Baru Tree
Encyclopedia
Dipteryx alata is a species of legume in the Fabaceae
family. It is a large tree usually referred to as "Baruzeiro" (Baru tree) in Portuguese and its fruits or almond-like beans are known as Baru. Other names besides Baru are Cumaru and Cumbaru.
It is found only in the Cerrado
region of Brazil
and is threatened by habitat loss. Historically it has been used as lumber
, for charcoal
production and for shadow in pastures. The fruits are used as bovine
feed or as nourishment and are also an important food source for native animals species as small mammals, rodents, birds, bats, etc.
The tree can measure up to 25 m in height, 0.7 m in diameter and have a useful lifespan of 60 years. A tree will produce about 150 kg of fruit per harvest.
Its fruits, which are brown in color, are either collected off the floor or picked from the tree when they are almost ripe. A fruit usually weighs 25g of which 30% is pulp, 65% is ligneous endocarp and 5% is seed (bean/almond).
Out of the fruit, the pulp is sweet and can be consumed but is also used to manufacture jams and liquors; the beans (Baru almonds) are rich in flavor and are typically served after being roasted and salted or as a part of any number of dishes as bread, cakes, Pesto sauce and ice cream; additionally the oil extracted from the almonds may be used as a culinary ingredient or in many other varied forms. Baru is known to be rich in proteins, fibers, magnesium, potassium and iron and to have a high energetic content.
The uses for the Baru fruit can be summarized as :
Additionally :
Chemical composition of seeds and oil of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) native from Pirenópolis, State of Goiás, Brazil
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
family. It is a large tree usually referred to as "Baruzeiro" (Baru tree) in Portuguese and its fruits or almond-like beans are known as Baru. Other names besides Baru are Cumaru and Cumbaru.
It is found only in the Cerrado
Cerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
region of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and is threatened by habitat loss. Historically it has been used as lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
, for charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
production and for shadow in pastures. The fruits are used as bovine
Bovinae
The biological subfamily Bovinae includes a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large sized ungulates, including domestic cattle, the bison, African buffalo, the water buffalo, the yak, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes...
feed or as nourishment and are also an important food source for native animals species as small mammals, rodents, birds, bats, etc.
The tree can measure up to 25 m in height, 0.7 m in diameter and have a useful lifespan of 60 years. A tree will produce about 150 kg of fruit per harvest.
Its fruits, which are brown in color, are either collected off the floor or picked from the tree when they are almost ripe. A fruit usually weighs 25g of which 30% is pulp, 65% is ligneous endocarp and 5% is seed (bean/almond).
Out of the fruit, the pulp is sweet and can be consumed but is also used to manufacture jams and liquors; the beans (Baru almonds) are rich in flavor and are typically served after being roasted and salted or as a part of any number of dishes as bread, cakes, Pesto sauce and ice cream; additionally the oil extracted from the almonds may be used as a culinary ingredient or in many other varied forms. Baru is known to be rich in proteins, fibers, magnesium, potassium and iron and to have a high energetic content.
The uses for the Baru fruit can be summarized as :
| Part of the Fruit | Product/Sub-Product | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Pulp | Pulp in natura | Human food |
| Animal food | ||
| Medicinal/Pharmaceutical | ||
| Dehydrated Pulp | Human food | |
| Animal food | ||
| Medicinal/Pharmaceutical | ||
| Flour | Human food | |
| Alcohol/Liqueur | Human consumption | |
| Medicinal/Pharmaceutical | ||
| Cosmetics | ||
| Industrial | ||
| Residues | Farming (organic fertilizer) | |
| Almond | Raw almond | Human food |
| Animal food | ||
| Medicinal/Pharmaceutical | ||
| Agricultural (seeding) | ||
| Roasted Almond | Human Food | |
| Flour | Human Food | |
| Milk | Human Food | |
| Oil | Human food | |
| Medicinal/Pharmaceutical | ||
| Cosmetics | ||
| Industrial | ||
| Cake | Human food | |
| Medicinal/Pharmaceutical | ||
| Cosmetics | ||
| Industrial | ||
| Paste/Butter | Human food | |
| Ligneous endocarp | Charcoal | Fuel |
| Pyroligneous acid and tar | Industrial | |
| Ligneous Endocarp | Artisanry | |
Additionally :
| Per 100 g | |
|---|---|
| Protein | 23.9 g |
| Total fat | 38.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 7.18 g |
| Unsaturated fat | 31.02 g |
| Total fiber | 13.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15.8 g |
| Calcium | 140 mg |
| Potassium | 827 mg |
| Phosphor | 358 mg |
| Magnesium | 178 mg |
| Copper | 1.45 mg |
| Iron | 4.24 mg |
| Manganese | 4.9 mg |
| Zinc | 4.1 mg |
| Calories | 502 |
Source
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Dipteryx alata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.blavla Downloaded on 10 July 2007.
See also
Portuguese Wikipedia article on BaruChemical composition of seeds and oil of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) native from Pirenópolis, State of Goiás, Brazil