Kumquats – A nutritional treat

I remember my first kumquat.

Several years ago, a dear friend of mine from South Africa handed me one. I looked at it, trying to figure out how to peel such a tiny orange. “Oh, just eat the whole thing”, she instructed, amused at my hesitation.

Zowie. A puckersome little tidbit. Bitter. But with a wonderful burst of sweet tartness.

Kumquats look like small oval oranges, but have a surprisingly bold flavor (emphasis on “surprisingly”). Bite size, pop-in-your-mouth morsels of bitter, sweet juiciness.

And since I am writing about them here, you’ve probably guessed that they have some wonderful nutritional benefits as well.

Indeed they do.

Being part of the citrus family, kumquats are high in vitamin C and fiber.

The rinds and seeds of all citrus fruits contain limonene (giving them their trademark bitter taste). Limonene is an anti-cancer phytonutrient. In lab studies, it has been shown to prevent and halt the spread of cancer. Because kumquats are typically eaten whole, rind and all, they become super foods in their own right.

Kumquats also aid in digestion by stimulating a host of digestion fluids including digestive enzymes, bicarbonate, and bile. I eat one or two right before dinner. Who knew kumquats make a great appetizer?

My friend said that most Americans are adverse to bitter tastes. But like the kumquat, all bitter foods – including spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, radicchio, and dark chocolate  – help with digestion and contain a variety of phytonutrients associated with the prevention of many diseases, including cancer.

Kumquats are grown domestically in Florida and California and are in season from late autumn through mid-winter.

Give those cute little kumquats a try. And let me know what you think.

Cheers-
Jess