These plants are essential for the survival of human beings, so they are used as nutrients and are primarily divided into trees, shrubs, grasses and shrubs. Every day more edible plants are used for the preparation of different dishes and cooking recipes.
WASAI
Its scientific name is Euterpe precatoria is a botanical species of palm trees, commonly known as palmito, manaca, chonta, açaí de la selva or huasaí; native to South America, specifically the Peruvian, Bolivian and Brazilian Amazon. Its consumption dates back to pre-Columbian times and is a very important food in the Amazonian diet. Its intensive cultivation has spread within the Brazilian territory during the 1980s and 1990s.
This plant has solitary stems, 3-20 m tall and 4-23 cm in diameter; 2 greyish with annular scars, 3 dm roots compact, scaly, their ends before touching the ground are covered with a light mucilaginous substance. Crown with 10-15 leaves,1 with rachis 2 to 3.5 m long,3 compound with 60 to 90 pinnae.1 The petioles form a green envelope at the end of the stem below their bases, 1 to 1.5 m long, where the palmetto is extracted. The bunch can have more than a thousand fruits
USES:
- According to Galeano, the mesocarp of this species is highly oleaginous and richly flavored, so it is very desirable and is consumed directly after being lightly cooked; Oil and a black dye are also extracted from the fruits to decorate the body for ceremonies. The fruits of this plant and the very similar acai (Euterpe oleracea) are edible and consumed in the form of drinks, sweets, and ice cream.
- Utensils It is also important to use it for construction, for the elaboration of different cultural elements and tools, for the elaboration of domestic utensils and as a source of hearts of palm. Another use, infrequent but mentioned in some cases, is the use of this palm for the manufacture of fences. In other regions, the stems are widely used in the construction of houses and malocas to make walls, for table tops, shelves. The trunk is also used to make pulp for paper and to make spears for hunting animals
- Medicinal roots are used as medicine, especially against muscle pain and snake bites, they are also used to make the hair grow well and keep it black. It prevents pregnant women from losing their hair. The decoction of the leaves is used to relieve chest pain. The leaves and tender roots are macerated and drunk to cure the flu.
- Ornamentals Handicraft products made with seeds of this wasai also have elements from other species, such as Chambira fiber and Canangucha seeds.
PEACH PALM
The chonta is the only domestic palm in the Americas. It seems that the domestication process took place from one or more wild varieties, called Bactris gasipaes var. Chichagui, giving rise to a proto-domestic variety, the Chichagui type 3. The data seem to indicate that this occurred in the southwestern Amazon. The Amazon in Ecuador and northern Peru have the greatest genetic diversity of domesticated varieties, highlighting the importance of cultivation in that area and the selection work carried out by its inhabitants.
Galluzzi’s study concludes that current patterns of climate change could increase areas suitable for chonta crops. This, together with the ease of its cultivation and the nutritional quality of its fruit, places the chonta as one of the most important promising species.
It is a palm up to 20 meters high, which grows in tropical forests from sea level to 1,200 meters, although the ideal limit is 800 meters. Its trunk is slender, and in most varieties it is covered with spines so hard that they easily pierce the sole of a boot.
It adapts to a variety of conditions, although it prefers well-drained, deep soils. It withstands poor and acidic soils. It produces from 1,000 millimeters of rain per year, but it is preferable to have about 2,000 millimeters or more. Its fruits are round or ovate, 2.5 to 6 centimeters long, with colors ranging from orange to reddish or yellow. The flesh is firm, fibrous, mealy, and surrounds a hard seed up to 2 centimeters long.
Uses:
- Food: The fruit requires a long cooking, up to two hours. The most common is to do it with everything and shell, and with salt. It can be served as a side, with or without skin and with a cup of salt so that diners can serve themselves to their heart’s content. It can also be roasted, similar to European chestnuts, or baked. Chonta flour, or a “fariña” from toasted chonta flour, can be produced with multiple uses. Nutritionally, the fruit has 3% protein, 42% starch and 7% fat. It is rich in vitamin B2 and A, phosphorus and iron. By weight, it is one of the most complete and rich foods in tropical areas.
Its oil content is evident to the touch and very visible in the cooking water. They can be extracted by hand for use in cooking by cooking crushed fruits and then cooling, where the oil floats to the surface. This oil is traditionally used to add flavor and color to different dishes.
The most common use in the Amazon is the production of chicha de chonta, a drink that results from adding water to a cooked, crushed and fermented chonta dough. In addition to refreshing and quenching thirst, this chicha has a high nutritional value. It is consumed constantly, throughout the day.
The sourdough from which chicha is made can be used in other preparations, for example as a base or complement to breads and cakes.
- Its wood is very hard, resistant, and has been for thousands of years one of the most important materials in the Amazon. It is used to build houses, make hunting weapons and utilitarian objects.
