Importance of wild species as superfoods; case study la Surura (Myrcia Cucullata), Carcasí- Colombia.

Abstract

Edible wild fruits have been part of the diet mainly of peasant families. In Colombia, and especially in the municipality of Carcasí, department of Santander, the Surura Myrcia Cucullata, an ancestral wild fruit tree endemic to the northeastern region, whose fruit is a berry with purple skin and white pulp with a very pleasant flavor that is based for many years as a source of food. The purpose of this exploration is to promote the reuse of Surura as a source of food supply based on its nutritional properties, through the discoveries in the physicochemical tests of the fruit in the laboratory, and the results of the content in 100g of fruit were obtained. with a finding of Vitamin C 99.7mg, which is 10 times more than the content in blueberries, and 4 times above citrus fruits such as oranges and tangerines. Regarding calcium, Ca, Surura has 107mg, which is close to the content provided by 100g of cow's milk, in relation to sugars, Surura contains 5.05g, which makes it a neutral fruit and suitable for human consumption. diabetics, likewise it has an adequate content of crude fiber 6.98 g. iron 0.59mg and zinc 0.06mg. These relevant properties make the Surura a valuable wild species that deserves high care, conservation, and merits the contribution of popular peasant knowledge for possible uses in the medicinal and nutritional fields, among others.