Since pre-Hispanic times in Mexico and to date, various species of agave have been used to extract aguamiel (honey water). Once this sweet, coconut milk-like liquid is removed from the heart of the succulent and thus exposed to bacteria and yeast in the environment, it ferments and becomes slimy. The fermented mead is known as pulque. For hundreds of years, and probably millennia, medicinal properties have been attributed to pulque, through myths transmitted from generation to generation among indigenous peoples, and more recently as a result of scientific research (not without contraindications regarding the latter). . Unsurprisingly, the literature is not always consistent in both its factual foundations and conjecture. However, a lay synthesis in summary form does serve to illuminate.

Pulque, for a couple of hundred years, has been associated with an elixir for the masses, a mild intoxicant with healing powers. Driven by natural/organic and, to a lesser extent, by the slow food movement, it has risen to fashion. Predominantly upper-middle class millennials who live in Mexico’s largest urban centers, such as Monterrey, Puebla, Guadalajara, and of course Mexico City, flock to pulquerías. However, most of what is served is an adulterated form of pulque known as cured. A pulque base, sometimes even canned, is combined with a selection of processed fruits, grains, and/or vegetables, sugar or other sweetener, and sometimes milk/cream and/or a thickener such as cornstarch. These cures couldn’t be further from the real deal, and likely by the time they reach the table, any beneficial attributes, medicinal or otherwise, will have been long lost to commercial handling. However, the pulque available in bars and restaurants in towns near the rural regions where the aguamiel is extracted (ie Oaxaca, from the fields outside the town of Santiago Matatlán) is anything but 100% pure. The closer the cantina or dining room is to the field where the mead has been harvested, the greater the probability that the pulque has not been bastardized and has retained its positive properties.

The wide diversity of microclimates in which agave species are grown suggests that the attributes of the resulting pulque must inevitably vary, sometimes significantly. And it is that, each species of plant in itself has a unique series of compounds, minerals, vitamins, etc., which are transformed differently. This depends on the subregion of Mexico, as well as on the predominant bacteria at that time and to a lesser extent on the yeasts in the environment. Agave species used to extract mead that have been noted in the literature include salmiana, americana, deserti, mapisaga, atrovirens, ferrox, and hookeri. Different roots, including and in particular the acacia (referred to in parts of the state of Oaxaca as timbre), have been commonly used to make pulque stronger, hotter, more intoxicating, or spicier. It also speeds up the fermentation process, especially during the cooler weather months. Such additions further alter the properties of the pulque.

The name pulque was probably derived from the Nahuatl word poliuhqui, meaning spoiled. During pre-Hispanic times in many regions of the country it was a drink reserved for great priests, warriors and wise men. It was used ceremonially as part of the harvest celebration, to induce rain, as a way of honoring certain gods, and during initiation rites such as marriage, birth, and death. Divergent rules abound as to the proper way to drink, and there are a plethora of myths as to its origins. But the national thread that unites them is their medicinal value. It should come as no surprise that pulque-drinking populations were generally immune to the cholera epidemic of the 19th century.

Pulque has been seen nationally as a healthy drink, a nutritional supplement. In areas of Mexico where there is a shortage of safe drinking water due to human or animal contaminants, it is used to quench thirst. But its constituent elements, including but not limited to iron, carotene, thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid, protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, fiber, bioactive compounds, phosphorus, and ash, are likely to lead to its healing function. predominant. in traditional medicine and as preventive food.

Ask very well any tlachiquero (person who extracts mead from agave) in Santiago Matatlán, and he (or she, since at least in the state of Oaxaca producing pulque is a vocation not only reserved for men) will tell you that the Pulque is 100% natural in part because the only fertilizer, if any, used to stimulate agave growth is manure from cows, sheep or goats and the mulch used is bagasse (waste fiber from the distillation of mezcal); and that the attributes of pulque include stimulating the production of white blood cells, being good for triglycerides and controlling diabetes, especially if consumed first thing in the morning well before breakfast.

The intercultural literature based on studies from all over Mexico provides a much broader story. Pulque has been used:

• in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, including ulcers and kidney infections

• as an aid to decrease general weakness of and in the body

• to combat loss of appetite and anorexia

• as a diuretic

• to improve relaxation before bed

• as an aid in the development of the fetus

• to stimulate milk production for nursing mothers

• as a means to reactivate lactation when touched to the lips of newborns

• for children based on its ability to promote muscle and bone formation.

