ACHIOTE / ANNATTO.

ACHIOTE / ANNATTO are used interchangeably. They are the most common names for a product extracted from the seeds of the evergreen Bixa Orellana shrub.
ACHIOTE is a little known earthly seed that grows inside the fruit of the evergreen shrub that grows in the Amazonian region of the Andes. The fruit itself is not edible but the seeds inside are.  The taste is similar to fresh pepper with a hint of nutmeg sweetness.
ACHIOTE's bright red color is due to its high BIXIN levels. Bixins are powerful CAROTENOIDES like the kind found in carrots. They are potent ANTIOXIDANTS. People who eat carotenoides from NATURAL SOURCES (not bottle ones) suffer fewer chronic diseases and live longer on average than those who are missing carotenoides from their diets.
The Andean people in Peru were the first to discover the achiote's medicinal power.
While the seeds had and still have a traditional culinary use that goes back 3,500 years to the high altitude mountain people, achiote leaves were the first part of the tree used as a medicinal herb. The leaves heal external as well as internal ailments. They have anti-inflammatory properties.
When a decoction is made from the leaves with alcohol and applied topically to the skin it soothes a number of skin disorders, infections including rashes, burns, and cuts. Women use the it as a vaginal douche to cure infections.
When ingested, the leaves provide even more benefits. The leaves are one of the richest sources of TOCOTRIENOLS. They are important because they limit the liver's ability to produce LDL cholesterol. That is the kind that clogs arteries and causes heart attacks. The leaves's astringent or anti-inflammatory properties also make it a potent digestive aid.
A tea steeped from the leaves of the achiote tree help to stop diarrhea. Three daily cups of tea also improve general digestive problems or discomfort. For centuries, peruvian shamanic healers have used the tea made from achiote leaves to detoxify the body from contaminants of the environment.
Recent studies reveal that all parts of the achiote plant have HYPOGLYCEMIC properties. A daily ingested dose of tea leaf reduce blood glucose levels and prevent spikes in blood glucose after a meal.
ANNATTO, which is the name of the plant in the Caribbean, is commonly dried, ground and infused into oil to make a concoction called annatto. Also it is frequently added to dishes to punch up the flavor
in West Indian and Peruvian cuisine.
Achiote seeds for cooking purposes are found in Latin American markets. Look for Achiote seed seasoning (it also goes by the name Annatto). Avoid Achiote seeds which are incredible difficult to grind. Achiote powder mixed with other spices and herbs give a smoky flavor to meats, fish, and poultry. Sauteing in or cooking with vegetable oil adds color to rice, paella, soup, stew, fish, and some yuca dishes.

EMOLIENTE, Peruvian powerful healing drink.

EMOLIENTE is made of the following ingredients: Toasted barley, Flax seeds, Dried horse tail herbs, Llanten (plantain leaf), Aniseed, Quince, Lemon peel, lemon grass and cat's claw(a peruvian woody vine consumed for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties). All the ingredients are kept boiling at a steady very low heat for two hours then kept warm for another two hours then cool off and refrigerate.

It is served with fresh lime juice, and honey or sugar cane.
The beverage has been sold by street vendors in Lima, Peru for centuries, and people love love it both for its sweet soothing flavor and for its medicinal purpose.
EMOLIENTE is the best choice for people who suffer allergies specially to tree nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachious, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts), and peanuts.
Nuts, are a source of selenium (trace mineral) which is essential for a healthy heart. It is being advised to take adequate levels of the essential TRACE MINERALS (selenium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, iodine). MORE IS NOT BETTER since  trace minerals are elements required ONLY IN MINUTE QUANTITIES for PHYSIOLOGICAL and BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSES.
For people who enjoy having mix trails in their lunch boxes,  just a quarter of a cup three times a week is more than enough for a healthy body. For people who are already allergic to tree nuts just INCLUDE EMOLIENTE IN THE DIET to correct little by little the lack of harmony in their metabolisms.
When blood levels exceed the amount of these trace minerals health problems arise as a consequence of  excessive accumulation of it.
Damage to nervous system; impairment of liver and kidneys; thyroid malfunction, jaundice, birth defects; damage to lung and heart; are the most common side effects.
EMOLIENTE as a powerful HEALING DRINK get rid of any excess in the body and cleans it through the urine. Just the color of the urine tells us how healthy we are. It should be clear and without odor.

THE ANDEAN QUININE TREE.

