Virtues of pulque

Preventive Health

In 2007, Slow Food International, which currently represents thousands of projects in over 160 countries, held its fifth international conference in the city of Puebla, where, along with a variety of other traditional food and drink, pulque, with its deep roots and its ingredients sourced locally, was the star of the event. The pulque is slow food par excellence of Mexico. Its unique and delicate process of fermentation, through which a very active team of native bacteria transform the sweet mead and freshly harvested (agave nectar) transform in complex and frothy drink that is easy to take and has a variety of benefits . Nutrition (also produce light joy) These beneficial bacteria limit the transport distance of pulque, since it has a lifespan of 24 hours; in other words, should be drunk very near where manufactured. Scientists and fans fermented foods and their nutritional benefits identified it as a dietary supplement, especially for the elderly and those suffering from kidney conditions. The nutritional analysis indicates that the fermentation process increases their vitamin content of 5 to 29 mg of thiamine, niacin 515mg 54 and 18 to 33mg riboflavin. It also has large amounts of vitamin C, B complex, D, E, amino acids and minerals such as iron and phosphorus. 

Vida y Salud Natural - Salud preventiva

Slow Food International

Cotton in Mexico

And no I don't mean Steve Cotton ... he's only here sometimes

This was going to be a general nature post about what I ran into today including a Humming Bird (colibrí or chuparrosa locally) sipping my banana flowers. Maybe tomorrow.

Anyway, Euriel had asthma problems last night, probably brought on by these low 60's temperatures at night, so we took him to the Centro de Salud in Jaluco. While there Lori noticed what looked a cotton plant except this was 10 feet tall. Having never seen a cotton plant except driving by cotton fields in the south I had my doubts. When I got home I checked the Internet and sure enough, it was. I cut and pasted a few bits of info I found on Cotton, Mexico and it's history.  Always something interesting around the corner. 

The greatest diversity of wild cotton species is found in Mexico

G. hirsutum

The oldest evidence of Gossypium hirsutum in Mesoamerica comes from the Tehuacan valley and has been dated between 3400 and 2300 BC. In different caves of the area, archaeologists affiliated to the project of Richard MacNeish found remains of fully domesticated examples of this cotton. The Tehuacán Valley lies in southern Mexico in the state of Puebla near the region where maize (corn) was first domesticated 7,000 years ago.

Recent studies have allowed the comparison of bolls and cotton seeds from excavation in Guila Naquitz Cave, Oaxaca, with living examples of wild and cultivated G. hirsutum punctatum, showing that they might come from the same species, originally domesticated in the Yucatan Peninsula.

In different eras and among different Mesoamerican cultures, cotton was a highly demanded good and a precious exchange item. Maya and Aztec merchants traded cotton with other luxury items, and nobles adorned themselves with preciously woven and colored mantles.