Although the purported use of pulque to stimulate fertility and enhance sexual functioning does not appear to have any factual basis (except perhaps to the extent that alcohol consumption can have a positive impact on libido in some people), much of what above has been confirmed through scientific research. .

Although environmental yeasts play a role in the production of pulque, in particular by apparently contributing to its foaminess, the literature most frequently refers to the bacteria of the species Zymomonas mobilis as the main stimulant that turns mead into pulque (and into pulque). to a lesser extent to bacteria of the genus Lueconostoc). Z. mobilis, which is widely found in the sap of sugar-rich plants, is extremely efficient at producing ethanol.

Several studies have shown in vitro growth promoting effects due to various lactobacilli and bifidobacteria plus probiotic strains. This helps in the absorption of important minerals. Phytase is present, and arguably very important. It is a digestive enzyme. Some believe that it can bind to corn and increase the bioactivity of iron and zinc through metabolization. Phytase is a bacterium found in the intestines of cattle and sheep, but is not normally found in humans, although there is evidence of its presence in vegans and vegetarians. Phytase breaks down into phytic acid. This has been implicated in DNA repair, clathrin-coated vestibular recycling, control of neurotransmission, and cell proliferation. While animal nutrition research has suggested the value of supplementing feeds with phytase as an aid in the production of calcium, phosphorous, other minerals, carbohydrates, and protein, the implications for humans are still largely unknown and further study is required .

By examining within the context of scientific research how and why indigenous populations have been using pulque for hundreds of years, we gain a better understanding of the actual validity and veracity of myths and beliefs about the healing properties of the ferment.

Scientific research confirms that consuming 850 ml of mead satisfies the daily human requirement for iron and zinc. As an alternative source of FOS (fructooligosaccharide) prebiotic syrups, it improves calcium absorption in postmenopausal women and, in general, iron absorption. Its consumption has been suggested for the prevention of colon cancer. Pulque is known to contain steroidal saponins which have been studied for their medicinal uses including antispasmodic activity and toxicity to cancer cells. They have been described as the most important bioactive compounds in yams and several biological activities, including anti-cancer, have been documented.

The melatonin content in pulque helps relaxation in preparation for sleep. The probiotic potential of lactobacilli isolated from both mead and pulque provides a low cholesterol non-dairy source alternative for those who are lactose intolerant. It is perhaps the food product with the highest dose and variety of potential probiotic microorganisms. A study in Valle de Solís, in the State of Mexico, found that pulque consumption resulted in a lower risk of insufficient hemoglobin for pregnant women.

But just as the potential health benefits of pulque consumption have been difficult to assess and confirm for reasons some of which have been noted in this article, so have some of the contraindications. We do know that alcohol consumption can have harmful effects for pregnant women and their children, even with 6% pulque. But this must be weighed against consumption in areas where there are generally poor dietary habits or unavailability of diverse vitamins and minerals through food. The literature does indicate that drinking pulque in low amounts helps the fetus develop and increases milk production during lactation (helps the mother absorb calcium).

In fact, pulque has a short shelf life due to the ambient temperature and continuous contact with yeasts in the environment. The longer it is stored, the faster it turns sour. However, once essentially undrinkable, in parts of Mexico such as Oaxaca it is used as a base to produce a refreshing drink known as tepache. Tepache is typically prepared with vinegar-like pulque, pineapple, and a sugar cane derivative known as piloncillo or panela. It is not known if this drink retains some of the positive attributes of pulque.

For some, another issue is the lack of sanitation associated with mead and pulque. This may become apparent if you have ever had the opportunity to participate in the extraction of aguamiel from the agave and/or have consumed pulque in a town market. In my opinion, having been consuming both drinks for the last quarter century, this is not a problem. Commercially preparing pulque for sale in cans is one possible solution. Chemicals are added to stop fermentation. However, it is suggested that the benefits of pulque consumption will be long gone by the time canned pulque is drunk anywhere in the country or in US states where it is available for purchase, such as California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Further study is warranted and required to better understand the true benefits of pulque. But for now, subject to the documented risks associated with its consumption, it is suggested that the reported positive attributes should be enough to induce the reader to drink a little pulque from time to time, and for the case of aguamiel if in a region of Mexico where it is being harvested fresh from the agave.