The quest for the next big superfood appears to be relentless. While more familiar foods like blueberries, avocados, and salmon have achieved this status—largely due to their accessibility in supermarkets—truly trending ingredients seem to require an exotic flair and a robust nutritional profile to capture attention among U.S. consumers. Lucuma fits this bill perfectly. Although this fruit is well-loved in its native Peru, many American shoppers would struggle to identify it, let alone pronounce its name. Not only is lucuma a nutritional powerhouse, but it also boasts a delightful maple flavor, which is quite popular at the moment. It seems lucuma could potentially dethrone kale from its superfood pedestal.
However, lucuma’s biggest hurdle is its limited availability in the U.S. Even those adventurous foodies who come across a lucuma ice cream recipe on Pinterest may find it challenging to source fresh fruit for their creations. The powder form of lucuma, which is more readily available, might ultimately serve as its best avenue for gaining traction. In contrast, kale enjoyed a surge in popularity partly because it was readily found at farmer’s markets across the country. Its ease of cultivation in various U.S. climates and low cost made it simple for local farmers to adjust their crops to meet consumer demand.
While lucuma may offer more versatility in both sweet and savory dishes, its cultivation challenges in the U.S. or the high costs associated with importation could hinder its chances of becoming a consumer favorite. Other potential superfoods, such as tiger nuts and moringa, also meet the criteria for that coveted title but have struggled to gain popularity. Despite their impressive nutritional profiles, these foods have not achieved widespread appeal, possibly due to availability issues or lack of flavor resonance with consumers.
Moreover, as health-conscious individuals increasingly seek supplements like calcium citrate malate, vitamin D3, magnesium, and zinc tablets to enhance their diets, the competition for the “superfood” label remains fierce. Achieving such a designation is no easy feat, and many promising ingredients continue to vie for the spotlight, hoping to become the next trending superfood.