NANCHE: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, COOKING RECIPES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The nanche (Byrsonima crassifolia) is a fruit species belonging to the Malpighiaceae family. Known as nance, nanchi, cimarrón, changunga, chaparro, indano, nancite, manteco, peralejo, tapal or yoco, it is a species native to the southern region of Mexico.

It is a twisted shrub or small tree up to 15 m tall, with simple, elongated or oval leaves and silky on the underside. Small yellow and red flowers arranged in terminal spikes, fleshy fruits from green to yellow, taste between bitter and sweet, with a large and hard stone.

Nanche (Byrsonima crassifolia). Source: Tyrrhium

This fruit tree has a wide distribution in Central and South America; in Mexico it is distributed in Tamaulipas, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa and Chiapas. It is a species adapted to the transition zones of tropical and subtropical climates on fertile or low-fertility soils, preferably on intervened lands.

As a fruit, nanche has a high nutritional value due to its high content of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fatty fibers and proteins. On the medicinal level, the bark, leaves and fruits contain secondary metabolites that provide it with properties to control various infectious and degenerative diseases.

General characteristics

Appearance

Short tree or evergreen shrub with sinuous growth, diameter of 30 cm at chest height and average height of 3-7 m. Abundant ascending ramifications from the base of the stem, 12-25 mm thick bark, wide, open and irregular crown.

The stem is characterized by its rough grayish-brown outer bark that is easily shed in rectangular layers. The inner bark, fibrous and bitter, is creamy in color, varying to pinkish-brown depending on age and environmental conditions.

Leaves

Simple leaves, lanceolate and arranged in the shape of a cross or decussate, 5-15 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. Elliptical or ovate leaf blade with the entire margin, glabrous and green on the upper surface, densely tomentose and gray-yellowish on the underside.

flowers

Hermaphroditic flowers 1-2 cm in diameter are grouped in terminal racemes or panicles 5-15 cm long. Pubescent in appearance, they are made up of five rounded yellow and reddish petals when ripe, and a green calyx.

Nanche flowers (Byrsonima crassifolia). Source: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, BC, Canada

Fruit

The fruit is a globose drupe of yellow or orange color, 18-20 mm in diameter, arranged in hanging fruit 10-15 cm long. Its juicy and bittersweet pulp with a yellowish color and strong aroma is particular, which surrounds the large and hard stone that contains 2-3 seeds.

Seeds

Each fruit has a rounded white seed covered by a thin dark colored rind. The seed exudes a whitish liquid, with an acid taste and a particular odor.

Chemical composition

As a fruit spice, nanche is a plant of great nutritional value. Photochemical analysis has determined that it has mineral elements, such as calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium and zinc. As well as vitamins C, E and K, fibers, fats and carbohydrates, and it is a source of protein and carotenes.

It is a low-calorie food, but high in thiamine (B ₁), riboflavin (B ₂), niacin (B ₃), pantothenic acid (B ₅), pyridoxine (B ₆) and folic acid (B ₉). On the other hand, the bark contains a resin or crystalline principle, tannins, albuminoids, oxalic acid, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, triterpenes, sesquiterpenlactones, calcium oxalate and cellulose.

From the stem and leaves, bufadienolics, cardenolide steroids, unsaturated sterols, flavonoids, leukoanthocyanins, saponins, tannins, triperthenoids and polyphenols have been identified. The tannins of a polyphenolic nature are found as glycosides, in combination with the proteins of animal skin, they prevent rotting and turn it into leather.

Fruits of nanche (Byrsonima crassifolia). Source: AlejandroLinaresGarcia

Nutritional value per 100 g

- Carbohydrates: 16-18 g

- Sugars: 8-10 g

- Dietary fiber: 6-8 g

- Fats: 1.10-1.20 g

- Proteins: 0.6-0.7 g

- Thiamine (vitamin B ₁): 0.015 mg

- Riboflavin (vitamin B ₂): 0.018 mg

- Niacin (vitamin B ₃): 0.29 mg

- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B ₅): 0.18 mg

- Vitamin B ₆: 0.021 mg

- Folic acid (vitamin B ₉): 8 μg

- Vitamin C: 92.5 mg

- Vitamin E: 1.25 mg

- Vit. K: 11.9 μg

- Calcium: 46 mg

- Iron: 0.38 mg

- Phosphorus: 10 mg

- Magnesium: 20 mg

- Manganese: 0.248 mg

- Potassium: 244 mg

- Sodium: 3 mg

- Zinc: 0.09 mg

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Plantae

- Subkingdom: Tracheobionta

- Division: Magnoliophyta

- Class: Magnoliopsida

- Subclass: Rosidae

- Order: Malpighiales

- Family: Malpighiaceae

- Genre: Byrsonima

- Species: Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth (1822).

Nanche leaves (Byrsonima crassifolia). Source: Consultaplantas

Etymology

- Byrsonima: the genus name probably derives from the Greek word "byrso", which means "leather", alluding to the leathery appearance of its leaves.

- crassifolia: the specific adjective comes from the Latin term «crassifolius-a-um» which means «thick leaves»

- Nanche: the common name «nanche» comes from the Aztec word «nan-tzin» which represents the goddess «Tonantzin» or «Cihuacoatl». In turn, it comes from «nanchi» which derives from «nanche» which means «mother».

Habitat and distribution

The Byrsonima crassifolia species is native to Mesoamerica and is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical environments in Mexico. It develops on deep, fertile, alluvial, sandy loam or clay loam soils, of volcanic origin, as well as eroded, gypsum, heavy soils, with little aeration and low fertility.

