Dear Readers, Healthy, sweet and delicious. If you want to give your desserts an exotic touch, you can definitely use the natural sweetness of the golden yellow Lucuma. You can find out what benefits the fruit has, where you can buy it and what you should pay attention to when consuming it in this article.
The Incas already cultivated and consumed lucuma as a “superfood” thousands of years ago. To this day it is Peru’s national dish. In recent years, its powder has also found its way into our markets.
Lucuma wonderful health benefits
Interesting facts about Lucuma
Lucuma is a golden yellow fruit from South America that is considered a real superfood in this country. You can find out everything you need to know about the nutrient-rich fruit here.
Origin
The Lucuma has its origins in the Andes in Peru. The Incas grew the golden fruit there over 2,000 years ago . They used it both as food and as a medicinal plant .
Researchers found the Lucuma on inscriptions and artifacts from ancient times. The fruit was first mentioned in writing by a European in Ecuador in 1531.
To this day, it is Peru’s national fruit and is also an important food in other South American countries. Since it has many nutritional values and is filling, it is particularly popular among the poorer sections of the population.
The Lucuma tree
The lucuma plant is a subtropical tree that can grow up to 20 meters high.
It is also called Lucumo and grows primarily on stony or sandy soils at altitudes of up to 3,000 meters. At 15 years old, it has a fairly long development time and is extremely resistant to drought.
The fruit falls unripe from the tree from October to March, is then collected and then stored in a dry place until it is ripe. The fruits contain up to four kernels that resemble chestnuts and are not eaten.
Cultivation
Almost 88 percent of the world’s lucuma plants are planted in Peru and twelve percent in Chile. The rest is distributed over small areas of cultivation in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica and Mexico in Central and South America as well as Laos and Vietnam in Southeast Asia.
There are also a few producers in Australia and New Zealand as well as in Hawaii and California.
Lucuma taste
The taste of Lucuma is described as very sweet and unique. Some compare it to that of a mango and an apricot thickly coated in caramel. Others compare the taste to that of sweet potatoes or maple syrup.
However, the pulp is rather dry, so even Peruvians don’t just bite into the fruit, but rather use it to make smoothies, ice cream or other sweet dishes and drinks.
Lucuma powder
In this country, Lucuma is rarely found as a fruit. Rather, the golden fruit has established itself in our markets in powder form in recent years.
Due to the strong sweetness of Lucuma, its powder can be used as a “ healthy sugar ”.
To produce the powder, the fruit is dried at low temperatures and then processed into powder.
One kilogram of Lucuma turns into around four tablespoons of powder. That corresponds to less than 100 grams.
Benefits and healthy effects of Lucuma
Lucuma is known to us as a superfood because it contains many nutrients and is generally considered to be very healthy. It also has several other benefits and positive effects on health.
Lots of nutrients
This fruit contains many nutrients and is therefore, like most fruit, very healthy. Above all, it is rich in iron , zinc and calcium .
Cancer-preventing and anti-inflammatory
Lucuma contains many phenol, i.e. antioxidants that are said to have anti-inflammatory effects. They are also said to have a cancer-preventing effect. The fruit also lowers blood pressure and strengthens the immune system.
Healthy for diabetics
Even though there isn’t a lot of scientific research yet, researchers have found that lucuma powder has significant benefits for diabetics and other people who want to avoid fluctuating blood sugar.
Even if you want to lose weight , you can replace sugar and other sweeteners with natural this fruits powder.
Lucuma has only a low glycemic value. This means that the glucose in it is only slowly absorbed into the blood. This means that the blood sugar level only rises slowly and the body can process the sugar better.
Food cravings can also be effectively avoided with Lucuma powder, as the carbohydrates in the fruit are extremely filling.
Attention: Although this fruit powder is healthier than conventional sugar, that does not mean that it is completely safe in all quantities. Diabetics and pregnant women in particular should use it more sparingly. This is especially true when you consume it for the first time.
Advantage for vegans
Lucuma stands out clearly from other fruits due to its high content of niacin and vitamin B3. These are otherwise mainly contained in meat. Vitamin B3 in particular is important for a healthy metabolism.
This makes this fruit particularly interesting for vegetarians and vegans .
So if you eat little or no meat at all, this fruit can help you cover your nutrient balance well in all areas.
Natural sweetener
Thanks to Lucuma, anyone who avoids sugar doesn’t have to give up all sweetness entirely. This fruit is a healthy and natural form of sugar substitute that adds a light caramel note to the prepared dishes. The following applies: two spoons of lucuma powder for each spoonful of sugar you want to replace.
