The characterisation and bioactivity determination of Adansonia digitata L.
fruit pulp, for commercial product development.

Share/Save

Tags: Baomix Health benefits

Drink daily Baomix for vitality

- Ultimate natural antioxidant Food
- 3 times more calcium than milk
- 7 times more vitamin C than oranges
- 44% fiber, rebalancing the intestinal flora
- Retrieve and / or maintain good vitality

The natural antioxidant properties of BAOMIX play an essential role in combating free radicals, the proliferation of which contributes to the premature aging of cells.  These antioxidants are integral to various metabolic processes, such as collagen production, the synthesis of hormones (steroids), and the production of connective tissue and neurotransmitters.
Ascorbic acid, also found in BAOMIX, improves the body’s ability to assimilate and distribute calcium and iron.
BAOMIX is especially recommended for anyone who desires to rebuild or maintain his or her good health:  seniors, children going through growth spurts, students, and athletes.  BAOMIX is a dietary supplement, and should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet.

Baomix the baobab fruit pulp

100% organic and gluten free, BAOMIX is made by separating the naturally dried skin from the interior pulp of the fruit.
Directions:  Dissolve two teaspoons in a glass of water, fruit juice, iced tea, milk or yogurt one to two times daily.  Try it also as a breakfast tonic by adding two teaspoons to a cup of hot chocolate in the morning.  You can find more recipes at BAOMIX.COM.
Ingredients: 100% organic pulp of baobab (Adansonia digitata).  With a sweet and tangy taste, the pulp contains thiamine (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2), both essential to the regeneration of skin stem cells, and niacin (vitamin B3), which plays in important role in various metabolic functions.  Baobab pulp is naturally rich in minerals—calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc—and in several essential amino acids.
2 teaspoons of BAOMIX contain 44% of your required daily fiber, of which 22.4% is soluble and 22.6% insoluble.  Soluble fiber balances and fortifies your intestinal flora, which helps to facilitate healthy digestion.
An excellent complement to an active diet, 100 grams of BAOMIX contains seven times more vitamin C (300 mg) than an equal quantity of orange and three times more calcium (295 mg) than milk.
Store in a cool dry place.
Composition of 100 grams of baobab fruit:  75.6% carbohydrates, 2.3% protein, 0.27% lipids and 300 mg vitamin C.

Origin Senegal, distributed by company AGOJI France

Share/Save

Tags: Aceite de Baobab, Antioxidants, árbol Baobab, Australia, Baobab pulp Fruit Powder, Baomix Health benefits, Cooking Baobab fruit, Organic

Baobab tree

It’s being billed as king of the superfruits – the baobab fruit has just been given EU approval to be used in smoothies and cereal bars. But what does it taste like? The Magazine’s Tom Geoghegan got hold of one.

With its velvet skin, the baobab feels like a coconut in the flush of youth – minus the long hairs.

And inside its flesh is crammed full of vitamin C, calcium and antioxidants – it packs a nutrition punch that makes so-called « super-fruits » like pomegranates and cranberries green with envy.

The taste is something of a disappointment after the tactile pleasure of the skin that encases it. The white, powdery fruit looks like sherbet and in parts of Africa is mixed with water and made into a drink, has an alien texture that seems rather tasteless.

But baobab – pronounced bay-oh-bab – jam, which is made from the pulp, is more appetising. It looks like dark honey. The taste is tart – akin to lemon curd – and the texture gritty like a tangy pear.

BAOBAB NUTRITION
More than 10 times the antioxidant level of oranges
And six times more vitamin C
More than twice the calcium level of milk
Soluble fibre in fruit pulp has pre-biotic qualities and stimulates good bacteria in gut
High in potassium, important for brain, nerve and muscle function
And phosphorus, which helps bones

Approval this week by the EU means that within months the baobab will be available in the UK for the first time.

It won’t be seen on supermarket shelves as a furry nut, because it cannot be easily taken home and eaten. Not only is the skin very hard – it feels as if it could withstand a whack from a meat cleaver – but the fruit inside is a dry and sticky powder.

Baobab fruit

So baobab is better suited as an ingredient. It is most likely to be added to smoothies and cereal bars as food manufacturers target the health-conscious shoppers.

Super food
« The main market that we see it for in the immediate future is the healthy snacks and drinks market, » says Cyril Lombard of Phytotrade Africa, which has campaigned for EU approval.
« Cereal bars and smoothies are a particular target because they are the big products among healthy foods.

« And because of the nutritional properties of baobab, we think they are ideal markets for it. In time though, you could find baobab on the shelves in a wide range of different products such as baked goods and jams. »

It’s rare for calcium to be found in large quantities in fruit and vegetables, he says, and even kale does not have this amount. Hence its popularity in parts of Africa among pregnant and breastfeeding women.

