The majestic baobab tree – also known as  Adansonia (scientific name), boab, boaboa, tabaldi, bottle tree, upside-down tree, and monkey bread tree , native to the African savannah, where the climate is extremely dry and arid, is an icon of positivity and a life symbol in an environment where little else can thrive. It lies at the heart of many traditional African remedies and folklore.

Baobab trees grow in 32 African countries, Madagascar, Australia and the Arabian peninsula.. They can live for up to 5,000 years, reach up to 30 meters high and up to an enormous 50 meters in circumference. Baobab trees can provide shelter, food and water for animals and humans, which is why many savannah communities have made their homes near baobab trees. Its strong root system also contributes to its proverbial drought resistance. Warthogs and baboons eat its seedpods, weavers are known to  build their nests in the huge branches and barn owls, mottled spine tails and ground-hornbills roost in the many hollows. Its hollowed interiors  provide living quarters  to all sorts of  reptiles, insects and bats – while humans have used them as jails, post office and bush pubs, among other creative uses.

Huge baobabs have inspired an array of stories and legends. It is reported that some 500 kms from Johannesburg there exists one used as a taproom- and that up to 50 people can fit inside its trunk. Strange traditions abound among some African tribes, such as the belief that if a person drinks water where baobab seeds have been soaking ,they will be protected from the crocodiles. But if they dare pluck a single flower from the baobab tree, they will be devoured by a lion.

But not all is reduced to legend, as the baobab is a very useful tree: its fruit is very rich in fibre and extremely nutritious Many animals feed on its leaves, flowers and fruits.Its fruit  is usually consumed by humans  as a paste and a refreshing, tangy drink is made with it.

In fact, every part of the baobab tree is valuable: its edible leaves are made into soup ,as they are particularly rich in calcium and exhibit high antioxidant properties. Its bark is turned into ropes and clothing. Its seeds and kernels have a high lipid content .They  are used to purify water and  made into cosmetic oils as well (baobab oil).

Baobab oil is an excellent skin moisturizer, which absorbs quickly into the skin without clogging pores. It leaves the skin feeling soft and it contains Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids which contribute towards maintaining a healthy skin.

 Its fruit is extraordinarily rich in nutrients and antioxidants,being a source of food and medicines for the populations in the African savannah. Additionally the voluminous and often hollowed trunk also provides protection from severe weather or other climatic hazards . Such hollow stems arise both natural and man-made – despite which the  tree keeps on growing and bearing fruit.

The baobab is a prehistoric species which predates both mankind and the splitting of the Gondwana continent over 200 million years ago. As climate changed the baobab adapted itself to the changing environment.

It is a succulent, which means that during the rainy season it absorbs and stores water in its vast trunk, enabling it not only to produce a nutrient-dense fruit in the dry season when all around is dry and arid, but also to store water is sizeable quantities.

One of this tree’s most amazing features is that it can store up to 120,000 lts. of water, an important property taken into account the arid areas where  it grows – which is why elephants, eland and other animals chew the bark during dry seasons.The spongy properties  of its wood , meant for water retention, protect the tree from fire. Many villages in Africa have a baobab, where small cisterns are made into the hollowed trunk. In such areas the tradition often prohibits to cut down a baobab.

 This is how it became known as “The Tree of Life”.

The tree begins to bloom for the first time at the age of 20 years. It flowers throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions. The fruits of the tree develop about five to six months after flowering. These ovoid fruits have a hard wooden shell, which is covered by green and yellow hair. Inside the fruit are several seeds, which are in a powdery white flesh. Baobab is “wild-harvested” – taken from its natural environment – and, therefore, cannot be certified organic, although in essence, it is. While the fruit has dried naturally into a fine powder,  the seeds are removed and ground  and are usually added to food products.

Baobab has also been used in foods as a natural preservative due to its high vitamin C, potassium and phosphorus content.

The Baobab Fruit

While many people know of the baobab tree, not many people know that it has a fruit – and even less know the nutritional value that this fruit has ,which makes it one of the most nutrient-dense fruit in the world.

 For many women in Africa  the baobab fruit has been  a natural source of health and beauty for centuries. 