It is located on steep and stony slopes in tropical deciduous forests, in the same way on uneven levels of metamorphic lands or intervened savannas. In fact, it is frequent on degraded lands, fallows, grasslands and ecosystems of secondary or transitional vegetation derived from tropical forests.

It adapts to conditions of warm, semi-warm or temperate climate, with an average temperature of 21-28 ºC and 600-3,000 mm of annual precipitation. It is a drought resistant plant and tolerates occasional burning in grassland areas, although it does not support flooded or poorly drained soils.

It has a wide geographic distribution throughout the tropical region of Mexico, from Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí to Yucatán and Quintana Roo. In a similar way, from Sinaloa to Chiapas, being common in the Balsas River Basin through the Pacific to Panama.

Its presence is frequent in Central America (Guatemala) and South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Brazil and Paraguay), at variable altitude levels, between 50-1,500 meters above sea level. Likewise, it is grown in southern California, with the State of Veracruz in Mexico being one of the main producers of this fruit in the region.

Nanche in its natural environment. Source: Jorge Antonio de Oliveira Vicente

Properties

Medicinal

The fruits, bark and leaves have been widely studied due to the presence of various active principles that give it medicinal properties. The bark of this plant is attributed with medicinal properties such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiparasitic, antitussive, antitumor, antipyretic and astringent.

The main medicinal use of the bark, as a decoction by mouth, is against diarrhea. However, it is administered with similar results for the treatment of other digestive disorders, such as stomach pain, dysentery, poor digestion, bile, and constipation.

It is effective in alleviating problems for women, such as inflammation of the ovaries, infection of the womb, in addition, it facilitates delivery and prevents abortion. In turn, it is recommended to heal skin conditions, such as pimples, pimples, scabies, rashes, boils or blackheads on the face.

Other common applications are given to regulate diabetes, soothe muscle aches and low back pain, as well as kidney disease and cold symptoms. As a tonic it is recommended combined with other species, such as cedar bark, to heal wounds and against snake bites.

The fruit is consumed when it is ripe and turns an intense yellow color. It has a taste between sweet and bitter. In fact, the bitter taste is characteristic of immature drupes, which are also edible.

The juicy pulp has a high content of proteins and carotenoids, its habitual consumption favors the treatment of gastrointestinal and skin infections, as well as degenerative diseases. The compresses of the crushed leaves are applied on wounds or insect bites as disinflammants and disinfectants.

Food

In Mexico, the fruit is prepared and consumed in different ways, whether fresh or processed into drinks, ice cream, desserts or syrup. It is even used as a topping for enchiladas, or matured with brandy to obtain a liqueur known as "changunga" or "nancite."

In Central America, especially in Costa Rica and Panama, the fruits are eaten fresh or in desserts. Mixed with cane sugar, flour, cornstarch and baby corn milk, a stew known as "heavy de nance" is made, with high nutritional value.

Ripe drupes are blended into milk, consumed as juices, soft drinks or ice cream, even as a dessert cooked only with water and sugar. On the other hand, the wood of this species is very appreciated for roasting meats, as it gives it a special flavor and aroma.

Nanche dessert (Byrsonima crassifolia). Source: pixabay.com

Kitchen Recipes

Michoacan-style nanche drink

Ingredients

- ½ kilo of nanche drupes

- 3 liters of water

- Sugar to taste

Process

- Peel and pit the fruits.

- Blend with half the water.

- Strain and add the rest of the water, sweeten to taste.

- Serve with ice.

Nanche jam

Ingredients

- ½ kilo of nanche drupes

- ½ liter of water

- Lemon juice

- 250 g of sugar to taste

Process

- Boil the nanches until soft.

- With the help of a fork crush the fruits to separate the stone.

- Add the sugar and the juice of half a lemon.

- Cook for 40 minutes or until it takes the consistency of jam.

- Let cool and serve with cookies.

Nanches in syrup

Ingredients

- 1 ½ kilos of nanche

- ½ kilo of piloncillo, panela or papelón

- 1 piece of cinnamon

- Water

Process

- In a pot, boil the nanches with the piloncillo and the cinnamon.

- Once softened, turn off the heat and strain.

- Keep the syrup.

- Serve the fruits in a deep plate with the syrup and decorate with a cinnamon stick.

References

1. Bayuelo-Jiménez, JS, Lozano Rico, JC & Ochoa, IE (2006). Morphological characterization of byrsonima crassifolia (l.) Kunth native of Churumuco, Michoacán, México. Magazine Fitotecnia Mexicana, Vol. 29 (Special No. 2): 31-36.
2. Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth (1822). (2015) National Forest Information System. Malpigiaceae. Nova Genera et Species Plantarum 5: 149.
3. Byrsonima crassifolia. (2019). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
4. Lima Ortiz, WC & Morales RE (2014). Pharmacobotanical characterization of Byrsonima crassifolia and Neurolaena lobata. (Research Seminar) University of San Carlos de Guatemala. Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy. 103 pp.
5. Medina Torres, R., Ortiz Catón, M. & Valdivia Bernal, R. (2012). Medicinal properties and other uses of Nanche. CONACYT. Source magazine new era Year 4, No. 11. ISSN: 2007-0713.
6. Nanche. Byrsonima crassifolia (2018) Conabio. National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity. Recovered in: biodiversity.gob.mx
7. Nanche, the yellow treasure of Michoacán (2019) Animal Gourmet. Recovered at: animalgourmet.com