps combat depression and anxiety. This is what makes lucuma such an important superfood. It is a great source for vegans or vegetarians.

Since lucuma is pretty new to the scene, not so much of research has been done as yet. There is no FDA confirmation for this food yet. But the Peruvians and Incans have been using this superfood for centuries for its medicinal and nutritional properties. A 2010 study confirmed that lucuma contains anti-inflammatory properties which can help with skin regeneration. Hence, it may have greater use in the skin care industry in the future. One more important thing is, the superfood is gluten free.

How Do You Eat It?

You may not find this superfood outside of South America. The delicate nature of the fruit makes it difficult to export. You can find it is powdered form in the United States. You can incorporate the superfood into your diet as a nutritional supplement. It can also be used as a natural sweetener and sugar substitute. It is also used for anything from custards, ice creams, cakes or added to your favourite smoothies, juices, and protein shakes. Now you may understand why lucuma is a great new superfood.

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