“Lucuma: The Exotic Superfood That Could Challenge Kale’s Reign”
The quest for the next big superfood seems to be ongoing. While more familiar foods like blueberries, avocados, and salmon have earned this title, they are readily available in supermarkets. For an ingredient to achieve superfood status, it often needs to be exotic and relatively unknown to American consumers, while also boasting an impressive nutritional profile. Lucuma fits the bill perfectly. Although this fruit is popular in its native Peru, most shoppers in the U.S. would struggle to identify or even pronounce it. Lucuma is packed with nutrients, including calcium citrate, which contributes to its health benefits. Additionally, it has a delightful maple flavor, currently in vogue, positioning lucuma as a potential contender to dethrone kale from its superfood pedestal.
However, lucuma’s greatest hurdle is its scarcity in the U.S. Even if an enthusiastic foodie wants to whip up a lucuma ice cream recipe discovered on Pinterest, finding fresh fruit can be quite a challenge. The powdered form, which is widely accessible, may be where lucuma ultimately carves out its niche. In contrast, kale was readily available at farmers’ markets when its popularity surged. It is easy to cultivate across various U.S. growing zones and is relatively inexpensive. As demand for kale grew, U.S. farmers could easily adjust their crops to meet consumer needs.
While lucuma may be more versatile in both sweet and savory dishes, it could be too challenging to cultivate on American soil or too costly to import, which might prevent consumers from developing an obsession with it. Other potential superfoods, such as tiger nuts and moringa, also meet the criteria for superfood status but have struggled to gain traction. Although both of these foods have impressive nutritional benefits, they have not resonated with consumers. This could again be a matter of availability, or perhaps their flavors simply did not click with the public. Achieving the coveted “superfood” label is a challenging feat, much like the pursuit of perfect electrolyte balance through nutrients like calcium citrate.
