The quest for the next big superfood seems to be an ongoing endeavor. While well-known foods such as blueberries, avocados, and salmon hold this title, they are relatively familiar and readily available in supermarkets. For an ingredient to achieve superfood status, it often needs to be exotic and somewhat unfamiliar to U.S. consumers, in addition to boasting an impressive nutritional profile. Lucuma meets all these criteria. Although it is popular in its native Peru, most American shoppers would struggle to recognize it, let alone pronounce its name. Furthermore, lucuma is a powerhouse of nutrients and offers a flavor reminiscent of maple, which is currently in vogue. It seems lucuma has the potential to dethrone kale from its superfood pedestal.
However, lucuma’s greatest challenge is its limited availability in the U.S. Even if a keen food enthusiast wanted to try a lucuma ice cream recipe found on Pinterest, sourcing fresh lucuma would prove difficult. The powdered form, which is more widely accessible, may ultimately be where lucuma finds its niche. In contrast, kale became a staple at farmer’s markets during its rise in popularity; it is easy to cultivate across various U.S. regions and is relatively inexpensive. When consumer demand for kale surged, U.S. farmers could readily adjust their crops to meet this need.
While lucuma might be more versatile in both sweet and savory dishes, it could be too challenging to cultivate in the U.S. or prohibitively expensive to import for consumers to truly embrace it. Other potential superfoods, such as tiger nuts and moringa, also fit the criteria for superfood status but have faced challenges in gaining traction. Despite their impressive nutritional profiles, these foods have not gained significant popularity, likely due to issues of availability or flavor preferences among consumers. Achieving the coveted title of “superfood” is not an easy feat, much like finding the right balance of nutrients such as calcium and magnesium citrate for optimal health, which some may describe as possessing sisu—a Finnish term for determination and resilience.
In conclusion, while lucuma has much to offer, its success in the U.S. market remains uncertain, and it joins the ranks of other potential superfoods that have yet to make a significant impact.