The chontaduro it is a plant that produces a fruit with the same name that may be unknown to some. Although its use has spread in different forms, it still turns out to be a food that is not widely distributed.
The properties of chontaduro for health are numerous: it reduces bad cholesterol levels, improves heart health, helps control diabetes, improves vision, prevents cancer, fights aging and others that I will explain below..
This fruit is even processed for consumption in the form of oil and flour, and in addition to the plant, its tender stems (palm hearts) are also consumed. Scientists have increasingly focused on studying chontaduro, as it has important properties that will help you have better health.
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Chontaduro, known in this way in Colombia and Ecuador, has various local names, among which pejibaye in Costa Rica and Panama and pupunha in Brazil stand out. Its cultivation is distributed from Nicaragua to Brazil and Bolivia
The chontaduro called, scientifically Bactris gasipaes, and like the coconut, it belongs to the palm family (arecaceae). This palm tree can measure up to 20 m and grows in Latin American countries with a tropical climate, with temperatures between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius..
The fruit produced by this palm is globe-shaped, fleshy like a peach, and measures almost 4 cm, with a single seed or "pit" in the center. It has colors that vary between yellow, orange and red.
The nutritional properties of chontaduro have made Ecuador consider promoting the consumption of this fruit among the population, with the hope of reducing chronic diseases such as colon cancer, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases.
Like the other fruits produced by palm trees, chontaduro is rich in fats and essential fatty acids. For example, chontaduro oil is rich in fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 (linoleic acid) and omega 9 (oleic acid).
These substances contained in chontaduro are very healthy, since they reduce the levels of "bad" or low-density (LDL) cholesterol, allowing to raise the amounts of "good" or high-density (HDL) cholesterol..
In addition, these omegas can help you lose weight, as was shown in a publication of The Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice in 2013, by Dr. Carvalho from the Federal University of Amazonas, Brazil.
It is important to mention that abnormal cholesterol levels are due in many cases to the consumption of foods rich in fat and carbohydrates, without due physical activity..
If bad cholesterol is high in our body it can be very harmful, since it can lead to diseases such as diabetes, kidney diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome and alterations in the thyroid gland.
In a 2004 publication by Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos in the magazine Food Reviews International, concluded that omega 3 and omega 6 are important nutrients that reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
By containing this type of fatty acids, chontaduro will be a great food to keep your heart healthy.
Different studies have suggested that the glycemic index of foods could be a factor that can help in the control of diabetes. The glycemic index measures how high your blood glucose rises after you have eaten carbohydrates.
A study published in 2011, in the Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, by Dr. Silvia Quesada from Costa Rica showed that the glycemic index of chontaduro is 35 mg / dl, which is low compared to a scale where 100 is the highest glycemic index.
It has been suggested that consuming chontaduro may be ideal for diabetic people, since the glucose contained in this fruit is slowly absorbed.
In a 2003 publication in the magazine International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Dr. Vanucchi and collaborators concluded that chontaduro has all the amino acids required for the proper functioning of our body, both essential and non-essential amino acids..
But what is the importance of amino acids? Amino acids are the molecules that make up proteins, which have various functions, such as building muscles.
Although the portion of some amino acids in chontaduro is minimal, such as methionine, it does not take away from how special this fruit is, since few are the foods that have the full range of amino acids necessary for our body.
You will also help tissue repair, as amino acids also have a very important role in the transport of nutrients and in their proper storage such as vitamins, minerals, water, etc..
Thanks to the nutritional value of chontaduro, with a caloric intake of 200 Kcal per 100 g of the fruit, it becomes ideal if you require energy with little food. This energy could be provided by the carbohydrates and fatty acids that chontaduro contains.
Fatty acids are not only energetic, they also play an important role in muscle activity, red blood cell production and transmission of nerve impulses.
In addition, they are of great importance in the development of the brain and retina of newborn children. On the other hand, it contains minerals such as potassium, selenium and chromium; vitamins like A, B1, B2, B3 and C.
The body is unable to produce carotenoids, so it is important to obtain them through the diet, since they are compounds of great biological importance.
Chontaduro is an important source of carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, and gamma-carotene. Its presence in the chontaduro is the reason why its coloration is between yellow and red.
Beta carotene is a precursor to vitamin A or retinol, necessary to maintain good quality of vision.
Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth and differentiation of the epithelial tissue of the eye and the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, and for the maintenance of teeth and skin. It also increases immune function.
A study conducted in Costa Rica, published in 2011 in the journal Food Research International showed that chontaduro flour contains more vitamin A precursor carotenoids than carrot.
Today the number of cases of people suffering from cancer has increased, so researchers have focused on studying molecules that can help counteract this disease. One of those molecules is carotenoids.
As carotenoids can help prevent cancer, the consumption of the chontaduro fruit may be ideal if you want to reduce the risk of suffering from this disease.
Research carried out by Dr. Calorina Rojas-Garbanzo from the University of Bonn, showed that when chontaduro is cooked, the amounts of carotenoids are reduced, so it is important to consume chontaduro raw if you want to prevent cancer.
Research carried out in recent years has shown that free radicals are harmful to our body, as they accelerate cellular aging.
Carotenoids, due to their antioxidant function, help maintain youth and proper functioning of our body.
Chontaduro, therefore, being a fruit rich in carotenoids, is an excellent food to rejuvenate our skin and other organs..
As demonstrated in a study by the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse in France, published in 2003 in the journal Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society, Chontaduro oil is also a magnificent source of antioxidants.
Like coconut, which comes from the palm family, the use of oils derived from chontaduro has been included in the cosmetic industry..
Although it is not yet common to see cosmetic products based on chontaduro, Myriam Moya and Martha Neira, two pharmaceutical chemists from the National University of Colombia, have developed emulsions, soaps, body oils and lip moisturizers..
Surely the antioxidant role of the carotenoids contained in chontaduro is responsible for the benefit it gives you in skin care.
Thanks to the fact that chontaduro is rich in dietary fiber, it will help you not only keep your intestine healthy, but it will also help you prevent and control obesity, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, colon cancer and diabetes.
As demonstrated in a study published in 2015 in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers by Dr. Beatriz Cervejeira from the State University of Maringá, Brazil, chontaduro flour contains between 62-71% of dietary fiber.
Therefore, it is ideal to integrate the flour of this fruit to improve the health of your digestive system.
There are people who may be allergic to gluten, which causes celiac disease. This disease is a condition of the immune system that damages the small intestine due to the consumption of gluten, which is present in rye, wheat and barley cereals.
Chontaduro flour that can be used in the preparation of bread, pasta and other dishes, turns out to be an excellent option for people with celiac disease, since chontaduro is gluten-free..
Here are some gluten-free recipes.
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