The Quinine Tree (cinchona officinalis), or the Tree of Life, is a sacred Andean Tree which was declared the national tree of Peru after its independence from the Spanish crown.
The Tree was originally known by the Quechua people, who have been and still are the inhabitants of the Andean mountains of Peru.
The Quinine Tree, also known as the Tree of Life, had a major impact on history. During the Middle Ages when the first expeditions of Europeans arrived to the Islands of the Americas, a complete New World for them, they were hit by a life-threatened disease, malaria, transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected by the parasite. When they arrive to the land of the Andean people they were informed of the properties of the Quinine Tree's bark to combat the killer fever. Thanks to this information the foreigners were able to survive and developed immunity to the attack of the mosquito through the consumption of the bark produced by the tree. After this process of survival, the Europeans sent the information to Europe and brought the bark of the tree to their lands to cure their people. It worked as a miracle tree and from that specific point these European explorers were able to continue their plans of obtaining new territories for the sake of their crowns.
In today world, usually when the thinking about medicine comes to our mind, it processes information about swallowing gross chalky pills or downing artificial tasting syrups to combat any symptom related to flu, fever, headache, etc. Well, that wasn't exactly the case when it came to the British curing their malaria fever. They used the Quinine bark to make tonic water and used it to make gin and tonics to prevent the sickness, and making them the glorified authors of the miraculous cure.
The Quinine Tree is a beautiful tree of green leaves similar to the ones of the bay plant that gives a delicious fragrance. The Quinine tree grows in a height fluctuating between 700 meters to 4000 meters above the sea level.
Quinine is a white crystalline alkaloid that occurs naturally in the bark of the Quinine Tree. Quinine's first known effective treatment for malaria in the Old World was in the 17th century.
The Quinine from its bark is still used to fight unusual illnesses in the communities of the Andean people. Quinine is also a highly fluorescent sulfuric acid that  is widely used as a standard for fluorescent measurements in industry.
As a natural soother the bark is used to treat uncomfortable dreams that turn into nightmares causing anxieties and panic attacks during the daytime (hallucinations); periodic, neuralgic and congestive head and facial aches; also helps to relieve from chronic spinal aches which form a blue coloration over the nails; a natural thermostat that help those who suffer from cold hands and feet, numbness and stiffness.
It helps the nervous system to correct intermittent headaches, dizziness accompanying to sight decrease, ear buzzing, face redness, depression symptoms due to excessive mental work, and body's shaken.
It helps the digestive system with chronic diarrhea accompanied with pain or without pain; periodic dysentery followed by cold extremities; sensations of false fullness or excess of appetite; swollen liver;
drowsiness after eating; congestion and spleen stroke; intestinal earthworms.
It helps the urinary tract from the presence of blood cells, excessive odor, unclearness, bladder's blocking
sensation.
It help the reproductive system with involuntary nocturnal emissions, weak sperms, depression, excessive and long PMS periods, irregular PMS.

Peruvian HOT and SPICY PEPPERS.

Peruvian HOT and SPICY PEPPERS are the secret ingredient of our culinary art. The type of hot pepper varies according to its type and quality. It can be used fresh, or processed (dried, smoked, grounded, canned, pickled, sauced).

HOT and SPICY PEPPERS has been cultivated from around 7000 years. The medicinal virtues of the hot and spicy peppers (AJI) have been known since then and passed on to the next generations through the shaman (andean healers). They are valued for their soothing effect on the digestive system;  also as relief from cold symptoms, sore throats and fevers; as a heart stimulant which regulates blood flow and strengthens the arteries reducing the possibility of heart attacks;  to warm up cold hands and feet; as a hangover remedy; relieve height sickness, mosquito bites; and eliminate hair's flees. Boiled stop asthma, and persistent coughing. Baked relive headache, rheumatic and muscular pains. Marinated in water and absorbing small quantities three times a day cure rebel hiccups.

Fresh AJI are an excellent source of calcium and vitamin C.  Capsaicin is the chemical that gives AJI their "hot" and "spicy" taste. It opens an ion channel in nerve cells that mimics the effect of heat.
Capsaicin helps arthritis sufferers by lowering the levels of Decapeptide Substance P (DSP) in joints' fluid. Capsaicin breaks down DSP avoiding the cartilage's destruction. It also blocks pain symptoms.

The most common varieties of AJI in Peru are : AJI AMARILLO (yellow hot pepper) used in numerous typical Peruvian dishes like the famous Papa a la Huancaina (Potatoes with a creamy hot sauce), Aji de Gallina (Hen or Chicken with hot milky sauce),  Causa Limena (pie of potatoes with fish or chicken chili sauce filling).  AJI PANCA (red hot pepper) used to season seafood, rice dishes, soups and sauces, stews and sautes of any kind.  ROCOTO (extremely hot peppers) used as a spice in soups and sauces. Locals restaurants have this powerful ingredient in every table made into a powerful hot sauce using lemon juice, salt and the rocoto.

The DIVINE PURPLE CORN.

