Considered to be the elixir of the gods in ancient Mexico , pulque has always been known to be a nutritious drink with multiple health benefits, specially for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases .
This traditional drink, which was once stigmatized and thought to be of lower status than other alcoholic beverages, has probiotic bacteria capable of preventing gastrointestinal ailments such as inflammation of the colon, stated Martha Giles Gómez, an academic from the Chemistry Faculty at Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) .
“It is recommended that we take full advantage of these nutritious traits and the probiotic bacteria’s health benefits,” she claimed.
Furthermore, some communities in Mexico have continued to use pulque for the treatment of diarrhea and gastroduodenal ulcers, as well as gastritis and esophagitis.
Pulque has the ability to repair both gastrointestinal mucosa and intestinal flora
, according to the UNAM’s Digital Library of Mexican Traditional Medicine . It can also stimulate the immune system and breast milk production, not to mention its high protein and vitamin B content.
“Mazahua children in the state of Mexico usually drink it three times a day. Pulque provides between 2.2% and 12.4% of their daily calorie ingestion and between 0.6% and 3.2% of the protein they need in their diet,” states the Digital Library.
In spite of its health benefits, Giles Gómez recommends not to drink pulque on an everyday basis due to its high alcoholic content.
So if you’re planning to include pulque in your diet, be sure to drink it in moderation.
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