« Super-food is a term that many people frown upon so we would hesitate to use it. But it’s a fruit with extraordinarily high levels of the key nutrients. »

If demand in Europe takes off, it will benefit some of the poorest people in Africa, says Mr Lombard. People without land or money to plant seeds can pick baobab in the wild and sell to producers.
Mythical tree

The adansonia digitata, which is the only baobab species in Africa, provides many forms of nourishment, says Paul Smith, head of the millennium seed bank at Kew Gardens, where one baobab tree has been grown under glass.

WHERE IT GROWS
Southern, central, western and north-eastern Africa, on savannah
National tree of Madagascar, where there are seven species
Western Australia, where one tree was used to imprison Aborigines

The fruit is mixed with water and drunk as lemonade, the seeds are roasted and made into coffee, the leaves can be made into spinach and the children suck the seeds.

The baobab tree is iconic and wrapped in mythology, he says, but the tree is not as old as previously thought.

« Livingstone, who famously carved his name on a number of trees, said it was likely that these trees were grown at the time of the Great Flood, 4,000 years ago.

« But science suggests that they are not as old as that. One with a diameter of 14.4m was carbon-dated to about 1,000 years old. That is still old, about the age of some oaks in Great Windsor Park. »
The tree bark is very unusual in that it regenerates itself. In Zambia, some baobab trees continue to grow with spears through their trunks. The Ngoni people believed the enemy Bisa tribe could turn themselves into baobabs, so speared some of the trees.

The bark is stewed to wash newborn babies to give them strength, but some people in Zambia believe eating baobab attracts crocodiles and therefore fisherman may avoid it.

The trunk is hollow and stores water, and is often home to bats and snakes, and even humans. A district commissioner in Zambia once set up his office inside, and a tree still standing in Western Australia was used to imprison Aboriginal convicts in the 1890s.

By Claire Heald
BBC News Magazine

Share/Save

Tags: Baomix Health benefits

Baobab is a fruit from Africa that has recently been approved for use in the EU and UK. The baobab super-fruit is naturally dehydrated. It grows on the African baobab tree, and is encased in a thick hard shell. The fruit pulp itself is white, and is clumped around seeds and red fibers inside the shell.

Baobab Madagascar tree

The fruit pulp is mechanically removed from the shell and seperated from the red fiber. It has a nutty, acidic taste. Baobab pulp is only about 10% water, naturally, and contains significantly more vitamin C than oranges. The dehydrated form of the pulp means that the fruit does not need to be processed, just mechanically seperate, and use. In the EU and UK, it is intended to use baobab fruit pulp for smothies and cereal bars, amongst other possible uses.

Share/Save

Tags: Baomix Health benefits

Summary:
In July 2008, the EU gave baobab fruit Novel Foods approval, legalising its use as a food ingredient for European manufacturers. Baobab fruit pulp is rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium and phosphorus, and is pro-biotic, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. As such, it has enormous potential as an ingredient in healthy foods and snacks, and dozens of companies are now conducting product development. So does this mean that baobab harvesters can expect to earn an income from their fruit, and what about risks to sustainability? Dr Nonto Nemarundwe of PhytoTrade Africa offers some answers.

baobab fruit

The baobab is probably Africa’s best known tree, and one of the most widely distributed trees on the continent. For generations, people have harvested the fruit, to enjoy the tangy pulp that surrounds the seeds. It’s also been used locally as a treatment for stomach problems and fever.
In 2008, European lawmakers gave baobab a Novel Foods approval, legalising the import of baobab pulp into Europe as a food ingredient. This resulted from an appeal by PhytoTrade Africa, a non-profit making association committed to promoting African natural products.
So what are the implications for baobab harvesters? Can they expect to earn some income from this new European market? To find out, Sylvia Khumalo spoke to Dr Nonto Nemarundwe, of PhytoTrade Africa’s Harare office.