PURPLE CORN is a PERUVIAN staple product that grows at two different altitudes. One is cultivated in coastal areas and the other is grown in the mountains at altitudes that surpass the 3000 meters above the sea level. The highest the product goes the deeper the purple is.

PURPLE CORN contains a variety of nutrients including a massive amount of phenolics and anthocyanins.
Phenolics are a class of compounds consisting of a hydroxil group bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. Although similar to alcohols, they have unique properties and are not classified as alcohols since the hydroxil is not bonded to a saturated carbon atom. They have higher acidities due to the aromatic ring's tight coupling with the oxygen and a relatively loose bond between oxygen and hydrogen. Phenolic compounds are synthesize in the human body in response to ecological pressures, UV radiation and wounding.
Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments that appear red, purple or blue depending of the Ph (measure of acidity). Solutions with a Ph less than 7 are said to be ACIDIC and with Ph greater than 7 are ALKALINE. Anthocyanins are shown to act as light-attenuators protecting cells from high-light damage by absorbing blue-green and UV light. They also act as powerful ANTIOXIDANTS and can significantly contribute to scavenging the free radicals formation (atoms, molecules or ions that have an open electron shell).

The capacity of the PURPLE CORN to fight the formation of cancer cells that attack the colon in the human body is very strong. The carcinogens formed in burned meat (BBQ) are washed out just with the consumption of the drink made of purple corn.
The product is now commercialized everywhere. Boil one corn  with 7 cups of water, a cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, a quarter of a pineapple, for 30 minutes medium height (boiling time) covered. Let it cool. Pour the liquid in a glass jar, add one chopped apple and one lime, a quarter cup of sugar and cover it.
Drink it cool or warm.

We are now operating a small store name Little Peru, as a part of Nueva Vida Bookstore.
We are importing the purple corn in a raw form. If you are interested in receiving the corn by mail or UPS service contact us by e-mail address : angelasolari7@yahoo.es  Also you can write a cheque or do an electronic deposit to NUEVA VIDA BOOKSTORE , TD Canada Trust, branch 1144, account#
0516-5213152. Price $1.50 per unit (1 raw corn).

The splendid MACA of the ANDES.

Its scientific name is LEPIDIUM MEYENII WALP of the crucifarae family; relative of carrots  and celery.
Originated in Peru, MACA grows only in very high plateaus between 3000 and 5000 meters high, often in extreme environments. The soul of the plant reflects the extreme circumstances in which the Andean people live everyday of their lives from the time of their ancestors.
The plant was and is considered sacred because of the high energy levels that the tubercle is able to accumulate. The tubercle restores a huge amount of energy to the human body especially those who are exposed to a extreme high levels of altitude. Prevent the altitude sickness to the ones that are not use to such heights.
The leaves of the plant are the ones who give the aphrodisiac properties, not the tubercle as many wrongfully believes or has been said. MACA can be use in the preparation of fruit juices adding only from one to three teaspoons of the powder or three small tubercles on the fruit juice to enhance the fruit flavor. Papaya, Pineapple, Banana with milk, ... are good combinations with maca powder.
The product is being sold natural and in powders. It is considerable cheap since grow in large amounts over the peak of the mountains. It is like bread for the Andean people. The coast region of Peru is not familiar with the tubercle and the consumption of it is very low. You can find it in both ways as powder or  tubercle in any popular market in PERU.
MACA is cultivated because of its high nutritional value and it serves as an energy replacement to the people who live in the very high plateaus.
MACA is composed of 15% of proteins, 16 minerals (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and sulphur, as well as a small quantity of iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and magnesium..), 9 vitamins (A, C, D, K, E, B1, B2, B6, B12), as well as 19 amino acids.
MACA has an excellent balancing effect on the nervous system, it is great to people who experience great levels of stress. Also it is a good digestive regulator, prevent hair loss, anemia, promote healthy bones and teeth, lower levels of bad cholesterol, boost the immune system, overall MACA plays a significant role in general well-being.

CAMU CAMU.

