Sacha inchi (plukenetia volubilis) is a star-shaped fruit. It is
also known as the Inca peanut or sacha peanut, yet despite its name, it’s not a
nut and is actually a seed, which grows within the star-shaped fruit pod.
It is
native to South America and has been grown in Peru by the indigenous people for
centuries (roughly around 3,000 years). Today, it’s also being cultivated
commercially in South East Asia (mainly Thailand) and has also made its way to
North America, too.
Sacha
inchi fruit growing
Sacha
Inchi grows well in the warm Peruvian climate and can reach up to 2m in height.
Two years after it is planted, the vine produces up to a hundred fruits at a
time, this will contain 400 to 500 seeds a few times a year. The oil is
produced by cold pressing the seeds and the flesh from the fruit. The oil
itself is mild with a nutty finish.
Essential
Fatty Acids
Sacha
Inchi oil is predominantly made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (82%):
§ Around 48% is omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is
an essential fatty acid we cannot synthesise ourselves and so must get from
food sources
§ Around 33% of the total fat content is omega 6 linoleic
acid (LA), another essential fatty acid
§ 9% is omega-9 fatty acid, which is non-essential
Sacha
Inchi oil also contains 9.3% monounsaturated fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids are
the good fats that we need more of in our diet, especially in the western diet.
It has been noted that most of us consume more omega 6 than we do omega 3, with
a highly unbalanced ratio (think 6:1and in some cases 25:1 omega 6:omega 3
ratio), whereas really the ratio should ideally be 1:1.
This is
because omega 6’s are commonly found in foods such as vegetable oils, sinflower
oil, corn oil, sesame oil, mayonnaise, nuts and seeds, some fast food meals,
and some cookies and cakes. The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is low in sacha
inchi, which makes it an ideal source of omega 3 (Chirinos et al., 2013).
Alpha-linolenic acid is the omega 3 fatty acid which is found from plant
sources and omega 3s are anti-inflammatory and it has been shown that
alpha-linolenic acid consumption lead to a moderately lower risk of cardiovascular
diseases (Pan et al., 2012).
We do
need an omega 6 intake and it is important that this ratio is balanced. There
is this perception that omega 6 is bad for us, but it is an essential fatty
acid, meaning we need to get it through our diet. By using an oil which is
balanced in these essential fatty acids it means that we are less likely to
exceed the ideal ratio.
The
following table is a comparison of sources of Essential Fatty Acids:
Looking
at the table above, you can see that Lucy Bee Starseed Omega Oil contains
almost as much omega 3 as flaxseed oil, and a lot more omega 3 than ground
flaxseeds, chia, hempseeds, rapeseed oil and walnuts. This is even when taking
into consideration the variation in serving size ie. increasing dried
tablespoon serving of 7g to equal 14g serving).
Interestingly
things like rapeseed oil and walnuts are promoted for being high in omega 3’s
but are actually higher in omega 6.
All of
these sources in the table are sources of Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which are
then used to make the long chain omegas DHA and EPA (found within algae and
fish).
The Vegan Society recommend that people
consume rapeseed oils instead of oils that contain a lot of LA (click
here for link). However, it would be even more beneficial to use an oil like
Sacha Inchi which has a better ratio of omegas than rapeseed.
Sacha Inchi oil is a great addition to any
diet, especially if you lead a plant-based or vegetarian diet, whereby it may
be a bit more difficult to naturally get enough omega 3s, and now joins flax,
chia, and micro algae as one of the best vegan options out there. You can read
more about Essential Fatty Acids here.
Extracting
the oil by cold pressing means the make-up of the fatty acids is not destroyed
and it prevents them from becoming oxidised, or it can be used for light
cooking, up to 190C for 15 minutes.
Sacha inchi seeds from
the star-shaped fruit
Cold
pressing the seeds also ensures the oil still maintains all of its other
benefits including its phytosterols, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants. It
has been concluded by one study in 2013 that the seeds should be considered an
important dietary source for health promoting phytochemicals (Chirinos et al.,
2013). These help to protect against lipid oxidation in tissues and food, and
also to promote human health, and are responsible for critical biological
functions (Chirinos et al., 2013).
Studies into the Benefits of
Sacha Inchi Oil
This is
a new area with limited research. One study, which is to a high research
standard, looked at the acceptability and side effects when individuals
consumed sacha inchi oil. After 1 week of consumption, it was found that sacha
inchi had a good acceptability, and that serum total cholesterol, LDL
cholesterol, and arterial blood pressure were lowered, whilst there was an
increase in HDL cholesterol levels (Gonzales and Gonzales, 2014).
Further
research is needed but a pilot study found that the consumption of sacha inchi
oil had beneficial effects on the lipid profile of those with dyslipidemia
(abnormal levels of lipids in the blood), where it caused a decrease in total
cholesterol, non-essential fatty acids and an increase in HDL (Garmendia et
al., 2011). It has also been found that sacha inchi oil is safe and efficient
in the inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus adherence (Gonzalez-Aspajo et al.,
2015).
Fair Trade and the Ethics
Behind Sacha Inchi
Peru is
a Non-GM country, with a strong belief in organic crops – mainly because there
is little spare cash for manufactured pesticides.
Selecting
the star-shaped sacha Inchi
The
most common cash-crops grown here are corn and coca, which is sold and made
into cocaine. Due to the income that a farmer can receive for this, there is
some resistance to farm sacha inchi so farmers need to be given incentives to
do so.
Lack of
education is also an issue here, with less than 20% of pupils finishing high
school.
This is
where Fair Trade becomes so important. Through the added support of Fair Trade
premiums, sacha inchi is growing in popularity amongst native rural Peruvian
villages. It can provide a livelihood for communities and help replace lost
income from traditional sources which have disappeared through poor soil
quality. This all contributes towards ensuring food security and money for
business education and schooling, as well as helping to preserve the indigenous
culture and way of life.
Whilst
progress is slow and challenging, Fair Trade premiums make a big difference and
are specifically used to:
§ Incentivise farmers to replace illegal coca plants, used
for cocaine, and grow sacha inchi instead
§ Distribute books for basic education
§ Create teaching programmes for planting, conservation and
sustainability
In this
area of the rainforest, it’s important to encourage sustainable farming
practices and preservation of natural ecosystems, whilst making sure the
farmers are given a fair wage, and are not exploited for their work. By growing
this crop, it also prevents further expansion of cattle grazing, which in
itself sounds harmless enough until you consider the vast amount of
deforestation that’s needed for cattle to graze and the negative impact
associated with deforestation on ecosystems.
How to Use Sacha Inchi oil in
Your Daily Diet
There is no actual recommended intake for
EFAs in the UK – most look at the amount of DHA and EPA you get (oily fish and
algae) which isn’t helpful for those who do not consume fish or may not take algae
supplements. The European Food Safety Authority guidelines daily intake
recommend 2-3g of ALA (or 250mg EPA/DHA) and 10g LA.Source the vegetarian
society click here.
Even
1/2 to 1 tablespoon of Starseed Omega 3 Oil would cover this.
It
couldn’t be easier to incorporate this omega oil into your daily diet!
.
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