Transcript
Nonto
This is really exciting news for our farmers, because it means the market potential for baobab products will increase, and it also means more supplementary incomes for them. We are also, at the moment, talking to some large European food and beverage manufacturers, to see what kind of products they could develop that would use the baobab as an ingredient. Some of the products would be, like fruit smoothies, milk shakes or health bars. And also we are looking at having the baobab pulp being used in sports and nutritional drinks, and in some cases in flavouring breakfast cereals or flavouring biscuits and cakes. So really there is a huge potential now that we’ve been awarded this novel foods approval, to have more demand for the products.
Khumalo
And now, the service that primary producers get from PhytoTrade?
Nonto
As a trade association, most of the services, like the technical services, the training and capacity building that we do, is really directly to our members. But beyond the members we also have the rural producers, who are the harvesters of these natural products, who are directly involved with our members. So we encourage our members to also build capacity among the primary producers and share information that we generate. For instance, last year we did some case studies in Swaziland, Zambia and Namibia, where we were looking at impacts at community level. They have the resource which they have been using for subsistence, and this is an opportunity for them to also generate some income which they can use for investments. Like for instance, in some of the case studies that we’ve done, we’ve found out that the money that people get from selling the natural products is not only used to buy food or pay school fees, cover basic needs. The rural communities are also using the money to invest in bigger projects, maybe start some small businesses, buy livestock which is a long term investment, and also, like the women have used the money to join some savings clubs which they couldn’t join before, and through these savings and credit schemes they are now able to access loans, which they can use to establish other enterprises. So in a way, this is giving them an opportunity to earn income from a product that they were only using for subsistence. They still use the products for subsistence, but at the same time they are now getting additional benefits from the products.
Khumalo

Baobab tree

Every excitement needs to be contained. What is PhytoTrade going to do to contain this excitement so that we avoid extinction of the species?
Nonto
Yes, you are right. There have been questions being raised on whether there could be some over-harvesting because of this excitement. The advantage with the kind of work we do at the moment is that really our focus is on what has traditionally been referred to as the non-timber-forest-products. It doesn’t really have direct impact on the tree that is being harvested, because we are collecting the seed, so we are not really cutting the trees or anything. But the question which has been raised is, in the long term, what impact does that have on regeneration, if we are using the seeds. So what we have done is we have established three case studies, to assess the environmental impacts of the use of the seeds that we use for the oils and also the pulp. So in the long term we also want to ensure that there is sustainability. Also, what our members have also done, they have also started some initiatives of tree planting, to ensure that in the long term we do have resource availability. For instance, in Malawi they have some tree planting initiatives that they have started at the moment for baobab. It’s a long term growing tree, it takes many years to grow, but I think these small steps would also contribute in the long term to the sustainability of the resource. And then in Mozambique we also have another member who has started some initiatives around carbon sequestration. So with all these initiatives, that are aimed at ensuring long term sustainability of the resource. And also this we are seeing is also contributing to biodiversity conservation in a way, because previously people didn’t really care about the products. Anyone could collect anywhere, any time, because it was just for subsistence; there was no market. Now that there is a market and people can realise some income from the products, we are seeing communities now guarding jealously against their trees, and they are managing them more. They are more conscious about ensuring there is good management of the trees. So in a way it is also contributing to biodiversity. So the challenge of over-harvesting I think is something that at the moment people are really taking into consideration and ensuring that there is sustainable use of these resources. End of track.

Billed as the king of the superfruits, here are its stats…

• More than 10 times the antioxidant level of oranges. And six times more vitamin C.
• More than twice the calcium level of milk.
• Soluble fibre in fruit pulp has pre-biotic qualities and stimulates good bacteria in the gut.
• High in potassium, important for brain, nerve and muscle function. And phosphorus, which helps bones.

Share/Save

Tags: Baomix Health benefits

The first natural bio complex created, dehydrated and stabilized by nature

Adansonia Digita, or Baobab, bears fruits once a year, which are then harvested by the local community. The Fruit pods contain seeds, red funicles and naturally dehydrated fruit pulp.
The Fruit pulp is a natural, non treated organic raw material, which is seperated from the seeds and the fibers by a mechanical process.

Baobab fruit

Why use Baobab pulp Fruit Powder

10 x the antioxidant level of oranges
6 x more vitamin C than oranges
6 x more antioxidants than Cranberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries
6 x Times More Potassium than a Banana
2 x More antioxidants than Goji Berries
Omega 3, 6, & 9
More Iron than red meat
More Magnesium than Spinach
Twice the calcium level of milk
Valuable aid in the prevention and treatment of gastric and IBS disorders
Effective in treating osteoporosis, varicose veins and hemorrhoids
The fruit’s minerals and vitamins are beneficial to anaemics, anorexics, smokers and athletes
Excellent ingredient in diets for diabetics (notably type II diabetes)
Displays antioxidant capacity by fighting against the formation of free radicals
Ideal in pre-biotic formulations, and stimulates the intestinal micro flora
Great complement in diets for celiac diseases
Involved in Tempe fermentation
Antiviral properties
Energy Booster
Diet Supplement
Baobab Fruit powder can be added to energy drinks, chewable tablets and vitamin bars to aid a diet supplement
Functional Food
Baobab fruit powder can be added to Yoghurts (with pre or pro biotic activities), biscuits, ice cream, fruit juice, smoothies and gluten free products
Daily Supplement
Can be added to cereal and powdered shakes as part of a daily food

Independent tests have also confirmed Baobab Fruit Powder’s importance as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antipyretic and analgesic agent.

