Most Americans have heard of oranges, berries, pineapples, watermelon, mango and grapefruit, to name a few fruits that contain large amounts of vitamins C, B and E. These fruits also help with weight loss and serve as antioxidants.
However, few people in this country are familiar with baobab. This exotic fruit contains an enormous amount of vitamins C and B and iron, as well as being an antioxidant. In Africa, baobab has served for hundreds of years as a remedy for individuals struggling with diarrhea, asthma, fever, malaria and other health problems.
A superfruit
This amazing fruit grows in various tropical regions in Africa, where baobab trees “produce fruit with a powdery pulp found to contain high amount of Vitamin C” (www.almedicine.about.com). Baobab is also referred to as a superfruit or superfood. It is the only fruit with the ability to dry on the branch and produce a natural powder that provides many health and beauty benefits. Aside from being a rich source of vitamin C, baobab is also rich in fiber (half soluble and half insoluble).
If you are looking to gain energy, enhance your immune system, increase your iron intake and protect yourself from stress, then this fruit is perfect. Maintaining a healthy diet is obviously important, especially when looking to reduce the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol and improve one’s digestive system.
To further elaborate on the health benefits of baobab, a comparison was conducted on http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/baobab-fruit-powder-superfood.php where the antioxidant capacity is compared to other fruits:
- Baobab: 11.11
- Kiwifruit: 0.34
- Orange: 0.10
- Strawberry: 0.91
- Apple: 0.16
An exotic detoxifier
Someone looking to lose weight can also benefit from baobab because it enhances the body’s capabilities during a workout, especially if your current diet is vitamin C deficient. One of the main jobs of this exotic fruit is detoxifying. For someone with a healthy liver, this fruit can be of great benefit because as you are exposed to high levels of toxins in alcohol, smoke or chemicals, baobab acts as a barrier to protect your liver from being damaged.
If you live in the United States, finding a place to buy baobab may be challenging, but look around. Especially in cities with large, diverse populations, new varieties of produce from all over the world show up frequently, especially in neighborhoods with strong ethnic identities. Thanks to the power of the Internet, if you are unable to locate this fruit at any of your local health food stores, shopping online may be your best option.