Achacha: the refreshing tropical fruit rich in beneficial properties

Achacha is a tropical fruit native to South America, especially Bolivia. It is a sweet and refreshing fruit, very similar to melon. Achacha is rich in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, in addition to folic acid and anti-oxidants, it is also low in calories and it contains very few sugars.

The achacha (Garcinia humilis) is a tropical fruit native to Bolivia, but known throughout South America, and which is becoming increasingly popular in Europe as well. The main commercial plantation, however, is currently present in the state of Queensland in Australia. This particular fruit has a thick dark orange skin, a light pulp and coffee-colored seeds. Its taste is fresh, refreshing and also a bit spicy, and is very reminiscent of melon. The achacha also has many beneficial properties that make this tropical fruit a real panacea: it is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and it contains folic acid, it also increases the sense of hunger, it has few sugars and few calories: it can therefore be useful for weight loss and an excellent food for those suffering from diabetes. But let's find out more about the properties of achacha and how to consume it.

Nutritional and beneficial properties of achacha

From a nutritional point of view, achacha is rich in substances useful for our body. It contains 80% of water, in addition to mineral salts such as potassium, calcium, copper and magnesium, and vitamins, such as vitamin A, C, E and B vitamins.

Other important elements are folic acid and antioxidants. Achacha has always been used in traditional Bolivian medicine to calm irritations and to disinfect wounds. Although it is considered by many to be a fat-burning fruit, such as the "cousin" Garcinia cambogia, there is no scientific evidence to attest this power.

In reality, however, it is a hypocaloric fruit that contains few sugars, and it also increases the sense of satiety: these are characteristics that could make it a good fruit to be included in a low-calorie diet to promote weight loss. The low sugar content makes it the ideal fruit for those suffering from diabetes.

Achacha is a fruit rich in antioxidants, thus helping to counteract the damaging action of free radicals, thus slowing down cellular aging: extending the life of cells also means making them work better. The antioxidant action also limits the accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries, thus bringing benefits also to the coronary arteries, and therefore to the heart. Even the arginine contained in its skin, gives benefits to the cardiovascular system. Moreover, this tropical fruit strengthens the immune system thanks to the presence of vitamin C contained in significant quantities. In addition, the folic acid contained in the achacha promotes the formation of red blood cells, helping to fight anemia, and it is useful for pregnant women as it decreases the risk of malformations of the fetus.

Achacha: where to find it and how to consume it

You can buy achaha online, on sites specialized in selling exotic fruits. The easiest way to consume the soft internal fruit of the achacha, is to pierce the peel, squeezing it from each side, so as to let out the fresh fruit. The pulp can also be enjoyed accompanied by ice cream or fruit salad, or in sparkling drinks, for an aperitif. However, it has always been used to obtain a refreshing drink that is obtained by blending the peel with water. It will then have to be filtered, so as to obtain a drink to taste fresh. From the squeezing of the fruit of the achacha you can also obtain an excellent honey: "achacha" means in fact "kiss of honey", but it has a considerable cost, about 10 times higher than the common honey, and it is considered a very delicious product.