Erboristeria Domani - Maggio 2008 - Baobab Fruit Company Senegal

The forthcoming, yet still not achieved, authorisation to market
Baobab pulp fruit as novel food could give in the next future new
popularity to this gread african natural resource. Baobab (scientific
name: Adansania digitata) is one of the most classical icons of Africa,
used in logos and in the denomination of a number of non prafit associations,
travel agencies, trading companies.
Baobab is the common name of a genus (Adansonia) containing eight
species of trees, native to Madagascar as well as mainland Africa. The
leaves are commonly used as a leaf vegetable thraughout the area of
mainland African distribution, including Malawi, Zimbabwe, and the
Sahel. They are eaten both fresh and as a dry powder. In Nigeria, the
leaves are locally
known as
kuka, and are
used to make
kuka soup.
40
The fruit is extremely nutritious and is known as sour gourd or monkey's
bread. The dry pulp of the fruit, after separation fram the seeds and fibers,
is eaten directly or mixed into porridge or milk.
Food consumption of the baobab has found new
potentialities after reecent studies on the relevant
antioxydant and antiinflammatory praperties, linked
to a valuable content in vitamin Cand calcium, and
on the prebiotic action of the fibers contained in the page
fruit pulp.
e scenes
of Erboristeria Domani
Apitherapy is, simply said, the use of Bee Products to prevent,
heal or recover somebody fram one or more diseases or conditions.
Once more, the borders between food and medicine seem uneasy to
fit. A number of scientists coming from all over the world will meet
in Rome, fram 9 to 12 June, on the occasion of the International
Congress "Apimedica and Apiquality 2008" jointly organized by the
Tor Vergata University, the Federation of Italian Beekeepers and
by Apimondia, the international federation of beekeepers associations.
Propolis, pollen, bee venom, rayal jelly have a clear "medical
characterisation"; but the Rome conference will present also recent
studies on particular honey varieties (such as manuka honey from
New Zealand) that have clinically shown antibiotic and skin soothin
properties. Erboristeria Domani will feature a post-conference review
of the most interesting data and presentations.
Maggio 2008 ERBORISTERIA DOMANI 75