A heroic fruit
Maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis) is a vibrant purple fruit that grows abundantly across fields and hillsides in southern Chile. As a plentiful berry bush that grows wild, cultivation has proven to be unnecessary. Maqui contains 300 percent more anthocyanins and 150 percent more polyphenols than any known food or drink, including wine. For generations, the Mapuche Indians have consumed maqui as a fermented beverage. As legend has it, the Mapuche Indians are the only unconquered people of South America. Nourished by maqui, they fought the Spaniards for over 300 years. And won. Today, Mapuche families come together to hand pick the berries in a traditional fashion. The plants are naturally organic as long as their growing habitats are protected from industrial pollutants and encroachment.