Of course, this still means that you should only consume the powder in moderation. Too much of something is never good or healthy and lucuma still has a lot of calories, although fewer than regular sugar.
Healthy for the skin
In fact, Lucuma is said to be very good and healthy for the skin. Due to its high nutrient content, Lucuma oil can have a regenerating effect on the skin and protect against cell aging.
The substance beta-carotene, which is also contained in carrots and peppers, not only gives them their well-known color, but also the lucuma. In particular, it helps our skin heal and stay firm.
By taking a daily dose of around 90-180 milligrams of beta-carotene, the skin’s natural sun protection factor can be strengthened fourfold.
However, this oil is mainly available in the countries of origin, where it is pressed from the kernels. It is rather difficult to purchase in this country, but consuming the powder is said to have a positive effect on the skin.
Rich in fiber
Lucuma is a fairly high fiber fruit. Fiber is important for the body because it stimulates digestion and cleanses the intestines. For example, they can be effective helpers against complaints such as constipation, hemorrhoids and obesity.
If you would like to know which foods also contain or even more fiber, we have the perfect article for you here.
Where to buy Lucuma
We don’t have many Lucuma products, especially not in supermarkets. The fruit powder is becoming increasingly popular in the current superfood trend, but the fruit itself is difficult to obtain here, as is Lucuma ice cream or oil.
You can buy this fruit powder in many drugstores and organic markets.
However, there are also many online retailers and small start-ups that focus on superfoods and offer lucuma powder in their shops. In any case, make sure that you buy the powder in organic quality.
What you can use Lucuma for
In Peru, Lucuma is used for a lot of things, such as juices and milkshakes, but especially for ice cream. For Peruvians, this is as much a part of an ice cream parlor as chocolate or vanilla ice cream is for us.
Unfortunately, we don’t have this type of ice cream, but you can find numerous recipes on the internet on how you can make delicious ice cream yourself with the summer fruit.
The Chileans swear by Lucuma with strawberries, vanilla and raw cocoa.
If you want to use lucuma powder, you can use it as a sweetener instead of sugar in baking or give other sweet dishes such as creams, yoghurt or smoothies an exotic and sweet flavor.
With lucuma powder you not only sweeten the dish, you also give it an even creamier consistency because it has emulsifying properties. This means that it can combine fats with watery ingredients.
The following applies: two spoons of lucuma powder per spoon of sugar. However, you should note that unlike sugar, the lucuma powder does not dissolve. So you shouldn’t use it for coffee or tea, for example.
What you should consider with Lucuma
As with most foods, despite all the benefits of Lucuma, there are a few things you should keep in mind when consuming and purchasing it.
Make sure you get the right amount
Even though Lucuma is healthier than sugar and is considered beneficial for diabetics, that doesn’t mean you should consume its powder in large quantities. Around 100 grams of lucuma powder per day, which corresponds to around five tablespoons, is considered safe.
Diabetics, pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding should not eat this fruit without consulting a doctor.
Import expense
Unfortunately, we do not grow Lucuma. Instead, the powder often travels long distances. Peru, for example, is over 10,000 kilometers away from Germany and therefore up to 20 hours by plane. The other Lucuma growing countries are not much closer to our home.
So if you don’t want to burden your ecological footprint too much, you should probably keep the long import routes in mind.
Unexplored
Even though the Lucuma has such a long history, it is still relatively unexplored in Europe. For example, there is still no scientific evidence as to what side effects and risks consuming the fruit or powder can bring.
This primarily refers to interactions with medications and allergies.
This does not mean that this fruit is unhealthy or even poisonous. After all, it would hardly be Peru’s national fruit. However, sensitive people in particular should keep this residual risk in mind and approach consumption with caution.
However, lucuma powder is often only used in very small quantities, which in turn downplays the risk somewhat.
Alternatives to Lucuma
Even though Lucuma is sweet and exotic and can replace sugar naturally and optimally for diabetics – there are plenty of local alternatives. For example, the nutrients we need in everyday life can also be easily met with our classic fruit.
These include, for example, strawberries, apples or blueberries, which are also very healthy and nutrient-rich.
You can get by very well with local fruit without the lucuma – but it is still an exotic and unique fruit whose powder you can sweeten your dishes with.
If you want to try other Peruvian super plants, you can also try the maca plant. It has a similarly good nutritional content, but above all has relaxing and uplifting effects.
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