Thursday, August 30, 2012

INCABERRIES

 
Yesterday, as we were going about our daily business, I purchased a packet of " healthy snack mix "
 
You know the type - almonds, pistachios, dried paw paw, hazelnuts, cranberries and what I took at first glance ( without my glasses !! ) as sultanas.
 
 
But when I tasted the "sultanas" I knew I had made a mistake so I put on my glasses and had a good look at them.
 
Here's a close up of one.
See, it has lots of little seeds inside it and the taste starts off sweet and ends on a tart taste.
 
 
I looked on the contents of the packet ( with my glasses on !!) and saw that the mystery ingredient was an Incaberry.
 
Never heard of them !
 
 
 
I took this photo so you can see the size of them.
 
I wondered if they might have been some type of gooseberry because of all the seeds and the tart taste so I looked them up.
 
This is what I found:
 
 
"Similar to a Cape Gooseberry, the Incaberry is a small fruit with a glossy orange-yellow skin that is surrounded by papery leaves. Once the fruit is dried it has a distinctive bronze orange colour. Organic Incaberries are an amazing taste sensation - sweet with a fine and delicate sour finish. The taste is so unique, you just have to try them.
 
 
"Organic Incaberries are more commonly consumed as a dried fruit. Incaberries can be enjoyed alone or mixed with other fruits in salads. Try them in muesli and cereals for an antioxidant boost.
Or simply add this South American twist to the classic cheese platter.
 

 
 ( hey , that looks good! )


"Incaberries to have an antioxidant capacity higher than Gojiberries and other major dried fruits.
Dried Incaberries are very high in fibre with 19g fibre per 100g or 8g in a ¼ cup (45g). This is more fibre than 1 cup of a high fibre breakfast cereal or a salad sandwich on wholegrain bread.

But more importantly Incaberries contain soluble fibre necessary for controlling appetite and reducing cholesterol re-absorption in the intestine....."

 
So it seems I have stumbled onto a new wonder food that has not had much publicity here.... or at least not in the circles I move around in.
.
Heck, I've only just heard of goji berries !
 
I have to say I liked them and can see that I could find ways to include them in our diet.
 I especially like the look  ( and taste ) of them in a cheese platter.
 
Now I'll keep a look out for them. Perhaps a Health Food store.
 
Have you heard of them?
 
Cheers.

11 comments:

  1. Near heard of them but your close up picture makes me think that they probably came out of the rear end of an alpaca!

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  2. No I hadn't heard of them but now I have I must look out for them although Yorkshire Pudding has rather put me off!!

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  3. No, never come across them, but will keep a look out now.

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  4. No, but I bet they're sold in our health shop. I shall look out for them!

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  5. I've had them, I didnt like them at all, yuk! Hhehe, rear end of an alpaca, or a monkey!

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  6. I hadn't heard of them but I knew about Goji berries - they sell them at a very high price in health food shops. Incaberries sound great!

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  7. No never heard of them. Hubby likes to eat nuts as a snack. Interesting post Helsie! Enjoy your snack!

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  8. I always learn something new over here. I have not heard of these goodies, but I'm sure they are good for ya. We call that stuff "Trail Mix" over here. Some time ours have M&Ms chocolates. But that means an extra mile or two on the bike. Just back from a 17 mile ride this morning, so I'm good to go for the day and it's only 10am. Have a great weekend.

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  9. I've never heard of them either. Like you I have only just heard of goji berries. And I call myself a foodie! So they are not the same as cape gooseberries? No doubt we shall see them in our shops by and by, but I will always say 'I saw them first on Helsie's Happenings'!

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  10. I've never heard of them, but then I don't know what paw paw is either, I thought perhaps both were some sort of Australian delicacy. I'll look for them. I can eat a little dried fruit if it isn't covered in sugar (why do they dooo that?)

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  11. Aren't you wonderful! Here I am eating goji berries in my muesli (and porridge) because you introduced me to them. Now I'll have to keep my eyes open for these. They do look an awful lot like the cape gooseberries that grow wild in my garden...

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