Nutritional information per 100g

* Energetic Value (kcal)- 175 Kcal/100g
* Energetic Value (KJ) – 750 Kj/100g
* Proteins – 2.9g/100g
* Fats – 0.4g/100g
* Total Carbohydrates – 39.0g/100g
* Dietary Fiber – 45.9g/100g
* Sodium – 0.2mg/100g

Proteins
Average values of aminoacids per 100g of protein

* Proline – 2.35 g
* Histidine – 2.71 g
* Leucine – 8.41 mg
* Lysine – 14.62 g
* Arginine – 6.04 g
* Isoleucine – 10.73 g
* Methionine – 4.92 g
* Cysteine – 11.23 g
* Glutamic acid – 4.02 g
* Valine – 1.62 g
* Tyrosine – 4.21 g
* Tryptophan – 1.49 g
* Threonine – 2.96 g

Dietary Fibers
Average values per 100g of fruit pulp.

* Soluble dietary fibers – 23g/100g
* Insoluble dietary fibers – 23g/100g

Sugars
Average values per 100g of fruit pulp.

* Gluctose – 3.4g/100g
* Fructose – 3.3g/100g
* Saccharose – 20g/100g

Minerals
Average values per 100g of fruit pulp.

* Calcium – 300mg/100g
* Phosphorus – 96-210mg/Kg
* Iron – 2.7mg/Kg
* Potassium – 2.31mg/Kg
* Manganese – 0.60-0.90mg/Kg

Vitamins

* Vitamin C – 295mg/100g
* Vitamin A – 200mcg/100g
* Vitamin B1(thiamin) – 0.04mg/100g
* Vitamin B2(riboflavin) – 0.06mg/100g
* Vitamin B6(piridoxin) – 2.13mg/100g
* Vitamin PP(niacin) – 2.16mg/100g

sources : www.baobabfruit.co.uk

Share/Save

Tags: Baobab pulp Fruit Powder, Baomix Health benefits

El Baobab es un árbol gigantesco de flores efímeras y frutos carnosos, de forma variable, con una cáscara peluda. « Los baobabs son distintos de cualquier otro árbol y parecen plantados al revés». Más allá de las curiosidades, los Baobabs están en el origen de numerosos mitos y leyendas, arraigadas en la memoria de África. Uno de ellos señala que en los primeros días del mundo los dioses repartieron semillas entre todos los animales para que las plantaran; las del baobab se la dieron a la hiena, ésta un poco torpe, y enojada por haberlas recibido en último lugar, decidió plantarlas al revés, lo que explicaría la extraña impresión que producen los Baobabs, como si sus raíces estuvieran en el aire.
El Baobab, llamado también “árbol botella” o “árbol farmacia”, pertenece a la familia de las Bombacaceae, familia que consta de 150 especies, casi todas arbóreas y propias de las regiones tropicales, con frutos generalmente muy grandes, como el Durión, Durio zibethinus o el Zapote, Matisia cordata. El Baobab crece en África Central y es especie nativa de las regiones semiáridas del África Sub-Sahariana. Su altura algunas veces sobrepasa los 30 metros, pero su tronco puede superar los 20 de diámetro, y pueden vivir normalmente más tres mil años, hasta un máximo de seis. El Baobab puede almacenar desde 6.000 hasta 100.000 litros de agua, ya que la corteza es esponjosa y tiene muchas cavidades huecas. Desde la antigüedad este árbol era utilizado para el consumo de la población local y sus frutos y hojas eran conocidos por sus propiedades.

Existen ocho especies de Baobabs, seis de las cuales se encuentran en Madagascar:

ADANSONIA DIGITATA
Localización: Es la especie más numerosa y conocida de los Baobabs, y se encuentra en casi todos los países del África subsahariana. Puede alcanzar los 30 metros de altura y hasta 20 de diámetro en la parte más ancha del tronco. Su corteza es gris y lisa.

Tronco y hojas: El árbol adulto tiene un tronco muy fuerte y agazapado, muchas veces hueco (se han hecho hasta pequeñas casas en su interior). Las hojas se desarrollan en la temporada de las lluvias (de mayo a noviembre).

Flores: Las flores del baobab son grandes, blancas, con cinco pétalos. Es una flor de una noche, que se abre en el crepúsculo y marchita en el transcurso del día. La polinización está garantizada generalmente por los murciélagos e insectos alimentándose del abundante néctar azucarado.

Período de floración: de Mayo hasta Agosto.

Frutos: Los frutos tienen formas variables según las especies de Baobabs, entre esféricas ovoides, y alargadas elipsoidales.

