Friday, November 10, 2017

Peru, more wonderful plants for the world

Ancestral crops of Peru: Food for the world. (Part 2)


1) KIWICHA (Amaranthus caudatus)

The kiwicha, quihuicha (Quechua: kiwicha) or amaranth in the rest of Latin America, is a plant of the family of the amarantáceas of fast growth, with leaves, stems and flowers purple, red and golden. "The name Amaranthus comes from the Greek" μápavτos "which means siempreviva.Aimara is called amarantu, trigu inka, achis, achita, chaquilla, sangoracha, in Quechua, inka hakatu, ataku, sankurachi, hawarcha.

The central stem can reach 2 to 2.5 m in height at maturity, showy flowers sprout from the main stem and the inflorescences reach 90 cm. It adapts easily to many environments; it develops at an altitude between 1,400 and 2,400 meters above sea level. It has been found next to Andean tombs more than four thousand years old; and although it is considered a rustic crop, it has been cultivated for millennia.



With the flour of the grain of kiwicha they make unleavened bread, tortillas and chapatís; It is used at breakfast, for breads and rolls. The seeds contain from 13 to 18% of proteins and a high level of leucine, amino acid essential for nutrition. The kiwicha has calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamin E and vitamin B complex. Its fiber, compared with wheat and other cereals, is very fine and smooth.



2) TARWI (Lupinus mutabilis)

The tarwi, lupine, lupine, lupine is a legume with high protein content, greater than that of soybeans. The plant reaches a height of 1.8 to 2 m, it is cultivated mainly between 2000 and 3800 meters; It comes from the central Andes, mainly from Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. In Peru it is grown mainly in Cajamarca, Ancash, Junín, Ayacucho, Cusco and in Puno.



Seeds have been found in tombs of the Nazca Culture and representations in Tiahuanaco pottery. The tarwi can be used as an appetizer, in stews, in purees, in sauces, ceviche de chochos, soups (cream of tarwi); stews (pepián), desserts (mazamorras con naranja) and soft drinks (papaya with tarwi flour).



3) AGUAYMANTO (Physalis peruviana L.)

The aguaymanto, uchuva, uvilla, ushun (in English golden berry) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the solanaceae family, with characteristics similar to potato, tomato and tobacco plants.

The fruit is round, yellow, sweet and small (between 1.26 and 2 cm in diameter). It can be consumed alone, in syrup, desserts and other sweet fruits. Its internal structure is similar to a miniature tomato (Cherry tomato).



The aguaymanto is a fruit native to South America, where more than 50 species are known in the wild. It is currently in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. It is a source of provitamin A (3,000 IU of carotene per 100 g) and vitamin C. It also has some of the vitamin B complex. In addition, the protein (0.3%) and phosphorus (55%) it contains are exceptionally high for a fruit. It is used to purify the blood, it tones the optic nerve; It is recommended for people with diabetes. It has antioxidant power and therefore, helps prevent cancer of different types such as stomach and colon.



4) CAMU CAMU (Myrciaria dubia)

The camu-camu, is a shrub native to the Peruvian Amazon and some regions of Colombia and Brazil, grows wild in flooded alluvial soils during the rainy season. It is found along the Putumayo, Ucayali and Amazonas rivers and their tributaries, between Pucallpa (on the Ucayali River) and Pebas (on the Amazon River). It can reach up to 8 m in height, is appreciated by the high content of vitamin C.

The fruits contain an exceptional concentration of vitamin C, at least 16 times more than the orange pulp; In a recent exploration of the Amazon, specimens were found that present between 3000 to 6000 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g of pulp, that is, between 57 and 114 times more concentration than orange, which is why it has a high nutritional and medicinal value.



Due to the high concentration of ascorbic acid, "camu camu" is considered to be a native fruit tree of the first order for the agroindustry. The peel of the ripe fruit has a good concentration of the anthocyanin pigment suitable for the manufacture of the dyes.



5) LOCHE (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne).

The loche is native plant of Lambayeque, has a pleasant flavor and is a great essential product for gastronomy. It is the sixth protected designation of origin, since 2010. The loche is in the diet for thousands of years the loche has been a fundamental product of the diet of the inhabitants of Lambayeque. The loche increases is the work of the kid, the delicious rice with duck or chicken, which saturates the aroma of "thickened or yémeque", which was already consumed by the Lord of Sipan and his court.



The loche only grows in Lambayeque, it was domesticated for more than 6,000 years, so it is an ethnobotanical species, used since ancient times as a natural flavoring in the preparation of native dishes from the north coast. The evidence of its existence is in its constant representation in the ceramics of the Mochica, Lambayeque and Chimú cultures. It is estimated that it began to be consumed for two thousand years, when the cultures appeared Mochica, Sicán or Lambayeque and later Chimú.



