Lucuma Fruit
Lucuma is sometimes referred to as “gold of the Incas.” Officially it’s also called lucuma obovata and Pouteria obovata. It takes five years for the first fruit to appear, but one tree can bear up 500 fruits per season. During hard times the lucuma fruit was the only food for the communities, that’s why it is also called “tree of life.”
What is Lucuma Fruit
Lucuma is an exotic Peruvian fruit, very similar to avocado, with a hard green exterior, covering the sweet, creamy citrus soft fruit. For centuries, it has been cherished by the locals as a fertility fruit and staple food.
It is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin B3, iron, zinc, calcium, and protein. It contains 329 calories per 100 grams, 87 grams of carbohydrates, 2.3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and 2.4 grams total fat.
The fruit grows in a peaceful, fresh and lush green soils of the Peruvian Andes. In their maturity, they are peeled, pitted and dehydrated at low temperature and then transformed into a fine whole-fruit powder. In this way, the nutritional properties remain intact.
How To Use Lucuma
You may add a tablespoon in your smoothies, ice-cream, fresh, cakes or any other desserts. Due to its sweet taste, it gives flavor to any combination. Make sure you choose a raw certified organic version. You don’t want to get other toxins and chemical pesticides in your body.
Lucuma Benefits
- Natural sweetener. Thanks to its fruity flavor, lucuma powder can be used as a low GI sweetener. It’s perfect for diabetics and for the rest of us to help stabilize blood sugar.
- High amount of antioxidants. Due to its high level of antioxidants, it helps your body to fight and prevent disease and slow the aging process. It contains the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk, vitamin A, C, B3, iron, zinc, phosphorus (important for bones and protein formation) and fiber. It has antibiotic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
- Supports the cardiovascular health system for centuries. This fact was been shown and attested to by studies, due to ACE inhibitory activities
- Reduces inflammation
- A great source of healthy carbohydrates
- Boost the immune system and physical endurance because of its rich content of iron
- Helps digestive system, due to its high content of fiber
- Enhances your energy throughout the day
- It promotes a radiant skin and prevents sun damaged skin. Beta-carotene converts into vitamin A in our bodies and helps cell repair and growth, improves skin tone, reduces fine lines and wrinkles. More, it’s a great sunscreen, preventing sunburn.
Nutrients in Lucuma
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Iron
Where to Buy Organic Lucuma Powder
High quality lucuma powder is available on line here.
Lucuma Side Effects
People who have used lucuma have not reported any noticeable side effects. It is believed that lucuma powder is safe for everyone, even for people with diabetes, thanks to its low glycemic nature. It is also gluten free.
Even with no adverse scientific studies, it is wise to consult still with a healthcare specialist if you are planning to use lucuma powder on a long term basis. Remember that Lucuma is a healthy food, not a miracle drug.
Lucuma FAQ
What is lucuma powder?
Lucuma Powder comes from the superfood lucuma fruit. It is grown in the South America countries of Peru, Chile and Ecuador where it is dried and made into powder. Lucuma powder is an easy way to get the nutrients from lucuma in a form you can conveniently mix into food.
What kind of fruit is lucuma?
Lucuma fruit has a green skin and is yellowish inside. It comes from South America and is rich is many nutrients which are beneficial for your health.
What can I use in place of lucuma powder?
Lucuma has a sweet taste and can be used as a sweetener in many foods such as cereals, yogurt, smoothies and more.
What is lucuma ice cream?
It is an ice cream made with cream, egg yolks and lucuma powder. It is the favorite ice cream flavor in Peru.
lucuma nutrition
lucuma fruit
lucuma ice cream
lucuma taste
lucuma recipes
lucuma tree
lucuma fruta
lucuma powder
lucuma powder benefits
lucuma powder wiki
what is lucuma
peruvian fruit lucuma
lucuma powder nutrition
lucuma sweetener
where can i buy lucuma powder
what is lucuma powder
organic lucuma powder