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$11.00 For 1 Pound
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| MESQUITE |
The Stabilizer
The mesquite tree is found in the Middle East, India, South Africa, Brasil, Mexico, and the American Southwest.
It is in the family of Leguminosae and is native to deserts, so it is heat and drought tolerate. Traditional uses
included woodworking and mesquite charcoal. It has deep roots like alfalfa, which can go down as far as 100
feet. The mesquite tree produces bean pods which are milled whole to make a ground meal.
Mesquite is also another traditional food, newly discovered, like quinoa and amaranth. As with copomo in
Mexico, cacao worldwide, and many sustainable trees that provide fruit, nuts, and seeds, mesquite is known for
its continuous yields that provide both nutrition and a sustainable livelihod. Mesquite stabilizes the land
(arroyos, banks, hills) as well as the body.
Mesquite action is cold and dry. Its resin, however, is more warming and tonifying. It is an antifungal,
antimicrobial, and antispasmodic. It helps stop excessive bleeding and fevers. It is used in first aid as a paste
for stings, scrapes, cuts, and insect bits. Mesquite contains soluable fiber and is a slow acting carbohydrate. It
therefore helps balance and control blood sugar by its slower, steady rate of absorption into the bloodstream.
Diabetes is a decline in glucose tolerance. Mesquite is an anitdiabetic natural sweetener (often made into a
porridge) which, because it contains fructose, provides effective use of insulin metabolism, plus having high
fiber. Its glycemic index is 25.
Many of the Southwest native peoples who have abandoned mesquite and other traditional foods for a modern
diet have had to contend with obesity and diabetes. When returning to a traditional diet, these problems are
greatly controlled. Historically, the Southwest desert tradition that used lima beans, chia seeds, prickly pear
pods, squash, red and white corn, anasazi beans, amaranth and pinole (toasted ground cornmeal), all that
complement mesquite meal, have provided health and survival benefits and future security to arid lands.
Like dehulled hemp seeds, mesquite is mineral rich, providing in particular calcium, magnesium, potassium,
iron, sulfur, and manganese. Mesquite is on the average 14% protein. Its high lysine content provides a perfect
balance to the high argenine of cacao.
Though being such a drought resistent tree, mesquite does seek water. Thus, tightly seal the bag of mesquite
meal as it can be hydroscopic (picking up moisture from the air). We return to the desert and its most primal
essence...the mesquite tree.
Mesquite and Carob
Carob is also in the Leguminosae family and also has the name of locust bean. It has a 5% protein and 7%
fiber content., and is rich in minerals and B vitamins. The powdery meal of carob has a pleasant, rich flavor
resembling chocolate, so is often used as a chocolate subsitute in many food products.
Both mesquite and carob form pods that is a galactomanan-type polysaccharide. They are hammer milled
ground whole to produce a meal. Good as stabilizers, they have thickening and emulsifying properties. What is
important in proper amino acid balance for the body, they have a higher lysine to arginine ratio.
Both are used in the paper and print industry, in textiles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, paints and
inks. They slow the rate of melting of ice cream, besides being found in other dairy products, soft cheeses,
bakery goods, pie fillings, desserts and sauces. They provide excellent nutritional and flavorful balance to live
food desserts using cacao nibs.