Baobab fruit

Nutritional Properties

High Vitamin C contentThe Baobab fruit is known for its high content of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). In particular, the pulp can provide up to 300 mg of vitamin per 100 g, a quantity equal to about six times that contained in an orange. Ascorbic acid plays an extremely important role from both a nutritional and therapeutic point of view. For a long time known for its ability to prevent scurvy, vitamin C finds more and more significant use, because of its antioxidant properties and its ability to protect the organism against harm induced by free radicals. The fruit also contains appreciable quantities of other essential vitamins, such as thiamine (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2), essential for optimal development of the organism and for maintaining cellular integrity of the nerves, skin and ocular epithelia, and niacin (vitamin PP or B3), important to regulate many metabolic functions.

Good source of Calcium

Good source of IronIncremet of HB and Serum Ferritin

Source of NutrientsFurthermore, the fruit contributes to the injection of some essential minerals and essential fatty acids. In fact, 100 g of pulp contains an average of 293 mg of calcium, 2.31 mg of potassium, 96-118 mg of phosphor and alpha-linolenic acid (27 mg of acid per gram of dry product).The characteristic sourish taste of the pulp is due to the presence of organic acids, such as citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid and succinic acid.

Antioxidant activity

Recent studies have shown that Baobab fruit has a marked antioxidant capacity, both water-soluble and fat-soluble, preventing and combating the formation of free radicals.Read Also: Water soluble antioxidant capacity of different Teas (Baobab Flavoured also)Ambrosialab - Ferrara

Dietary Fibres and Prebiotic activity

Baobab fruit pulp supplies a quantity of soluble (22.54%) and insoluble (22.04%) fibres which can reach up to about 45 grams per 100 grams of product. Dietary fibre has by now been established as an important component of our diet, as it can affect manifold aspects of the digestive physiology. Frequent consumption of dietary fibre associated with a diet rich in vegetables, cereals and fruit has been related to a reduction of the risk of onset of neoplasia of the digestive system, in particular colon-rectal cancer. The intake of dietary fibres by the Italian population is on average 21 g/day (of which about 1/3 soluble) with variations ranging between 18 g/day in the northern regions and 22 g/day in the central-southern regions. The ideal level of dietary fibre intake has not been defined, but it is now commonly accepted that fibres are an essential part of a healthy and balanced diet. A diet of foods rich in fibres has also been related to a reduction in the risk of developing various organic disorders, such as constipation and overweight. Insoluble fibres are not assimilated by the intestine and improve the intestinal passage thanks to their ability to increase the faecal mass and stimulate peristalsis. They are mainly used to combat constipation and induce a sense of fullness, which can be exploited in a low-calorie diet. Moreover, Baobab fruit pulp due to its high fibre content (soluble and insoluble) would appear to have interesting properties, at least in vitro, for stimulating growth of bacterial cultures of the intestinal microflora.

The study carried out on the soluble fibres contained in Baobab fruit pulp, allow hypothesizing their use as prebiotic, i.e. an indigestible dietary ingredient which on the level of the large intestine selectively stimulates the growth and/or metabolic activity of a limited number of microbic groups, important for maintaining the various functions of the human organism.Studies carried out highlight that the water-soluble fraction of the fruit pulp has stimulating effects on the growth of lactobacilli and bifidumbacteria, such as:

Bifidobacterium bifidum A3,Bifidobacterium longum type,Bifidobacterium infantis type,Bifidobacterium bifidum B16.

The functional prebiotic activity of the bacteria determines:

• Improvement of the intestinal microflora balance;• Improvement of lactose digestion;• Prevention of diarrhoea;• Immunostimulating activity.

The effects of baobab pulp powder on the micro flora involved in tempe fermentationIn this study locally prepared tempe that underwent natural fermentation was characterized by the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus lactis , Bacillus sp., Salmonella sp., Klebsiella sp., Lactococcus lactis , Rhizopus sp. and Staphylococcus sp., while fermentation carried out with the addition of varying levels of baobab pulp powder had mainly lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum , Lactobacillus acidophilus and Rhizopus sp. dominating. Increasing concentrations of baobab pulp powder led to an increase in the population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from 2.3×102 to 3.3×104 while it reduced the population of inoculated Rhizopus from 102 to only six colonies on malt extract agar (MEA).

Anti-inflammatory, Antiviral properties

Studies (1), (2) (3) were carried out in the laboratory with the aim of analysing the biological activity of the aqueous lyophilised extract of Baobab fruit pulp. The studies conducted showed that doses between 400 and 800 mg/kg determine a marked anti-inflammatory effect and are able to reduce inflammation induced in the limb with formalin. The effect is comparable with that expounded when using a dose of phenylbutazone of 15 mg/kg used as standard. This activity may be attributed to the presence of sterols, saponins and triterpenes in the aqueous extract. Administration of 800 mg/kg of extract to mice also showed the appearance of a painkilling and febrifugal activity comparable with use of 50 mg/kg of acetylsalicylic acid taken orally.

Antidiarrhoeal properties

The typical diet of indigenous African populations, in particular children, is characterised by a low-calorie, low-protein vegetable and floury diet, lacking milk, and may potentially lead to rickets and cause organic disorders such as diarrhoea and/or dysentery. The particularity of Baobab fruit pulp is that it is effective against diarrhoea. Appropriately used, it is able to act against this disorder so widely present in African countries. A study conducted on 160 children with an average age of about eight months, reports that an aqueous dispersion of Baobab fruit pulp has significant advantages compared to the traditional “WHO solution” (World Health Organization) used for rehydrating children suffering from diarrhoea. The important constituents for this activity seem to be the tannins (astringent), mucilage (wetting), cellulose, citric acid and other typical components in the fruit pulp.

Excipient

Un nouvel excipient en formulation pharmaceutique de comprimés de théophylline, type matrice hydrophile: la pulpe de fruit du baobab

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.baobabfruitco.com/ENG/ResearchBaobab.html Baobab - Adansonia digitata, Scientific Papers & Monographies]
* Braun, K. (1900) "Beiträge zur Anatomie der Adansonia digitata L." F. Reinhardt, Universitäts-Buchdruckerei, Basel, [http://worldcat.org/oclc/15926986 OCLC 15926986]
* Baum, D. A., Small, R. L., & Wendel, J. F. (1998). Biogeography and floral evolution of baobabs (Adansonia, Bombacaceae) as inferred from multiple data sets. "Systematic Biology" 47 (2): 181-207.
* Pakenham, T. (2004). "Remarkable Baobab". Norton, New York, ISBN 0-297-84373-7
* Jardin Botanique et Pepiniere: [http://www.baobabs.com/Baobabs_species.htm Baobab species details]
* Jardin Botanique et Pepiniere: [http://www.baobabs.com/Baobabs_photos.htm Baobab photo gallery]
* Madagascar info: [http://www.madainfo.de/baobabs/ Baobab photo gallery (Malagasy species only)]
* "King's American Dispensatory": [http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/adansonia.html Baobab: herbal information]
* [http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/herb-entry.php?term=Baobab%20leaves Baobab leaves: from "Celtnet Herb Guide"]
* [http://www.baobab-fruit.com Baobab is available in North America]