Baobab

Baobab trees can live for over 3,000 years. When they die, they rot inside and all of a sudden collapse! You can find baobab growing within our Rain forest Biome.

Botanical description

Taxonomic name: Adansonia digitata.

Household: Malvaceae (kapok, mallow, soda pop, hibiscus).

Likewise known as: monkey bread tree, lemonade tree, upside down tree.

Tree approximately 25m tall. Trunk girth up to 25m when mature. Branches short, stout and twiggy at ends. Bark red-brown to purple-grey. Leaves simple to digitate, with approximately 9 dark green and shiny leaflets however typically 5. Flower stalk (peduncle) as much as 90cm long. Flowers swinging, up to 20cm broad, white, petals rounded including a mass of endurances (up to 1,600), often open prior to leaves. Fruits amphisarca, as much as 20cm long, globose to ovoid, covered in felt-like downy hairs (tomentum), contain numerous seeds.

Where to discover Baobabs?

Baobabs (Adansonia digitata) can be found in Africa South of the Sahara:.

Southern and Eastern Africa: Ethiopia (in the South), Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan (in the South), Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botsuana, Namibia (in the very North), Angola, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa (in the North, Limpopo Province).

West Africa: Burkina Faso, Kamerun, Tchad, Kongo, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo.

Baobabs were commonly distributed by humans– Arab merchands for instance traded the fruit on Egyptian markets and further East. The trees are said to be discovered in nations as far as Vietnam and Indonesia. A less positive distribution aspect was the slave trade to Latin America: Baobabs can be discovered in the Carabbean today. Some Baobabs delight in the warm climate in Florida. More baobabs grow in Australia (in the North-West) and in Madagascar. But the types there are not Adansonia digitata.

Standard medicinal usages

Baobab leaves, bark, and fruit are used for food and medical purposes in southern Africa. The bark has astringent homes and has been used generally to ease colds, fevers, and influenza (a preparation made from the fresh bark is taken as a drink for one week to deal with the flu). The wood, bark, and seeds of the tree are known to have anti-inflammatory homes. The leaves may be used as an antiperspirant, and they likewise have actually been used to treat fever, kidney and bladder diseases, as well as asthma and diarrhea. In African traditional medicine, baobab fruit pulp is utilized to deal with fever, diarrhea, dysentery, smallpox, measles, hemoptysis (the spending of blood), and as a pain reliever. For the treatment of infant diarrhea, a mix made from the floury pulp blended with millet flour and water is given to the child until cured. For dysentery, baobab leaves are administered orally or crushed into a drink. Leaves can also be used in hip-baths to treat parasitic skin infections. The seed can be pulped and applied externally or contributed to water as a drink to treat stomach, kidney, and joint diseases.

Throughout the rainy season when the trees are in leaf, baobab is a good fodder tree, specifically for game such as elephants, kudus, nyalas, and impalas. At the end of the season, livestock eat the fallen leaves, and various game types enjoy the fallen flowers. As far as human beings are worried, the roots can be tapped for water, and the young roots are cooked and consumed. Young leaves can be cooked and consumed like spinach or dried and powdered to be used later. The leaves are abundant in ascorbic acid (vitamin C), sugars, and potassium tartrate. The acid pith of the fruit is rich in vitamin C and can be used to make a revitalizing drink. Baobab seeds, the oil of which is high in calories, can be consumed fresh, dried, or roasted as a substitute for coffee (Coffea spp., Rubiaceae). The pulp and seeds have high nutritional worth in the form of iron, calcium, and vitamin C, and they can be fed to animals towards the end of the dry season when grazing is poor.

The citric and tartaric acids discovered in the pulp motivated one of baobab’s popular names, “cream of tartar tree.” Baobab pulp is often utilized in baking as a milk-curdling representative, as a flavoring for yogurt and ice cream, and as a source of calcium for pregnant and breast feeding women. Due to its high pectin material, the pulp also has been utilized generally as a thickening representative for sauces and jams. In some African cultures, the pulp has actually been utilized as an active ingredient in cosmetics.

