LUCUMA

Lucuma (Pouteria lucuma), native to the cool South American highlands and valleys, is an evergreen tree that grows up to 65ft tall. The skin of the spherical 2-5 inch long fruit turns yellow to brown-orange when ripe and the flesh is a golden yellow-orange color, which is why lucuma is known as “gold of the Incas”. Due to its unique, sweet maple-like flavor, lucuma is commonly used in Peru in juices, milk shakes, desserts and ice creams, and because it is low on the glycemic index, it is now recognized as an ideal sugar alternative.

Lucuma fruit is an excellent source of carbohydrates, in particular starches, and fiber, especially insoluble fiber. It is a rich source of phytochemicals, especially the flavanol phenolics such as catechin and epicatechin and the carotenoids beta-carotene and xanthophylls. Lucuma is a good source of potassium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, vitamins B1 and B3 and contains a variety of other vitamins and minerals.