ADANSONIA GRANDIDIERI
Localización: Es la especie típica del Madagascar. Se encuentra en Morondava y Morombe, en el oeste de la isla, y por muchos considerado el más bonito de la especie.  Tiene una corteza de color gris rojizo.

Puede alcanzar los 25 metros de altura y el tronco (cilíndrico) unos cuatro de diámetro.
Flores: Son blancas y con el tiempo se vuelven amarillas. Sus frutos son redondos y rojizos.

ADANSONIA GIBBOSA O GREGORII.
Localización: Especie nativa del norte y noroeste de Australia. De todas las especies de Baobab es la más pequeña, no suele sobrepasar los 10 metros de altura.
De su base crecen varios troncos de distinto grosor con  una corteza gris y lisa.
Flores: Sus flores son blancas o de color crema. Los frutos tienen forma de bola.
ADANSONIA  ZA
Localización: Se encuentra en el noroeste, oeste y sur de Madagascar. Es una de las especies más comunes. Su altura va de los 5 a 30 metros con una corteza de color gris.
Flores: Sus flores son amarillas y sus frutos son de forma ovoidal, con un color oscuro casi negro.

ADANSONIA  SUAREZENSIS.

Localización: Su diminuta población se encuentra en Antsiranana (norte de Madagascar). Su altura alcanza los 25 metros con un tronco de dos metros de diámetro. Flores: Sus flores son blancas. Tiene una copa plana, donde sus ramas crecen horizontalmente casi de forma paralela con el suelo. Sus frutos son muy irregulares  (largos) y sus semillas son las más grandes de las demás especies (hay unas 450 semillas por Kg de pulpa en lugar que 1000).

ADANSONIA  RUBROSTIPA.
Localización: Es una de las especies más pequeñas de Madagascar con una altura media de 5 metros, pero algunos ejemplares alcanzan los 20 metros.

Su tronco se asimila a una botella y su corteza con la edad es de color marrón rojiza y en los ejemplares jóvenes es gris.
Flores: Sus flores son anaranjadas. Sus frutos son redondos y de color rojo denso.

ADANSONIA  PERRIERI.
Localización: La encontramos solamente en la región de Antsiranana, al norte de Madagascar. Es la especie más extraña y en peligro de extinción. Puede alcanzar una altura de 30 metros, tiene un tronco irregular con unas delgadas ramas que crecen formando ángulos de 45º.

Flores: Sus flores son de color amarillo pálido y sus frutos son grandes midiendo hasta 30 cm.

ADANSONIA  MADAGASCARENSIS.
Localización: Crece en la región de Mahajanga, noroeste de Madagascar. Su altura varía entre los 5 y 20 metros. Tiene un tronco con forma de cilindro o en forma de botella, su corteza es lisa, de color gris claro y una copa muy irregular.
Flores: Sus flores son de color rojo oscuro y sus frutos pequeños (más o menos redondos) de color marrón.

Los Baobabs crecen sobretodo en suelos arenosos y calcareos, prefieren un clima muy cálido, son muy resistentes a la sequía y también a los fuertes vientos. Podemos encontrar Baobabs en Senegal, en Gabon, en la Republica Central Africana, en Zaire, en Nigeria, en Mali, Ghana, Togo, Congo, Sudan, Eritrea, Kenia, Tanzania, Mozambico, Angola y Madagascar.

La presencia de Baobabs fuera del Continente Africano es debido a los navegantes y viajeros árabes, franceses o portugeses que exportaban los frutos, es por esto que hoy podemos encontrar estos árboles en Arabia, Australia, Centro America (Cuba y Haiti), Florida, Nueva Zelanda, Filipinas, Antillas y, también Europa (Alicante, España).

EL FRUTO
El fruto del Baobab mide desde 10 cm hasta 45 cm. Tiene forma irregular, aovada, y está constituido por una parte externa leñosa, muy resistente, cubierta de una pelusa amarillo-verde; en el interior se encuentra una pulpa deshidratada, con aspecto polvoriento, de color blanquecino y de sabor ligeramente ácido. La pulpa se divide en pequeñas aglomeraciones harinosas que encierran múltiples semillas.

En Africa la población obtiene mezclando este polvo con agua, un zumo, llamado también leche de Baobab, gubdi o buoy, que tiene más  proteínas, calcio y  hierro que la leche humana, y por esto es utilizado como alimento infantil. Es muy rico también en vitamina C y provitamina A.

LA HOJA
Las hojas del Baobab pueden ser simples o digitadas, es decir, como los dedos de una mano, y miden unos 10-15 cm. Se encuentran al final de las ramas o también a nivel del tronco. Las hojas representan una fuente nutricional muy importante, sobre todo en aquellos ambientes áridos y pobres en vegetación. Las hojas de baobab en la tradición alimenticia africana se consumen crudas o hervidas, también si la forma más común de aprovecharlas es disecándolas y moliéndolas hasta obtener un polvo (en Senegal se llama Lalo).