The baobab fruit dries naturally on its branch, instead of dropping and spoiling: it bakes in the sun, its green coating becoming a hard coconut-like shell. Its inner pulp dries out, and becomes a pure powder. It is then harvested, deseeded and sieved. Without any need for preservatives or additives of any kind, this powder has a natural shelf-life of three years.

Consequently  all we do is harvest and sieve it into a 100% natural, organic powder that is completely raw and packed with feel good benefits.

Unlike many other supplements, baobab powder does not have to be spray-dried, freeze-dried or transformed in any way. It is 100% pure fruit in its natural form that reaches consumers  just as Mother Nature made it.

Baobab is an extremely rich source of vitamin C and almost 50% fiber .It has  the highest antioxidant content of any whole fruit. 

Baobab powder is used in bodybuilding and fitness supplements as well as in vitamins and mineral formulas due to its nutritional value.

Some of the health benefits of baobab include:        

• Reduction of fatigue and tiredness: its high contents of vitamin C and other nutrients produce an immediate energy release
• Boosting of immune defenses: it protects against infections and other diseases.
• Prebiotic function: it helps digestion, supporting gut health.
• Promotion of younger and healthier-looking skin: baobab consumption produces collagen , which gives a glowing complexion and reduces signs of aging.

When adding baobab powder to drinks, make a paste first with a few drops of liquid to prevent  lumps.

Daily dosage and how to use it:

 Two teaspoons of Royal Baobab Powder taken with your breakfast is the perfect healthy supplement as a preventative. For people who have a health condition that might require higher amounts of antioxidants and vitamins, the same dosage may be repeated later in the day, with lunch and dinner, for example.

Royal Baobab Powder may be sprinkled or stirred into into your fruit, cereal, porridge, pancakes, dessert, soup, salad, ice-cream,  or blended into sauces, milkshakes, smoothies, dressings. Or simply mixed into your coconut water, lemon water, tea or coffee.

Nutritional information

The baobab fruit is said to have 10 times the fiber of apples, six times the vitamin C of oranges, twice  the antioxidants of acai berries, twice the calcium of milk, four times the potassium of bananas, and five times the magnesium of avocados. Baobab is considered a rich source of vitamin C, since it contains on average 33 % of this vitamin, and a reliable source of thiamin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese since it is a natural source of these nutrients, it is considered the same are  more bio-available than manufactured vitamin supplements. This translates into a an easier and better absorption of the said nutrients by our bodies.

Commercial honey is heavily processed, and might even be chemically refined and contain additives. It is often liquefied with hot water ,filtered and submitted to excessive heat. High temperatures destroy enzymes, vitamins and even some of the minerals in honey.

Additionally, non-raw honey or regular commercial honey can be sourced from bees that are treated with antibiotics.

Beware of light, crystal-clear honey. The only way to achieve sparkling clear honey is by heat. Organic raw honey tends to be opaque, as opposed to the golden, syrup-like, clear aspect of commercial honey.

Health benefits

The main benefits of baobab powder consumption are as follows:

1. Boosting the immune system

One of vitamin c’s role is to keep our immune system strong to fight against  infections and other diseases, unlike other animals, human beings cannot synthetize vitamin c in their bodies, therefore we need to source it from our daily intake of foods.

Just ten grams of royal baobab powder ( 2 – 3 teaspoons) will provide 33% of your daily requirements of vitamin c.

2. Slow energy release

The vitamin c contained in your royal baobab powder allows for slow and steady energy release , which sustains you for a longer period of time and prevents those energy spikes that end up making you feel tired all of a sudden. Together with the soluble fiber contained in the powder, vitamin c  supports a regular energy-yielding metabolism needed for every body function, including both physical and mental activity. Studies have shown that  soluble fiber can also assist in controlling blood glucose levels , improve blood cholesterol and reducing visceral fat.

A sprinkle of royal baobab powder on your porridge or cereal, or mixed in your morning smoothie or juice will keep you energized throughout the day.