Peru is considered an important center for the genetic diversity of the world's crop. Many varieties of potato are native to the Andes region. Over 99% of al cultivated worldwide potatoes descend from the Andean Solanum Tuberosum species. Quinoa grow in three varieties and is known as an Andean rice. Kaniwa similar to quinoa. Tarwi is an edible bean. Lima bean is another type of edible bean. Oca looks like potato. Mashua also looks like potato. Olluco also looks like potato. Caigua is a vegetable with a cucumber like taste. Yellow Chili Pepper (Aji Amarillo) Capsicum baccatum. Rocoto chili pepper known botanically as Capsicum pubescens. Fruits from which about 20 native fruits are used in cooking or eaten fresh.
Among the fruits of Peru's jungle is the Camu Camu. Mango, Pineapple, and star apple are also found in abundance along with other jungle fruits  like Mammee, Chirimoya, Guanabana, Taperiva, Copoazu. Dry fruits like the Aguaje, and the Hungurahui.
The scientific name of the Camu Camu fruit is MYRCIARIA DUBIA. It contains 40 times more Vitamin C than the kiwi fruit, and 32 times more Vitamin C than a regular lime or lemon. The highest content of Vitamin C in the whole world. Vitamin C is water-soluble and is needed for tissue growth and repair, healing wounds, and to produce healthy cartilage, bones and teeth.
CAMU CAMU comes from a shrub that grows in very dark waters that forms rivers inside the Peruvian Amazon Jungle. Sometimes the shrub grows in flooded areas of clear waters of the Amazon Rain-forest in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
This amazing fruit contains FOUR THOUSAND milligrams of ASCORBIC ACID (natural occurring form of vitamin C) per 100 grams of fruit's pulp. it makes the fruit an excellent remedy to digestive problems and respiratory ailments, because of its powerful antioxidant properties. It also promotes healthy cell development and proper calcium absorption.
Vitamin C is not stored in the body but it is an essential vitamin, which means the body needs it but cannot produce the vitamin on its own so it must be constantly replenish through appropriate consumption of fruits with high content of the vitamin.
Camu Camu give a natural pink color pulp, and it is used in the preparation of delicious refreshments.

THE HEALING LUCUMA.

Native to the Andean Valleys of Peru. The major harvesting places are Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Ancash,
and Lima.  It has a particular dry flesh with a unique flavor close to a mixture of maple and sweet yam.
The Caral-Supe Civilization, a complex pre-Columbian society around 3,500-1,800 BC, the oldest urban center established in the Americas, accommodating more than 3,000 inhabitants, had the Lucuma in a very high position. The spirit of the plant was considered the domain force manifested at the confluence of three rivers: the Strenght (Fortaleza), the Pati-Vilca, and the Supe. This river valleys each have large clusters of sites.
The Sacred City of Caral in the Supe Valley (200kms North of Lima) arose a millennium after Sumer in Mesopotamia, and was contemporaneous with the Egyptian pyramids. It was a thriving metropolis with very complex temples, an amphitheater, plazas, residential buildings and ordinary houses. It was the model for the urban design adopted by Andean civilizations that rose and fell over the span of 4 millennia.
Among the artifacts found at Caral are a knotted textile piece used to keep or send information. No trace of warfare was found (no battlements, no weapons, no mutilated bodies). It was a gentle society. In one of the temples they uncovered 32 flutes made of condor and pelican bones and 37 cornetts of deer and llama bones. The flutes were radiocarbon dated to 2,170 BC.
A broad outline of the diet has suggested that the people of Caral had a diet based on edible domesticated plants such as lucuma, guava, pacay, squash, yam, and beans. There was also a significant seafood component at both coastal and inland sites. The animal remains found at the site are exclusively marine including clams and mussels and a large amount of anchovies and sardines.
Lucuma has been extensible studied because of its high content of Vitamine A. In addition to its use to treat deficiency syndromes, Lucuma has preventive and therapeutic power. It is an important medicine for the immune system. Also it keeps moistness in skin and cells' membrane inhibiting bacteria and viruses from starting infectious diseases. The moistness makes the healthy cells resistant to cancers. Lucuma fights cancer by inhibiting the production of DNA in cancerous cells slowing down tumor growth in common cancers.
Lucuma has a high content of Calcium. The intense biological activity inside our bones are being renewed constantly by new tissue replacing the old one. Lucuma helps to develop bones and teeth and also has key metabolic functions. Calcium works together with Magnesium to create the new osseous mass in a rate 2:1, two parts of calcium to one of magnesium. Magnesium is found in seafood, whole-grain, nuts beans, wheat, oats, seeds,  and green vegetables. It also assists the nerves and muscles functions.
Lucuma has a high content of Niacin (B3). It is needed to turn healthy carbohydrates into energy, providing energy to the cells from the entire body keeping the integrity of these cells. It also turns the healthy fat into energy as it is also involved in fat metabolism. The process brings to the body an antioxidant effect, blood sugar control, decrease of cholesterol levels, detoxification, production of adrenal hormones, production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and production of sex hormones.
Lucuma has a high content of Phosphorus. It is an important component of nucleic acids, the building blocks of the genetic code. Also the metabolism of lipids relies on phosphorus presence in the body.
The healing power of the fruit is being known from very ancient times by the people of the Andes. The Moches in Northern Peru also considered the fruit sacred and was placed inside tombs and religious places that dealt with energy points familiar with them in terms of their religious beliefs.