Las hojas del Baobab son ricas en vitaminas, minerales y aminoácidos, también si los valores son muy variables según las zonas y las condiciones climáticas. En las hojas encontramos una alta concentración de calcio (260-402 mg/100 gr) y de fósforo (57,5-67 mg/100gr). Es rica en vitamina C, pero también encontramos otras vitaminas, como las del grupo B, especialmente la B3 (niacina).

Del punto de vista nutricional, la hoja puede ser considerada una fuente rica en proteínas, sobretodo en aquellos lugares en que hay escacez de recursos nutricionales. Se considera un suplemento nutritivo en la dieta rico en cereales, como el mijo, tanto para las poblaciones indígenas como para los animales.

En cuanto al contenido de minerales en la hoja encontramos calcio, hierro, potasio, magnesio, manganeso, molibdeno, fósforo y zinc. Esto indica en términos de calidad y cantidad un buen aporte de elementos inorgánicos. En Africa se emplean, una vez secadas y molidas, para ligar el cous-cous de mijo.

LA SEMILLA
La semilla representa una parte muy importante del fruto, ya que costituye alrededor del 40% de su peso. Mide unos 4-5 mm y se compone de una sutil piel externa de color café, el endocarpio, y un núcleo, blanco y rico en acidos grasos y proteínas (alrededor de 35 g. por 100 gramos de producto).

Es rica sobretodo en Lisina, Cisteina, Arginina, Tiamina, Riboflavina, Niacina, y en minerales como Calcio, Hierro y Potasio.

En Africa, desde siglos, se extrae un aceite para uso alimenticio y cosmético, como cicatrizante y para hidratar la piel, mientras que tostadas reemplazarían al café.

sources : www.elfrutodelbaobab.com

Share/Save

Tags: árbol Baobab, Baomix Health benefits, Fruto del Baobab

El fruto del Baobab tiene forma aovada, es muy irregular en su forma, puede medir  de 10 cm hasta 45 cm. Es constituido por una parte  leñosa externa, muy resistente, cubierta de una pelusa amarillo-verde, y de una parte interna, que constituye  la pulpa. Una vez que el fruto está maduro, cae del árbol y al abrirlo encontramos la  pulpa deshidratada, con un aspecto polvoriento, de color blanquecino y de sabor ligeramente ácido.

Un fruto de tamaño medio (17 cm de largo por 8 cm de ancho) pesa alrededor de 165 gramos, de los cuales un 40% es representado por semilla y solo un 10-12% de pulpa. Ésta se divide en pequeñas aglomeraciones harinosas que encierran múltiples semillas (ver imagen a la derecha).
El sabor característico de la pulpa, un poco ácido, es debido a la presencia de ácidos orgánicos, tales como: ácido cítrico, tartárico, málico y succínico. Desde siglos se utiliza en muchos países africanos para preparar una bebida (zumo de bouy o gouy) refrescante y energética, rica en fibra, vitaminas, aminoácidos y sales minerales. También se utiliza para preparar helados, batidos o como alimento infantil. En 100 gr. de pulpa están presentes el 75,6% de los glúcidos totales, el 2,3% de proteínas y un bajísimo contenido de lípidos igual al 0,27%. El fruto recién abierto, es consumido también como un caramelo.
Fibra alimenticia de la pulpa del fruto de Baobab
La pulpa del fruto de Baobab provee una cantidad de fibras solubles (22.54%) e insolubles (22.04%), que pueden llegar hasta cerca de
45 gramos por 100g. de producto. El nivel de consumo de fibra alimenticia no se ha definido todavía, pero es  comúnmente aceptado que la fibra debe estar presente en una dieta sana y equilibrada, porque tiene la capacidad de influenciar múltiples aspectos de la fisiología digestiva. El consumo frecuente de fibra alimenticia, asociado a una dieta rica en vegetales, cereales y fruta, está relacionado con la reducción del riesgo de sobrepeso, diabetes y la manifestación de neoplasias del aparato digestivo, como estreñimiento.

Las fibras insolubles no son asimiladas por el intestino y aceleran el tránsito intestinal gracias a la capacidad de aumentar la masa fecal y estimular la perístole; son empleadas principalmente para combatir el estreñimiento e inducir a una sensación de saciedad, que se puede disfrutar en un régimen de dieta hipocalórica.