SPRING TIDE
Mauritia flexuosa is a species of palm in the Arecaceae family. It is commonly known as moriche palm or simply moriche (in Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico), aguaje (in Peru), burití (in Brazil), or morete (in Ecuador). It is prized for its fruits and its leaves are used in the manufacture of handicrafts
It is a palm with a solitary stem 20 to 35 m high and 3 to 4 dm in diameter, light brown in color, with large and deep roots, a trunk without thorns and light brown bark.45 The crown is made up of 11 to 14 leaves with rachis 2.5 m long.45 The inflorescence is erect with a peduncle of 1 m and rachis of 1.5 m long.45 Racemes with More than a thousand fruits, each 5 to 7 cm long and 4.5 to 5 cm in diameter, dark red or red in color, this fruit contains a bitter taste with orange or yellow fleshy mesocarp and chestnut seed. As with many species of palm trees, it is a tree that forms broad plant associations on the banks of rivers, called morichales or aguajales, a very thick and nourished, almost impenetrable vegetation.
Uses:
- It is said that the consumption of aguaje is beneficial for health, it helps in the reduction of harmful cholesterol, the prevention of blood clots and the treatment of bacterial infections. Aguaje has also been attributed with a supposed ability to increase the volume of the female body, mainly in breasts and buttocks, however, this popular belief has not been proven by science.
Relieve PMS and menopausal symptoms. The benefits of aguaje for women’s health come from its ability to reduce the intensity of symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency.
Promote eye health. Thanks to its impressive beta-carotene content, buriti helps prevent xerophthalmia, which is the progressive loss of vision due to vitamin A deficiency.
Maintain good skin health. The high levels of antioxidant compounds in aguaje fruit promote good hair, nail and skin health, as well as protect from solar radiation.
The properties of aguaje come mainly from its high content of carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, fiber, phytoestrogens and essential fatty acids.
The fleshy pulp of aguaje is also rich in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), with a concentration 30 times higher than that of avocado. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient that promotes immune system health, helps dilate blood vessels, and prevents clots from forming.
- Juice. Fresh aguaje juice is consumed in areas where the fruit grows naturally, and has been shown to be effective in preventing vitamin A deficiency in children and adults alike.
- Pulp. Frozen aguaje pulp can be found outside of its native lands, and is a great source of beta-carotene, as well as vitamin E and other essential nutrients.
- Dust. The dried, powdered pulp of aguaje is rich in dietary fiber and provides both estrogenic properties and essential nutrients, mainly vitamins A and E.
- Oil. Unrefined aguaje oil is used for frying food and is rich in essential fatty acids, as well as vitamins A and E, for eye and skin health.
- Essential oil. Aguaje oil is arguably the most popular use of this exotic fruit outside of its native lands. It is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin E, and vitamin A, all of which are beneficial nutrients for skin health.
- Cream. The healthy fats and carotenoids in aguaje are used in skin care creams to improve moisture and prevent premature aging.
- Capsules. Aguaje capsules provide high concentrations of estrogenic compounds for hormonal balance, as well as vitamins and essential fatty acids
PIJUAYO
The pijuayo tree is a palm tree. The scientific name is Bactris gasipaes and there are more than 200 species. The fruit of the pijuayo varies greatly in size and color. Pijuayo is rich in essential oils, vitamins A and E, fibers and starch, which makes it a complete, fortifying and balanced food. It also contains minerals such as phosphorus, iron, calcium and magnesium.
Pijuayo is a fruit rich in nutrients and antioxidants, especially carotenoids, which can help prevent cell damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. In addition, pijuayo is an important source of essential fatty acids, such as oleic acid and linoleic acid, which can help improve cardiovascular health.
The fruit of the Pijuayo plant. It is also known by other names such as “chontaduro” or “palmito”. It is a plant that grows in the tropical areas of South America, especially in the Amazon region and in some parts of Colombia.
The pijuayo produces a fruit similar to a small palm, which is used in the gastronomy of the region. The flesh of the fruit is smooth and has a sweet and creamy flavor, similar to that of papaya. The seeds of the pijuayo are large and hard, and can be roasted and eaten as a snack.
Pijuayo is eaten fresh or used in the preparation of beverages, desserts and other culinary dishes. It is also used to make skin oils and moisturizers due to its high content of nutrients and fatty acids.
In addition to being a popular ingredient in Amazonian cuisine, pijuayo is an important source of nutrients. This jungle fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A and iron. It is also an important source of dietary fiber and protein.
Uses
Food: The fruit of the pijuayo is edible and is used in the cuisine of the Amazon region to make various dishes such as salads, soups, stews, rice, and desserts. The seed can also be consumed, after roasting and peeling, as a snack.
Beverages: Pijuayo is used to make juices and energy drinks in the Amazon region. In addition, it is used to make wine, liquor, and schnapps.
Cosmetics: the oil extracted from the pijuayo seed is used in the production of moisturizers, hair and skin oils, due to its antioxidant and emollient properties.
Handicrafts: The leaves of the pijuayo plant are used to make handicrafts such as baskets, hats, and ornaments.
Wood: The trunk of the pijuayo is used to build houses, bridges, and other elements in the Amazon region.
At Ecolucerna Logde we can taste it in our regional dishes in the standard menu of all programs