The pumpkin loche has high nutritional value because it contains high concentrations of vitamins (A, C, B, B2 and B5), minerals (calcium, phosphorus and iron). It is a healthy food, low in calories, poor protein content and almost no presence of fats. Due to its quick and simple digestion, it is recommended for all ages, including babies and the elderly.



6) PALLARES (Phaseolus lunatus)

The pallar (locust bean, habones, bean, white bean, Lima bean, Lima bean, pallar bean or guaracaro) is an annual herbaceous species of the legume family. It is grown in warm and temperate countries; its name comes from the mochica (paxller) and Quechua (pallar). This plant is native to tropical and subtropical America, specifically the Andean and Mesoamerican areas.

In the domestication of the plant there were two periods: The first was in the Andes around 2000 BC, in which it produced a large seed variety (Lima type); the second was in Mesoamerica, around 800, where a variety of small seed (type Sieva) was obtained. The wild form of small seed (type Sieva) that finds between Mexico and Argentina, below the 1600 meters; The large seed variety (Lima type) is in the north of Peru, between 320 and 2030 meters.




7) ARRACACHA (Arracacia xanthorrhiza)

The arracacha (arracache, celery criollo, racacha, rakacha, laquchu, huiasampilla, virraca, white carrot or manioc sauce) is a plant native to the Andes, grown in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador among the 600 and 3200 meters above sea level

The edible part is the root that resembles a thickened carrot, which can be white (hence called white carrot in Ecuador), yellow or purple depending on the variety. This tuberous root is appreciated for its flavor, for it contains a very fine starch and a high content of calcium and vitamin A. The young stems are consumed in salads and the leaves can be used as forage for cattle or pigs.



For its nutritional value, arracacha is recommended in the diet of children, the elderly and convalescents. The arracacha is sold fresh for homemade soups, purées, cakes and sweets. In Colombia and Brazil, processed products have been developed such as flour, fried arracacha, precooked arracacha, instant soups and baby foods; In Peru, the typical sweet called "rallado de arracacha" is prepared with cane honey.

It is the oldest and most cultivated Andean plant in the pre-Inca period, whose domestication preceded the potato and corn. Currently, Cajamarca, La Libertad and Cuzco are the centers of greatest diversification of arracacha, at altitudes of 1,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level, with temperatures ranging between 15 and 20 C.



8) CHIRIMOYA (Annona cherimola)

The cherimoya (Quechua chiri, "cold, cold", muya, "seeds", since it germinates at high altitudes) is one of the most appreciated tropical fruits within the genus. This fruit has high organoleptic, digestive and nutritional qualities, as well as medicinal and industrial properties. It is native to the north of Peru, in areas between 1,500 and 2,200 meters above sea level, where it was already cultivated since 200 AD.



The origin of the cherimoya is in the Peruvian Andes and the mountains of Ecuador, where it grows spontaneously; It can include the Andean zones of Chile and Colombia. This plant is widely spread throughout the world.
The nutritional value is in the high content of sugars (up to 20%) and that of proteins, higher than that of many other fruits, which reaches 2%. It has a lot of vitamin; B1, B2, B6, calcium, iron, phosphorus and other nutrients.



9) CAPULI (Prunus serótina)

The capulí or American black cherry tree, is a tree of the Rosaceae family, native of North America, of southern Quebec. It grows in temperate and cold places of Mexico, from 800 to 2600 meters above sea level or more, in stony, shallow and deep soils abundant organic matter. It is intolerant to the shade, it develops mainly in clearings (pioneer). The capulí is not an endangered species nor is it threatened, but in some places it can disappear due to the invasion of parasitic plants.

It is dispersed in the Andes, in temperate zones of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. In Cajamarca it is used in traditional parties known as "unshas" or cortamontes, which endangers its continuity.



The leaves, the bud, and the branches have medicinal use; relieve colic and rheumatism, influenza, has expectorant properties, relieves coughing, bronchitis, cough, catarrh of the respiratory tract and convulsive cough.



10) COCONA (Solanum sessiliflorum)

The cocona is a species native to tropical South America and belongs to the family Solanaceae, is grown in several countries for its fruit of pleasant taste and nutritional properties that allow to make juices, nectars, jams, sweets, compotes or for consumption in fresh.



In Peru there are more than 25 biotypes, of which 11 are promising for commercial use. It is grown in South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela) at less than 700 meters above sea level to be used for human consumption. Cocona can grow as an ornamental indoor plant in higher and colder areas; It is very sensitive to frost. Cocona is rich in iron and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid); the volume of the juice is up to 36 cm3 / fruit and the Brix grade of 4-6.