Además el equilibrio entre fibra soluble e insoluble, parece estimular el crecimiento de  algunas culturas bacterianas pertenecientes a la microflora intestinal (efecto prebiótico). Se sabe que la actividad prebiótica determina:

·        Mejoramiento del equilibrio de la microflora intestinal;

·        Mejoramiento de la digestión de la lactosa;

·        Prevención de la diarrea ;

·        Actividad inmunoestimulante.
El fruto de Baobab tiene además un elevado contenido de ácido ascórbico (vit. C). Se ha determinado que la pulpa puede proveer hasta 300 mg de vitamina C cada 100 gr., cantidad que equivale a casi seis veces más el contenido de la naranja. El ácido ascórbico desarrolla un rol extremadamente importante tanto del punto de vista nutricional como terapéutico. Conocido desde tiempos antiguos por su capacidad de prevenir el escorbuto, la vitamina C encuentra un uso siempre más relevante por su capacidad antioxidante, y por la capacidad de proteger el organismo por daños causados por los radicales libres.

El fruto contiene una cantidad apreciable de aminoácidos esenciales en correcta secuencia, muy útiles para los deportistas o para las personas que quieren sentirse bién, ya unidos naturalmente, tales como:

·        tiamina (B1)

·        riboflavina (B2)

·        niacina (B3)

Además, el fruto contribuye al aporte de algunos minerales y ácidos grasos esenciales. En efecto, en 100gr de pulpa están contenidos de media 293 mg de calcio (3 veces más que la leche), 2.31 mg de potasio, 96-118 mg de fósforo, 7 mg de hierro (3 veces más que el huevo) y ácido alfa-linoleico (27 mg de ácido por cada gramo de producto seco).

Valores y propiedades nutricionales del fruto del Baobab por 100 g. de pulpa:

Energía 131 Kcal   555 KJ

Proteínas 5,3 g

Hidrato de Carbono 30 g.

De los cuales:

Glucosa 8.47mg

Fructosa 17.93mg

Sacarosa 10.71mg

Maltosa N.D.

Polisacáridos 10.21mg

Almidón 48.10mg

Grasas 0,15 g.

Fibra Alimentaria 44 g.

Sodio 0,002 g.

Betacarotenos 200 mcg

Vit. C 300 mg.

Vit. B1 0,48 mg.

Vit. B2 0,28 mg.

Vit. B3 3 mg.

Vit. B6 2 mg

Calcio 293-300mg

Fósforo 96-210mg.

Hierro 7mg

Potasio 2.31mg

Sodio 1.86mg

Magnesio 0.10mg

Zinc 0.064mg

Manganeso 2.07mg

Valores medios de los aminoácidos por100g de proteínas

Prolina 2.35g

Histidina 2.71g

Leucina 8.41mg

Lisina 14.62g

Arginina 6.04g

Izo leucina 10.73g

Metionina 4.92g

Cisteina 11.23g

Ácido glutámico 4.02g

Valina 1.62g

Tiroxina 4.21g

Triptofano 1.49g

Treonina 2.96g
sources : www.elfrutodelbaobab.com

Share/Save

Tags: árbol Baobab, Baomix Health benefits, Fruto del Baobab

A recent article in The Guardian highlights the use of the baobab fruit by a London-based chef who is very excited about the use of baobab in cooking.

————————————————————————–

« It is a wonderful fruit! » rhapsodises Antonio Perez, who spent many years travelling around its native land before opening the African Kitchen Gallery Restaurant in central London. « It is very nutritious, full of vitamin C and vitamin A. It has a very special flavour, but the closest I can get to it is jackfruit, which is like melon. »

But what can you do with it? Well, when it comes to the baobab fruit, it seems simpler to ask what can’t you do with it. In Africa, it is used to alleviate various medical complaints, the leaves are eaten as a vegetable, and the seeds can be eaten raw or roasted, or ground to make an edible oil and thickener for soups and stews.

« For the fruit itself, you can peel it and slice it and cook it with anything – beef, chicken, even bake or grill it with fish, » says Perez. « Roast it, mash it, puree it … » Coming as it does from a culture with no tradition of writing down cookery methods, he says there is no master recipe. « They are learned from family to family, everybody will cook it differently. It will bring the flavour. You must bring your imagination. »

You may need a smidgen more imagination than usual for now, as the EU has so far only approved the powdery pulp of the fruit for dismally denatured use in things like cereal bars and smoothies, but Perez remains undaunted. « It is like flour – you can blend it with anything, » he urges. « You could make it into something like polenta, into porridge and have it for supper. It is a fantastic fruit. »

Share/Save

Tags: Baomix Health benefits

Baobab (Adansonia, L. 1758) sono un genere di piante appartenente alla famiglia delle Bombacaceae (o Malvaceae secondo la classificazione APG) e comprendente otto specie: una diffusa in Africa, una in Australia, e sei endemiche del Madagascar.

