CHONTADURO: 11 PROPERTIES FOR GENERAL HEALTH - NUTRITION - 2025

The chontaduro is a plant that produces fruit with the same name that may be unfamiliar to some. Although its use has spread in different forms, it still turns out to be a food that is not widely distributed.

The health properties of chontaduro 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.

Chontaduro overview

Chontaduro, known in this way in Colombia and Ecuador, has several local names, among which are pejibaye in Costa Rica and Panama, and pupunha in Brazil. Its cultivation is distributed from Nicaragua to Brazil and Bolivia

The chontaduro called, scientifically Bactris gasipaes, and like the coconut, 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.

Medicinal properties of chontaduro

1- Reduces bad cholesterol levels

Source: Michael Hermann

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 increase the amounts of "good" or high-density (HDL) cholesterol.

In addition, these omegas can help you lose weight, as demonstrated in a 2013 publication of The Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice, by Dr. Carvalho of 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.

2- Take care of your heart

In a 2004 publication by Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos in Food Reviews International, they concluded that omega 3 and omega 6 are important nutrients that reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

As it contains these types of fatty acids, chontaduro will be a great food to keep your heart healthy.

3- Helps control diabetes

Source:

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 demonstrated 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, as the glucose contained in this fruit is slowly absorbed.

4- Revive your muscles

In a 2003 publication in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Dr. Vanucchi and colleagues came to the conclusion that chontaduro has all the amino acids required for the proper functioning of our body, both essential amino acids and amino acids. non-essential.

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.

5- Provides energy

Source: USGov-USDA

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 the 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.

6- Improve eyesight

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 of the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, and for the maintenance of teeth and skin. It also increases immune function.

A study carried out in Costa Rica, published in 2011 in the journal Food Research International, showed that chontaduro flour contains more carotenoids, precursors of vitamin A than carrots.

7- An ally against cancer

Source: Michael Hermann

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 chontaduro fruit may be ideal if you want to reduce the risk of suffering from this disease.

The research carried out by Dr. Calorina Rojas-Garbanzo from the University of Bonn, showed that when the chontaduro is cooked the amounts of carotenoids are reduced, so it is important to consume the chontaduro raw if you want to prevent cancer.

8- Fight aging

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 of the American Oil Chemists Society, chontaduro oil is also a magnificent source of antioxidants.

9- Cheer up your skin

Chontaduro trees. Source: USGov-USDA

Like the 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 provides you in skin care.

10- Improve your digestion

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% dietary fiber.

Therefore, it is ideal to integrate the flour of this fruit to improve the health of your digestive system.

11- Flour for gluten intolerant

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 making bread, pasta and other dishes, turns out to be an excellent option for people with celiac disease, since chontaduro is gluten-free.

Recipes with chontaduro

Here are some gluten-free recipes.

-Chontaduro cookies with mascarpone and blackberry

Ingredients

• 220 g. Chontaduro flour
• 120 g. Sugar
• 100 g. Butter
• 2 egg themes
• 250 g. Mascarpone cheese
• 100 g. Sugar
• 50 g. Blackberry

Process

1. Cream the butter and sugar
2. Add the yolks without stopping beating
3. Add the flour little by little until it is incorporated, obtaining a soft dough.
4. Bake on a greased and floured tray for 15 minutes at 180 ° C
5. Whisk in the cheese and sugar.
6. Serve the cheese over the crackers
7. Place the blackberries on top

-Flan of chontaduro

Ingredients

• 500 ml. Milk
• 150 g. Chopped Chontaduro
• 4 Eggs lightly beaten
• 2 egg yolks lightly beaten
• 100 g. Sugar
• 5 ml. Vanilla essence
• 100 g. Sugar
• 60 ml. Water

Process

1. Blend the milk with the chontaduro. Sieve
2. Add the sugar and the vanilla essence to the milk. Bring to a boil
3. Remove the pot from the heat and gradually add the milk to the mixture of eggs and yolks to warm it up and prevent them from cooking. Reserve
4. Add the remaining sugar and water to a saucepan.
5. Cook to the consistency and color of caramel *
6. Cover the bottom of the molds with the caramel.
7. Pour the milk and egg mixture into the molds over the caramel
8. Bake in a double boiler for 40 minutes to 1 hour at a temperature of 160 ° C

Curiosities

• The consumption of the fruit can be raw or cooked and there are those who usually accompany it with vinegar or lemon and salt. Its flavor is not sweet, so sweetening it with honey is a good option for some.
• The chontaduro has such importance for the Amazonian people Uitoto and Muinane that they have a mythical history about the origin of the plant and its fruit.
• The fruit is also used to make alcoholic beverages with a low degree of alcohol.
• Aphrodisiac properties have been attributed to it although it has not been scientifically proven.
• The stem of the chontaduro is used in construction and to make utensils.

References

1. Neira-Mosquera, JA, Pérez-Rodríguez, F., Sánchez-Llaguno, S., Rojas, RM, 2013. Study on the mortality in Ecuador related to dietary factors. Nutr. Hosp. 28, 1732–1740.
2. Rojas-Garbanzo, C., Pérez, AM, Bustos-Carmona, J., Vaillant, F., 2011. Identification and quantification of carotenoids by HPLC-DAD during the process of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes HBK) flour. Food Res. Int. 44, 2377-2384.
3. Yuyama, LKO, Aguiar, JPL, Yuyama, K., Clement, CR, Macedo, SHM, Fávaro, DIT, Afonso, C., Vasconcellos, MB a., Pimentel, S. a., Badolato, ESG, Vannucchi, H., 2003. Chemical composition of the fruit mesocarp of three peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) populations grown in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 54, 49–56.
4. Yuyama, LKO, Cozzolino, SMF, 1996. Efeito da supplemented with pupunha as a source of vitamin A in diet: I study in rats. Rev. Saude Publica 30, 61–66.
5. Image source