Lucuma is pronounced (loo-koo-mah),
also known as the “Gold of the Incas” and is so common in Peru. And they mostly
use in ice cream flavor and even trumping vanilla and chocolate. Lucuma (Pouteria Lucuma) is a super healthy fruit that has been eaten
by Peruvians since 200 A.D., but modern science is just now getting a clue of
how nutrient-dense this fruit actually is and how it could offer great healing
potential. Europeans discovered Lucuma in the fifteen century, calling it “egg
fruit” due to its shape and since the flesh of the fruit is the same color as
an egg yolk.
Lucuma tastes
like a combination of maple syrup and sweet potato to some, or a mango crossed
with an apricot to others. Though the fruit can be hard to come by owing to the
fact that they grow at altitudes of 4,500 to 10,000 feet, the powder can be
obtained from numerous health food stores. According to the Peruvian people,
Lucuma is a symbol of both longevity and fertility.
Although it
doesn’t rate as high as other foods on the ORAC chart such as sumac, another super
food in its own right with an off-the-charts ORAC value, Lucuma is full of necessary
nutrients and can be used as a healthier substitute for sugar. The super
food Lucuma is available in powder form here and mostly used in desserts,
lending its naturally caramel flavor to anything from smoothies, raw
cheesecakes, cookies, super food balls and, of course, ice cream. Its tree is
called lucumo, and in Ecuador, the tree is called lugma.
Here’re some
useful benefits of lucuma, as well as its nutritional profile:
1. Lucuma is
highly useful in beta-carotene, perhaps you might have guessed with its
yellow-orange color that lucuma is rich in beta-carotene, an imperative source
of vitamin A which human bodies need for better vision, supporting cellular
growth, and even assisting with immune system reactions. Beta carotene may well
protect against other cancers as well, including esophageal, liver, pancreatic,
colon, rectal, prostate, ovarian, and cervical cancers due to its strength as
an antioxidant.
2. Lucuma is a natural
sweetener and it can sweeten foods without spiking blood sugar, and it comprises
beneficial nutrients that sugar alone lacks. Lucuma is also an awesome
natural sweetener being low in sugars and low on the glycemic scale, but adding
a subtle sweet flavor to your dishes.
3. Lucuma is well
iron with rich as it improves the transportation of oxygen into cells and is an
energetic nutrient to pregnant and breast-feeding women. Proper levels of iron
contribute to energy levels as well.
4. A vegetarian
source highly rich in niacin (Vitamin B3) however most meat-eaters get their B3
from steaks and chicken, vegetarians and vegans will love this vitamin from
lucuma. This nutrient helps in digestion, muscle development, and the
regulation of stress and sex hormones.
5. Lucuma is super
fiber rich food, which can aids in digestive system work properly, plummeting
constipation and bloating.
6. Lucuma is very
helpful in wound healing and anti-Inflammatory cinnamon, ginger, and lucuma
smoothie for a healthy and tasty treat.
7. Lucuma Nut oil
is anti-viral and anti-bacterial which can also prevent colds, flu, and other
viral or bacterial diseases, possibly making it a sound substitute for
pharmaceutical antibiotics in many cases.
