The properties of Mexican pulque

Mexico is the land of magueyes. The word maguey comes from the Nahuatl mexcametl or metl, from the Purépecha tocamba, and from the Otomi guada. Of the 285 types of magueyes that exist in the world, around 200 live in our country, among which are the magueyes from which an alcoholic beverage called pulque is produced, with a rich history.In the states of México, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, and Puebla, the pulque magueyes grow among cornfields, reaching heights of up to 3 meters and having a circumference of 10 meters. Their leaves are thick and allow for the storage of liquid for long periods; their maturation process takes 8 to 12 years to extract the aguamiel used to make pulque, through a fermentation process.When the agave flowers, the aguamiel is extracted from the area where the flower stalk and vegetative bud are born, before flowering. These two parts are cut, and then scraping is done to drain the sweet sap from the leaves, better known as aguamiel. An agave has the capacity to produce between 500 to 1,000 liters of aguamiel, which ferments to become pulque.The properties of pulquePulque, also known as the drink of the gods, has a high content of minerals, amino acids, proteins, enzymes, vitamin C, and B complex. There is even a popular saying that claims this drink has one less protein than meat, due to the nutritional properties that both aguamiel and pulque possess.Here are some of the properties and benefits of moderate pulque consumption on health:Did you know the benefits of pulque? A Mexican drink with a great historical tradition.(Photo: courtesy of El Mural de Los Poblanos)