Baobab has a long history of use as a medical product. The botanist and physician Prospero Alpini (1553-1617) wrote in his book De plantis Aegypti liber that fresh baobab fruit had an extremely pleasing taste, which the Ethiopians utilized it on burns and rashes and to cool the results of severe fevers. For these conditions, they either chewed the flesh of the fruit or pressed it into a juice with added sugar. Alpini also wrote that in Cairo, Egypt, where fresh baobab fruit was unobtainable, Egyptians made preparations from its powder to deal with fevers, dysentery, and bloody wounds– an indicator that this plant has been utilized medicinally for centuries.

Local medicinal uses for baobab are highly differed. The bark, in addition to dried leaves, is made into a preparation called lalo that is used to induce sweating and minimize fever. The bark consists of an amount of edible, insoluble, acidic, tragacanth-like gum, which is utilized to sanitize skin ulcers and wounds. Mucilages made from baobab phloem sap in the bark are utilized as a solution for intestinal inflammation. The bark also is popular as a cardiotonic; this traditional use has actually been verified experimentally by researchers who demonstrated the positive inotropic effect of an ethanolic bark extract on separated atrial muscles of rats.

In Sierra Leone specifically, the leaves and bark are utilized as a prophylactic versus malaria. In the Congo,.

a bark preparation is used to bathe kids with rickets, and in Tanzania, as a mouthwash to deal with tooth pain. In Ghana, the bark is utilized as a substitute for quinine in cases of fever. In southern Zimbabwe, the leaf is eaten as a veggie, while in main Africa it is used as a diaphoretic (perspirant) against fevers, and the seeds as a remedy for dysentery. In Messina, South Africa, the powdered seed is offered to relieve missteps in kids.

In Nigeria and Senegal, baobab fruits are considered to be efficient against microbial diseases. This has been verified in tests against specific germs and fungi, although the active constituents responsible for these effects have yet to be isolated. A prepared root infusion is utilized as a bath for babies to maintain soft skin. Conditions including asthma, sedation, colic, fever, inflammation, diseases of the urinary tract, ear trouble, backache, injuries, tumors, and breathing problem are dealt with orally. The leaves are thought about an emollient and diuretic, and leaf preparations are utilized for earache and otitis (swelling of the outer ear, middle ear, or ear canal). In general, leaf preparations are used for the control of kidney and bladder diseases, asthma, fatigue, and as a tonic, blood cleanser, prophylactic, and febrifuge (a medication that lowers fever). They have actually also been used for diarrhea, swelling, insect bites, the expulsion of guinea worms, internal discomfort, and other afflictions.

15 Remarkable Advantages of Baobab Powder You’ll Love

1. Baobab powder is high in vitamin C

All of us know how important vitamin C is! It supports immune function, collagen production and enhances iron absorbtion. Vitamin C is crucial for preserving healthy bones, skin, blood vessels and more. Baobab powder has 6 times the vitamin C of an orange by weight, and provides 33% of the advised day-to-day quantity in just one tablespoon.

2. Baobab powder is rich in prebiotic fiber

You’ve probably heard of probiotics and taken them after a course of antibiotics. Probiotics are live microbiota that reside in the gut and support digestion and immune health. Baobab is a prebiotic food, suggesting that it consists of soluble fibers that are non-digestible and benefit the gut microbiome to produce helpful microflora. The advantages of prebiotic fiber extends beyond the gut and increases tension resilience, minimizing anxiety and even enhancing sleep according to research study at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Baobab powder is nearly 50% fiber, 75% is prebiotic.

3. Baobab powder is a vegan source of calcium

Calcium is among the most abundant minerals in our bodies and together with vitamin D makes for strong bones and healthy skin. Baobab powder has possibly the highest calcium content of any plant food– it supplies 2 times the calcium of milk, making it a perfect calcium boost for those who don’t consume dairy (or anybody, really!). For the cardiovascular system consuming adequate calcium lowers the danger of hypertension and reduces cholesterol. Calcium also improves skin barrier function which helps keep hydration for plump youthful skin. Individuals with dry, vulnerable skin in particular gain from calcium-rich foods.

4. Baobab powder has 4 times the potassium of a banana

Baobab powder supplies 4 times the potassium of a banana, making it an outstanding source of this essential nutrient. In addition to salt, potassium plays a role in preserving the body’s fluid balance, muscle and kidney function. Every cell in the body requires potassium, for the cardiovascular system it controls heartbeat, unwinds blood vessels and promotes regular high blood pressure.

