Predominantly, when we think of ‘super foods’ we automatically think antioxidants. We think of exotic fruit and vegetables like blueberries, avocados or the acaii berry- and rightly so, but very few of us would think of baobab. Say hello to the new super-food of 2013: Baobab. When I saw new, I don’t really mean new because this fruit has been around for donkeys years. It is Africa’s well-kept secret for improved health, beauty and vitality.
Baobab is a tree grown in fifteen different countries in the African continent. Without having heard of baobab, you may recognise the tree, as it boasts quite a distinctive look: an extremely fat tall trunk and short branches arched towards the sun. Like everything in nature, there is reason for this: The trunk is fat and tall because it stores the water it collects in the rainy season. This water is then used to produce the baobab fruit on the end of its sky-facing branches, in the dry season. Because the tree provides when no others do, the baobab tree has been dubbed ‘the tree of life’.
A super food is called so because it is extremely nutrition dense. That means lots of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to keep you in your prime. Baobab has an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of 24,300. This is over twice the amount of antioxidants per gram compared to goji berries, blueberries, and pomegranates combined (Aduna). For you, reader, I will break down baobab’s nutritional content, in the hopes to educate you further and convince you to adopt the super food.
Skin
· Baobab contains lots of vitamin C, which protects our skin from oxidative stress.
· The high levels of antioxidants help protect our skin from damage caused by free radicals.
· Vitamin C contributes to restoring our vitamin E levels and collagen production (anti-aging benefits). Vitamin E is the vitamin that gives us strong long nails, shiny flowing locks and glowing skin.
Stress
· Potassium is present in Baobab, which helps maintain a normal blood pressure.
· Vitamin B contributes to a healthy hormone balance in the brain, helping to combat depression.
Digestion and Metabolism
· A lot of people suffer from poor digestion. Baobab is high in calcium, which helps our digestive enzymes do their thing.
· Baobab is almost 50% fibre, helping us detoxify and maintain healthy bowels.
Energy
· Vitamins B1 (Thiamin), B6 and C are all present in baobab, which aid the process of converting our calories into energy.
· Vitamin C enables you to absorb the iron you ate in your red meat. With iron comes energy.
Immunity
· As you know, baobab is high in vitamin C, which is what your immune system practically runs on.
So where do you get this baobab stuff?
Like the acaii berry, baobab is generally eaten as a supplement in a powder form. This powder is added to all sorts of food, but most popularly, your morning smoothie. You can get Baobab powder from:
So, reader, have I convinced you?
