You surely are going to be amazed by the newer and best superfoods we are going to discuss today – the Incaberries.
Inca Berries are not from the berry family but rather they are in the tomato family. A native of the Andes in South America, these Inca berries are called “aguaymanto”. Inca berries look like small yellow coloured tomatoes.
These berries are moderately sweet with a tinge of citrus taste. They are a staple commodity in South Africa and are called as Cape gooseberries. These golden berries have now emerged on the list of the new best superfoods in the market because of the nutrients present in them.
Interesting Facts About Inca Berries – The Best Superfoods
- Inca Berries are very small in size and look like marbles. They come wrapped in a shell.
- They were initially cultivated in Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. It later found its place in Australia, India, New Zealand, Thailand, Egypt, South Africa and England.
- Inca Berries got its name “Cape Gooseberry” due to the paper wrapper surrounding the berry like a cape.
- There are so many other names for this: Physalis, Cape Gooseberry, Pichu berry, Incan golden berries, Aztec berries, ground cherry, and poha.
- These golden berries are called best superfoods as they are low in calories and has a considerate quantity of vitamins and minerals. It is used for weight loss, inflammation, diabetes, kidney and liver health and improving the immune system.
How are Inca Berries beneficial to health
Low-Calorie Food
100 grams of Inca berries have only 53 calories. At the same time, they contain vitamin A, C, E, K1, B1, B2, and B3 along with phytosterols and fatty acids. Minerals like iron and calcium are also found in Inca berries.
High Antioxidants
Inca berries are classed among the best superfoods because of the specialized antioxidants in it. These antioxidants are useful for their healing qualities and anti-inflammatory properties. They protect the liver and kidney. And this is what makes it to be grouped among the best superfoods
Healing Power
There is a compound called “withanolides” that has very good healing power like the Ashwagandha. Here are some of the healing properties of Inca berries:
- Antioxidant effects
- Counters Bacteria
- Cancer Protective effects
- Kidney protective
- Liver protective
- Regulates blood sugar
- Improves immunity
- Lowers fever
- Reduces inflammation
- Helps in weight loss
The fatty acids in the fruit are very less but it is mostly linoleic acid which is useful to our body in numerous ways.
How To Grow Inca Berries
Well unlike any other plant, Inca berries are easy to grow from seeds. Tips to grow them and add beauty to your terrace gardening, you need to follow this simple steps :-
- Take a ripe Inca berry and squeeze out the flesh and seeds.
- Put the flesh and seeds into a pot with some soil in it.
- Now spray water into the seeds.
- And don’t forget to keep the soil moist. THAT’S IT.
In 20 days to a month, your seed will germinate and plant will start growing throughout the pot.
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Do You Know?
Do you know how to use Inca berries?
Inca berries can be added to our morning smoothies. Just a handful of Inca berries and the taste is multiplied triple times. Likewise, it can also be added to beverages, yogurts, jams, etc. It can also be consumed as a whole dried fruit.
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A Word Of Caution
Inca berries, when consumed in moderate is very beneficial. But studies have found that consuming them in very high amounts could be toxic to the heart tissues. Also, people who are allergic to the nightshade family must avoid consuming this fruit.
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