The goodness of the Baobab Tree
Botanical name: Adasonia Digitalis Common names: Baobab, Monkey Bread Tree, Upside Down Tree, Cream of Tartar Tree. Local names: Hausa (Kuka), Yoruba (Oshe), Bini (Usi). Distribution/Cultivation: A mastic tree, which is a native of Africa. It was named “the small pharmacy or chemist tree” because its parts are used as food or medicine. The trees […]
Botanical name: Adasonia Digitalis
Common names: Baobab, Monkey Bread Tree, Upside Down Tree, Cream of Tartar Tree.
Local names: Hausa (Kuka), Yoruba (Oshe), Bini (Usi).
Distribution/Cultivation: A mastic tree, which is a native of Africa. It was named “the small pharmacy or chemist tree” because its parts are used as food or medicine. The trees of Savannah, which can live up to one thousand years or more. They have indehiscent fruit, which are large, egg shaped capsules. They are filled with pulp that dries and hardens into hard block and becomes kidney shaped. It is found in Maritimes, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Gambia, Sudan, Congo, Tanzania, and Angola etc.
Parts Used: Leaves, fruits pulp, bark and roots.
Constituents: Pulp contains 0.3% vitamin C, calcium 2.7%, tartaric acid 2%, potassium 12%, gums, mucilage, and tannins, bark alkaloids (adansonnine). Leaves – vitamin C, catechins, uronic acids and sugars, 50% more calcium than spinach, high in antioxidants, has vitamin C, three times of orange, baobab fruit is used in smoothies.
Seeds contain: Phosphorus, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Calcium and Iron
Medicinal/Health Benefits
• Oil is extracted from the seed.
• Baobab milk is richer in Protein, calcium and iron than human milk (used in infant feeding).
• Leaves fresh/dried are used in soap making
• Soup is used in Ghana for weaning children
• Fruit pulp is made into drink as remedy for fever and dysentery
• Leaves are used as remedy for small pox, measles and amenorrhea, antiperspirant and healing wounds in circumcision.
• Bark is used as an antimalarial
• Leaves have hypotensive and antihistaminic properties
• Seed is good source of phosphorus, calcium and manganese
Health tips
1. 1-2 tablespoonful of powdered pulp in a glass of water, add lemon and sugar for extra benefit as refreshing drink. Drunk with nutrients (Vitamin C etc.)
2. Pulp when mixed with honey, ginger and cloves: 2 tablespoonful of pulp powder = 1 teaspoonful of ginger + ½ teaspoonful of clove in a tea cup of honey is suitable mixture, taken 3-4 times daily for cold, asthmatic cough.
3. A solution of pulp can be applied to skin infections and taken as source of Vitamin C to facilitate healing
4. Poultice of young leaves is applied to rheumatic joints and swellings to relieve pain.
5. Pulp mixed with milk or yoghurt improves the quality of semen.
6. Pulp in water is an energy booster, suitable for children
7. Decoction of the bark is a remedy for itching and boils.
8. Taking the leaves in soups is good for pills
9. Combination of carrots and baobabs is a good nutritious drink for children.