Il nome « baobab » verrebbe, secondo alcune fonti, dal senegalese « albero di mille anni » (riferito alla leggendaria longevità della piante); secondo altri, sarebbe di derivazione araba, e significherebbe « frutto dai molti grani ». Il nome scientifico è un omaggio a Michel Adanson, il naturalista ed esploratore francese che descrisse il baobab africano (Adansonia digitata).

Specie [modifica]

Le otto specie del genere Adansonia vengono comunemente suddivise, in base alle differenze morfologiche del fiore (morfologia del germoglio florale, orientamento del fiore e lunghezza del tubulo staminale), in tre sezioni:

* Sezione Adansonia
o Adansonia digitata – baobab africano
* Sezione Brevitubae
o Adansonia grandidieri – baobab di Grandidier
o Adansonia suarezensis
* Sezione Longitubae
o Adansonia gregorii (sin. A. gibbosa) – baobab australiano
o Adansonia madagascariensis – baobab del Madagascar
o Adansonia perrieri – baobab di Perrier
o Adansonia rubrostipa (sin. A. fony)
o Adansonia za

Morfologia

Sono alberi caducifogli con grandi tronchi, che raggiungono altezze tra i 5 e i 25 m (eccezionalmente 30 m); il diametro del tronco può raggiungere i 7 m (eccezionalmente 11 m). Sono famosi per la loro capacità d’immagazzinamento d’acqua all’interno del tronco rigonfio, che riesce a contenere fino 120.000 litri d’acqua per resistere alle dure condizioni di siccità di alcune regioni. I rami, disposti a raggiera alla sommità dei tronchi, sono del tutto spogli durante la stagione secca. La chioma si riempie, per pochi mesi all’anno, di foglie composte palmate. Nell’epoca, temporalmente molto limitata, della fioritura esibiscono grandi fiori molto odorosi, che si schiudono la notte. Producono frutti ovoidali con un pericarpo commestibile e un grosso seme reniforme.

Impollinazione

Le specie del genere Adansonia hanno una impollinazione zoocora, cioè legata alla azione di diverse specie animali.
La impollinazione di A. digitata è mediata da alcune specie di pipistrelli, analogamente alle due specie della sezione Brevitubae, alla cui impollinazione contribuiscono anche alcune specie di lemuri notturni. Le cinque specie della sezione Longitubae invece sono usualmente impollinate da farfalle notturne della famiglia Sphingidae.

Diffusione e habitat

Sei delle otto specie note (A. grandidieri, A. madagascariensis, A. suarezensis, A. perrieri, A. rubrostipa e A. za) sono endemiche del Madagascar.

A. digitata è ampiamente diffusa in Africa continentale mentre l’unica specie non africana è A. gregorii, endemica dell’Australia nord-occidentale.

Analisi cladistiche hanno mostrato che la differenziazione tra le specie africane e quella australiana è avvenuta molto tempo dopo la frammentazione del supercontinente Gondwana e pertanto deve essere intervenuto un meccanismo di dispersione ad opera delle correnti marine.

Usi

* Le foglie sono usate come vegetale commestibile in tutte le aree di distribuzione del continente africano, compresi il Malawi, lo Zimbabwe e il Sahel. Sono mangiate sia fresche che sotto forma di polvere secca. In Nigeria, le foglie sono localmente note come kuka, e sono usate per produrre la zuppa di kuka.

* La polpa secca del frutto, dopo la separazione tra i semi e le fibre, viene direttamente mangiata o mescolata nel porridge o nel latte.

* I semi sono usati principalmente come addensante per le zuppe, ma possono anche essere fermentati in condimenti, arrostiti per un consumo diretto, o tritati per estrarre olio vegetale. L’albero è anche una fonte di fibre, tinture e carburante.

* Il boab (ovvero la specie australiana Adansonia gregorii) era usato dagli australiani aborigeni come fonte di acqua e cibo, mentre le foglie erano utilizzate per scopi medici. I frutti venivano scolpiti e dipinti, per poi essere usati come ornamenti. Un boab molto grande e vuoto a sud di Derby, nell’Australia Occidentale, fu usato negli anni ’90 come camera di sicurezza per i prigionieri aborigeni diretti a Derby per la loro sentenza; questo « albero-prigione » esiste ancora ed è una meta turistica.

Curiosità

* Il baobab è l’albero nazionale del Madagascar.
* Ne Il Piccolo Principe di Antoine de Saint-Exupéry il protagonista è preoccupato dal fatto che i baobab crescendo possano occupare tutto lo spazio del suo asteroide.
* Rafiki, personaggio del film di animazione Il re leone, ha la sua casa dentro un albero di baobab.
* Baobab è il titolo di una serie dell’autore di fumetti Igort.

Share/Save

Tags: Baobab's Video, Baomix Health benefits