5. Baobab powder gives magnesium

Enjoyable fact: Magnesium is used in more than 600 responses in the body! Magnesium manages blood glucose, and is essential to heart health and brain function. For athletes magnesium enhances leg strength and enhances efficiency. Magnesium shortage affects mood and is related to increased depression, stress and anxiety and sleep issues.

6. Baobab powder provides potent polyphenol antioxidants

Nutrient-dense baobab powder is an outstanding source of polyphenol antioxidants. We’ve all heard about how excellent antioxidants are for your health, however what do they. do? Polyphenol antioxidants protect the body’s tissues versus oxidative stress connected with cancer, and coronary heart disease. It’s an excellent concept to take in anti-oxidants every day to lower inflammation which. puts us at risk of chronic disease. Research studies show that Baobab’s polyphenol anti-oxidants improve sugar handling and support a balanced gut microbiome. A single helping of nutrient-dense Baobab powder consists of 6 times the quantity of polyphenol anti-oxidants discovered in berries– so toss a tablespoon or more into your smoothie and keep those complimentary radicals in check!

7. Baobab powder’s nutrients are bioavailable

What great are healthful nutrients if you can’t absorb them? Not just is baobab powder loaded with vitamins and minerals, but these nutrients are in fact bioavailable as well. This indicates a greater.

percentage of the nutrients really get digested, absorbed and metabolized by the body.

8. Baobab powder is low glycemic

It’s a good concept to pay attention to your blood sugar level even if you are not diabetic, Keeping steady blood glucose levels throughout the day helps keep your energy up, your brain healthy, and your state of mind balanced. Consuming low glycemic foods that take longer to be absorbed (such as fiber-rich baobab powder) is a terrific method to support balanced blood glucose levels. Research reveals that Baobab powder is a low glycemic food!

9. Baobab powder supports gut health

Your digestive system is home to trillions of bacteria that, when in balance, work to digest food properly and support other bodily systems. Prebiotic fiber functions as food for the excellent germs in your gut, which assists keep the entire microbiome balanced. As baobab powder is an outstanding source of prebiotic fiber, including it to your day-to-day routine is an easy way to increase your gut health.

10. Baobab powder promotes glowing skin

Not only is a well balanced gut microbiome good for your food digestion, it’s likewise excellent for your skin thanks to the gut-skin axis. Baobab powder’s high vitamin C material likewise assists increase collagen and elastin production, the proteins that keep your skin supple and vibrant. Include baobab powder’s extraordinary anti-oxidants that help combat oxidative damage, and you have actually got one of the very best foods for glowing skin!

11. Baobab powder is an immune enhancing powerhouse

Did you understand that a tremendous 70% of your immune system is wrapped up in your gut? This indicates that gut microbiome balance is incredibly essential for keeping a healthy body immune system. Baobab powder, with its arsenal of potent nutrients, is an excellent immune booster; Its prebiotic fiber helps balance the gut microbiome while its high levels of vitamin C guarantee your body immune system can do its task.

12. Baobab powder is naturally sweet and tangy

Baobab powder has a delightful, moderate citrus flavor that is mostly undetected when used in dishes. KAIBAE co-founder Barbara Maes states it tastes like “a sweet tart satisfies a pixie stick” or “healthy enjoyable dip”. Thanks to its mild taste, it’s easy to make the most of the health benefits of baobab powder by adding it to any recipe! In fact blending Baobab powder with honey makes a great healthy immune reward for children (and grownups too). The KAIBAE Baobab + Honey Magic Resistance Elixir is a favorite dish!

Baobab powder can be included in recipes for pancakes, breads, sauces, desserts and more.

13. Baobab powder is versatile, professional athletes like it too

Utilizing baobab powder is an easy way to get more nutrients in your diet plan because of its adaptability. Include it every day for all around health, weight management and to increase athletic efficiency and healing. Taking your baobab powder can be as simple as blending it with water or blending it into a shake, or it can be consisted of in dishes for pancakes, breads, sauces, desserts and more. Experiment in the cooking area and boost your nutrient consumption at the same time!

