Pic Today 11/18/10

FRUTAS DE COLOMBIA

The fruits of Colombia are the

culinary bounty and "medicine chest" of South America.

The varieties and flavors of these tropical foods

are extraordinarily delicious and nutritious.

Some are exported, but most are not.

The best of Colombian fruits include:

Mangoes

Papayas

Pitahayas

Granadillas

Guanabana

Mandarinas

Passion Fruit

Zapotes

and 100 more!

Aside from their mouthwatering taste,

many of the local fruits have medicinal and curative benefits.

For example, the kiwi like flesh of the pitahaya fruit

is eaten with its crunchy seeds to lower blood sugar

in type-2 diabetics, and naturally excretes toxic

heavy metals from the blood.

University research in Colombia confirms the

anti-cancer benefits of the giant guanabana,

a 30-pound football shaped fruit

covered with spikes. (Ouch.) (But yummy.)

And sweet mandarinas, whose juice starts the day

for so many Colombians, are supercharged with

Vitamin C and anti-oxidants.