Mesquite Pods in Season in Tucson!

The Mesquite bean pods have been a food source since antiquity. They are collected when yellowish brown in color, still hanging from the tree and dry. Mid to late summer is usually the time to harvest, but the beans can be ground at any time and stored as flour or meal. This traditional Native American food is produced by gathering ripened seedpods from the mesquite tree and grinding them into a high protein flour.

Mesquite meal is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, protein, and lysine. It has a pleasantly sweet molasses-like nutty flavor with a hint of caramel.

For 2,000 years mesquite was a source of nutrition for Native Americans and indigenous peoples in the arid regions of the earth and used as barter with neighboring tribes. Medical studies of mesquite have found that despite its sweetness, mesquite flour( made by grinding whole pods) "is extremely effective in controlling blood sugar levels" in people with diabetes. The sweetness comes from fructose, which the body can process without insulin. In addition, soluble fibers, such as galactomannin gum, in the seeds and pods slow absorption of nutrients, resulting in a flattened blood sugar curve, unlike the peaks that follow consumption of wheat flour, corn meal and other common staples. "The gel-forming fiber allows foods to be slowly digested and absorbed over a four to six hour period, rather than in one or two hours, which produces a rapid rise in blood sugar." In addition to its great taste, the major benefits of mesquite meal include high dietary fiber content, high protein and a high lysine content. It's also a good source of manganese, potassium and zinc. The result is a food with the ability to stabilize your blood sugar level. This is very good news for diabetics, weight watchers and for those who want to eat healthier. For anyone who uses a meal replacement drink and finds they are hungry long before lunch time will love mesquite meal. Just add a tablespoon of mesquite meal to your drink. It will help you stave off hunger for about 4 to 6 hours.