14. Baobab powder is wildcrafted and sustainable

The baobab tree is considered to be a Lost Crop ™, a wild plant with powerful health and beauty benefits that has actually been undervalued till recently. By consisting of baobab powder in your diet plan, you’re helping bring economic worth to this splendid tree and protecting biodiversity. Given that baobab powder is collected in the wild there are never pesticides, chemicals or damaging farming practices utilized. You might be wondering, Why is KAIBAE Baobab accredited as Organic? To certify a wild-harvest natural ensures that these wild crops are gathered in a manner that safeguards the trees and the environment and sustains the development and regenerative practices around these the wild crops.

15. KAIBAE baobab powder is single origin, directly supports communities and protects biodiversity

KAIBAE Organic Baobab Powder is wild harvested in the northern area of Ghana, where there are couple of opportunities for economic development and poverty is widespread. We’ve partnered with neighborhoods there to regeneratively and fairly harvest wild baobab fruit. The earnings from these harvests provides stable, year-round earnings for them and significantly improves their access to health care and education.

What does a baobab fruit taste like?

A ripe baobab fruit has dry, white flesh that tastes like yogurt or tamarind. It has low levels of sweet taste and a subtle tang, like a moderate lemon. The texture of a baobab’s kernels is a special milky, dry consistency that may leave a great flour-like powder covering in your mouth.

Each fruit has plenty of small, brown baobab seeds which are covered in the white pulp. Some ranges have a soft shell that can be bitten through while others will require a hammer or nutcracker to break. The kernel inside is edible and tastes like a Brazil nut with a buttery mouthfeel and somewhat acidic flavor.

Baobab juice is a mild drink with much less flavor intensity and sweetness than apple, apricot, or pear juice. It also has a little sourness. Individuals that delight in water with a capture of lemon juice or coconut water, might enjoy this refreshing drink.

Baobab fruit is often sold as dried fruit or powder in stores throughout the world. The powder has a pleasant zingy, tasty flavor that is exceptional added to drinks or food. Like the fresh fruit, it is a little sweet with a subtle lemony flavor.

Baobab fruit taste infographicTip: if you ever try a fresh baobab then we recommend eating the nuts individually from the pulp. While they are both pleasurable eaten on their own, when the two are matched together the flavor combination is uncomfortable.

How to use Baobab

For optimum results, we recommend taking 2 to four teaspoons of Aduna Baobab Superfruit Powder per day. It is simple to add Baobab into your daily diet – simply let your imagination lead the way!

Here are a few of our favourite ways you can feel the #baobablove:

• onto fruit, cereal, yoghurt & & pancakes. into bread,
• brownies, cakes & & cookies. into porridge, desserts, soups, warm water & & lemon. into water, fruit juice, coconut water & & salad dressings
• into sauces, milkshakes, shakes & & ice creams

Adverse effects

When taken by mouth: Baobab is LIKELY SAFE when taken in as a food. There isn’t sufficient dependable info to know if baobab is safe to use as a medicine or what the negative effects might be.

When applied to the skin: There isn’t adequate trusted details to understand if baobab is safe or what the side effects might be.

What are the adverse effects of baobab?

Though baobab has a good dietary worth and its intake is thought about beneficial, there are particular drawbacks to it, such as: The seeds and pulp include specific antinutrients, specifically phytates, tannins, and oxalic acid, which interfere with and reduce the absorption of nutrients.

Does baobab have adverse effects?

Though most people can safely take in baobab, some potential side effects should be considered. Initially, the seeds and pulp consist of antinutrients, such as phytates, tannins and oxalic acid, that can decrease nutrient absorption and availability.

Does baobab raise blood pressure?

The mineral material of this powder has been shown to lower high blood pressure and enhance circulation, 2 things that will assist to prevent heart disease and stroke.

Can you dislike baobab?

In conclusion, the baobab fruit might trigger serious food allergic reaction responses.

Is baobab great for arthritis?

Baobab is likewise said to protect versus inflammation-related conditions (consisting of type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and allergic reactions, as well as heart disease and cancer). In addition, baobab fruit is often used as an active ingredient in skincare, hair-care, and body-care items.

Is baobab acidic or alkaline?