 3. Blood sugar

A study by oxford brookes university also showed that baobab significantly reduced the rate at which sugar was released into the blood after digestion. As such, baobab is considered ideal for those following a low gi diet. It could also be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.

4. Absorption of iron

According to the world health organization (2017)  iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder ; over 30% of the world’s population is somehow iron- deficient.. Many resort to iron supplements to increase their  intake – although there are natural alternatives like moringa powder.

A fact  less known is that vitamin c is needed to assist the body absorb iron.it is therefore advisable to pair iron supplements with vitamin c to in order to increased absorption of both types of iron required: the heme iron (found in fish,poultry and red meats ), and the non-heme iron (fount in plant foods, eggs,milk and meat).this latter happens to be more difficult to absorb than the first one.

Baobab, as a rich natural source of vitamin c, easily accessible to our body, is highly recommended to be consumed together with your rich-iron foods.

5. Digestive health

Despite an increasing awareness of the importance of fiber in our foods, in most industrialized countries consumption of fiber is far from adequate, producing an array of digestive symptoms in a sizeable sector of the general population.

Royal baobab powder consists of  between 40 and 45% fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is known to dissolve in the water found in the digestive system and helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Insoluble fiber , on the other hand, enables foods to move through the digestive system easily, keeping  bowels healthy and preventing constipation and other digestive problems.

7. Prebiotic

 the baobab fruit pulp are prebiotics: non-digestible food components that positively affect the host’s microbiome  by selectively stimulating the growth and activity of beneficial microflora (journal of food research, 2016).

The hadza tribe in tanzania are one of the last remaining hunter-gatherers on the planet. Baobab fruit is one of the key staples. Studies have shown that these people possess some of the healthiest guts on earth,with 40% more diverse gut microbiome than the average westerner.

Some othe studies suggest that prebiotics in your diet can improve sleep after a stressful event.

Adding baobab powder to your diet may therefore  also assist to get a good night’s sleep.

Baobab has traditionally been used in african populations to relieve diarrhea, constipation and dysentery.

7. Radiant skin

According to the journal of nutrition, baobab has the highest antioxidant content of any fruit. Baobab powder has twice the antioxidants gram per gram of goji berries and more than blueberries and pomegranates combined.

Baobab is packed with antioxidants and vitamin c which supports collagen formation – helping to give you radiant, glowing skin as well as preventing wrinkles.

8. Pregnancy

It is particularly advisable  that pregnant women consume 85 mg of vitamin c per day. It is vital to promote the production of collagen, which is a structural protein  required to form the baby’s organs. Likewise , as we have seen , it helps the body fight infections and protects cells from free radical damage.

Iron absorption is a fundamental function during pregnancy as requirements thereof increase dramatically in this period,  making it imperative to not only supplement foods with iron but also to include a good source of vitamin c to go with it.

Finally the presence of good levels of fiber supports regular bowel movements and prevents constipation, a common problem in pregnancy.

9. Alkalinity

Baobab has a pral (potential renal acid load) rating of -52. It is therefore considered one of the most alkaline foods available. Eating highly alkaline foods helps to balance our body’s ph levels, which can help to control inflammation and defend us from chronic ailments and degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, hypertension, vitamin d deficiency.

 10. Pre/post work out                                  

To reduce oxidative damage to cells and muscle tissues due to physical exercise it is important to increase the intake of vitamin c, taking doses before exercise and during 4 days thereafter. Resorting to a good source of vitamin c has been reported to reduce muscle soreness noticeably – making post exercise recovery 75% faster. For this reason, baobab fruit powder has become popular among trainers, sportspeople and gym enthusiasts around the world, who take it in a drink both before and after workout. A single serving (two teaspoons) of royal baobab powder contains 33% of your daily requirement of vitamin c, supporting a wide range of health benefits.

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For further information , tune to the following YouTube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUNz5KKGXkc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OclHNOjcSDQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GHKXF_7gwc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN2g744Fa-4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBvxhb3A-nk

Disclaimer

This content is strictly the opinion of its author and is meant for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice , diagnosis or treatment from a personal physician.

Readers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither the author nor publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content.

 All readers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition or supplement or lifestyle programme.