Lucuma (Pouteria lucuma)

Other names: Lukuma, lucuma, lucmo, eggfruit, canistel, teissa

Lucuma is a fruit native to South America, specifically Peru. It is often referred to as the "super fruit of the Andes" for its richness in vitamins and minerals. It has a smooth rind that hides orange flesh whose flavour evokes a mixture of mango and pumpkin with a hint of vanilla. This fruit is also known as lukuma, lucma, eggfruit, canistel or teissa. Lucuma's richness in vitamins A, B and E and minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus make it a very nutritious fruit. In addition, lucuma contains high levels of beta-carotene and antioxidants, which support immunity, slow aging and help maintain skin and eye health.

Despite all these nutritional values, lucuma is not well known in our country. But that doesn't mean it hasn't been used in the gastronomy and cosmetics industry. The flavour of lucuma is very popular in South America, where it is used to make various desserts such as ice cream, puddings, smoothies, cakes and sweets. Peruvians consider lucuma ice cream to be their national treasure. In addition to its use in the kitchen, lucuma extract is also used in cosmetic products. Thanks to its antioxidants, it is appreciated in anti-age cosmetics and skin care products. Although lucuma is still exotic to Europeans, it is slowly gaining a place in the consciousness of consumers looking for new and healthy ingredients.