By eating extremely alkaline foods. The PRAL score (prospective renal acid load) is a measure of the alkalizing properties of foods. With a PRAL Rating of -52, Baobab Fruit Powder is one of the most blood alkalizing foods on earth!

Just how much baobab powder should I take?

How much baobab powder a day? Our recommended serving is 1 to 2 heaping tablespoons every day, early morning or night (or both). For a quick boost, mix baobab powder into a glass of water or juice. It can also be stirred into yogurt and oatmeal, sprayed on fruit or salads, and contributed to baked products, soups, and desserts.

Is baobab helpful for diabetics?

Baobab basically lowers the GI of high GI foods such as white bread! By slowing the glycemic reaction of easy carbs, the findings indicate that baobab fruit powder could possibly assist in the management of weight problems and type 2 diabetes.

Does baobab powder end?

Baobab fruit powder normally has a shelf life of 24 months, but researchers have actually called for more examination into how storage and processing affects the nutrients.

How do you eat baobab seeds?

In order to get to the kernel the seeds are prepared or roasted and after that crushed. Roasted seeds can be consumed like peanuts. As a coffee substitute entire seeds were roasted, ground and brewed with warm water. The powder can be used as flavoring for soups or other dishes.

Is baobab great for fertility?

Rich in vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and selenium, baobab definitely provides a great quantity of nutrients for a healthy fertile body in both men and women.

Is baobab good for skin?

Packed with vitamins and nutrients, baobab oil can be straight applied to the skin. Its high vitamin C material may promote collagen development, increasing the skin’s natural elasticity and smoothness.

Does baobab coffee have caffeine?

Baobab Coffee. This scrumptious traditional drink is made from roasting && amp, grinding Baobab Seed, and is a fantastic alternative to routine coffee. It does not consist of any caffeine. … Hunters likewise used baobab seed as an antidote to reduce the effects of the poisonous Stophanthus applied to arrowheads for searching.

What is the name of baobab fruit?

The tree’s fruits are big pods known as ‘monkey bread’ or ‘cream of tartar fruit’ and they produce a dry fruit pulp that is highly healthy.

What does baobab taste like?

chalky of a texture. The pale powder covers your mouth and the roofing of your mouth. Practically like flour but unlike flour where you taste the real wheaty-ness, baobab is a little tasty, practically citri-sy sort of flavor.

Does baobab oil lighten skin?

You have actually baobab oil for skin lightening. It is the perfect ingredient to trigger hydrating of the skin and hair quality. … The oil well nourishes the scalp with the supply of the vital nutrients. It assists in promoting healthy hair development and can make the skin and hair look great.

Adverse Effects and Risks

Utilizing Baobab and comparable items like moringa supplements requires to be taken into carefully. This requires to be confirmed to be safe and protected to be utilized by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It likewise has various threats involved along with this,.

• Decreases high blood pressure
• Slows down the heart rate
• Includes alkaloid
• It might likewise trigger uterine contraction specifically if you have moringa bark
• Cell mutations can be triggered using the chemical separated from roasted seeds
• May cause problems with fertility9
• May hinder your pregnancy and lactation. Therefore, you need to contact your medical professional prior to taking any kind of organic medications for yourself.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of baobab depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and a number of other conditions. At this time, there is inadequate clinical information to figure out a proper series of doses for baobab. Remember that natural items are not always necessarily safe and does can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on item labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare expert before utilizing.

Sources

1. https://www.edenproject.com/visit/things-to-do/rainforest-biome/baobab
2. https://baobabstories.com/en/find-baobabs/
3. https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/108/table-of-contents/hg108-feat-baobab/
4. https://gokaibae.com/blogs/blog/15-amazing-benefits-of-baobab-powder-youll-love/
5. https://tastylicious.com/baobab-fruit-taste/
6. https://aduna.com/blogs/learn/how-to-use-baobab
7. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1260/baobab
8. https://dailydelish.us/faq/what-are-the-side-effects-of-baobab/
9. https://aminabaobab.com/blogs/moringa-baobab/baobab-fruit-powder-health-benefits-side-effects-dosage-and-facts
10. https://www.rxlist.com/baobab/supplements.htm#Dosing