Nutrient highlight : Aussie Native Kakadu Plum

Our beautiful country is home to some incredible ingredients for food, flavour and nutrition and kakadu plum is one of them. Kakadu Plum is a small green tear drop shaped fruit and is also known as gubinge or billy goat plum.

Studies done on Kakadu Plum have shown some of the highest levels of total phenolics and vitamin C with pronounced antioxidant capacities (1) These traits alone can support the strength of our immune system, protect our cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, can potentially fight cancer and the proliferation of cancerous cells. Further studies are being undertaken on the effect of high dose Vitamin C and the inclusion of foods such as Kakadu Plum in the diet with those individuals suffering Alzheimers Disease.

Very few people know of Kakadu Plum’s greatness but given it’s native to our country, it sure is time we celebrated and used it more. You can find Kakadu Plum growing on trees in Northern Australia, with harvest from March to June. The Aboriginals enjoy it as a medicinal food straight from the tree. We can more commonly find it on our shelves as a freeze dried powder to pop into smoothies, raw treats, baking and stirred straight into water. It has a slightly sour, astringent taste which teams pretty well with lots of ingredients anda flavour profile similar to lemon.

Don’t be shy of trying new ingredients and as you do pop some ideas on a page – say just 3 to start – of ways you can include Kakadu Plum in your cooking repertoire throughout the week.

A note on Aussie bush natives : If you’re in Western Australia anytime soon and wish to experience more of Aussie bush and native flavours be sure to visit Yarri in Dunsborough. Read more here.