Food Profile: Lupo

Have you ever heard of Lupo? It is known around the world as Sessile Joyweed.

It is a leafy weed that grows all around the Philippines. Although it is originally from South America, it has adapted and spread here. It is actually part of the Amaranthus family, making it a cousin of the Kulitis Plant!

Lupo is a delicious green that Ilonggos & Ilonggas love to put in their monggo. It is also very tasty steamed on it’s own with a little bit of salt.

There has not been too much research yet on it’s nutritional value but I did find this table, in the link cited below.

Effects on Immunity

It is rich in Vitamin C, providing the same amount as it’s relative Kulitis, or noted superfood Malunggay. Vitamin C is needed to produce Collagen, the building blocks of our body. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant.

It also provides you with Calcium, a nutrient that is important in keeping your adaptive immunity functioning. It is used in immune cell communication.

It is also very rich in Iron, the nutrient which is used to create our red blood cells. This allows for proper oxygenation of our body.

COVID RESISTANCE: . Vitamin C is essential for adaptive immunity which will protect you from variants of the virus. Recent research has shown that. Calcium is important for the cell communication that allows adaptive immunity to work, providing you protection from ALL variants. Iron is important in maintaining high oxygen levels, since it is needed for RBC production.

Special Information

This plant is extremely hardy, to the point that the US has declared it a noxious weed. Personally this is one weed that I love. It is a family favorite for it’s flavor. Try some for yourself and you’ll know what Im saying. You can sometimes find them in farmer’s markets. If you can find a few cuttings, plant them in soil, keeping it moist till the plant establishes itself. You can also propagate from seed.

It can be grown in containers, and there is an attractive red variety that is also a great decorative plant.

Choose Organic

It is pretty important that you make sure your Lupo is organic. Since it is a weed, if it was growing on a conventional farm it has likely been sprayed with herbicides. Like other plants from the Amaranth family, they are adaptive enough to develop resistances to herbicides. They are one of the plants that prompt farmers to use more and more toxic chemicals, a ultimately useless and deadly practice

Make sure to choose organic Lupo, or better yet, grow your own!