All gifts of nature have a certain value for human body. AT recent times The Brazilian acai berry has gained worldwide popularity. For its beneficial properties, it has received many names: "Amazonian pearl", "royal superberry", "fountain eternal youth"," Amazonian Viagra "and others. Unfortunately, this “magic” berry can quickly deteriorate, so everyone will not be able to try it. Most often it is available in the form of dietary supplements. Let's find out what this berry is and whether it is really so useful.
Description
The inhabitants of the Brazilian Amazon have been familiar with Acai for a very long time. They actively eat these berries and grow palm trees on which they grow. For them, it is not only a dessert, but also one of the staple foods. 
The rest of the world learned about the miraculous acai in 2004, after the results of studies on the unique composition of these fruits were published. Since then, the media in the US and other countries have often discussed their usefulness, these fruits have been given the title of "superfood".
Did you know? Brazilians from the Caboclo ethnic group eat a lot of acai: it makes up almost half (about 42%) of their daily menu..
The famous berries grow on tall palm trees (20 m) with long leaves, which are also called acai or euterpe. Trees are common in the northern part of South America, and more precisely in the Amazon River Valley. For the sake of their fruit and edible core, they are cultivated in Brazil, mainly in the state of Pará. 
The berries look very similar to grapes with large seeds. And the clusters are more like long garlands hanging down with dark purple balls instead of light bulbs. Berry pulp is very tender and perishable, loses its properties within a day.
It is difficult to describe the taste in one word, as the opinions of those who have tried the Brazilian "grape" are divided. Some say that the fruits of Euterpe are sweet and sour, like blackberries or red grapes, while others have tasted a nut-chocolate flavor in them.
Prepared from berries delicious juices and smoothies different desserts and other dishes.
Compound
Compared to other acai berries, they are very high in calories: 100 g of the product contains approximately 160 kcal.
Nutritional value of "superberries":
- proteins (3.8%);
- fats (0.5%);
- carbohydrates (36.6%).
A rich set of chemical elements makes the fruits of Euterpe especially unique:
- vitamins: group B, E, C, D and beta-carotene;
- macronutrients: potassium, calcium, silicon, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine;
- trace elements: aluminum, boron, iron, iodine, cobalt, manganese, copper, rubidium, fluorine, chromium, zinc;
- essential and partially replaceable amino acids: arginine, valine, histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, phenylalanine;
- nonessential amino acids: alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, serine, tyrosine, cysteine;
- fatty acids: Omega-6 and Omega-9;
- anthocyanins, which provide berries with color and have antioxidant properties.
Did you know? In terms of protein content, acai is equivalent to cow's milk, and the presence of beneficial omega acids put the Brazilian "superfood" on a par with olive oil.
Beneficial features
Due to the presence of so many vitamins, minerals and other valuable components Acai can have a curative and preventive effect on many organs and systems of our body:
- cardiovascular system: the heart is strengthened, blood circulation improves, the amount of “bad” cholesterol decreases, due to which the vessels are cleared of plaques, coronary heart disease is prevented and pressure is normalized;
- cancer: antioxidants actively fight free radicals, preventing the appearance and growth of cancer cells;
- vision: prevention of glaucoma and night blindness, reduction of the yellow spot, slowing down the process of vision loss in diabetic retinopathy;
- immunity: T-lymphocytes are activated, which increases the body's defenses;
- gastrointestinal tract: digestion is normalized and metabolism is improved, which prevents the appearance of excess weight;
- brain and nervous system: cognitive abilities improve, it is easier to cope with stress and insomnia;
- the skin acquires a healthy appearance, becomes smooth and clean, the aging process slows down;
- increases male potency.
Important! According to various sources, if acai is not processed within 2-5 hours, then they will lose 70-80% of their useful properties .
Application
The Brazilian "superberry" has wide range Applications:
- in dietology: as an additional means for weight loss;
- in alternative medicine: for the manufacture of bioactive additives;
- in cooking used for alcoholic and non-alcoholic alcoholic beverages, added to ice cream, pastries and sauces;
- in cosmetology: as one of the components of face and body creams and lotions, shampoos and hair balms.
Important! Acai should not be taken as a magic weight loss pill. Without physical activity and dieting effect can be quite the opposite.
Contraindications and harm
Use fresh fruit has practically no euterpe side effects. An exception may be isolated cases of individual intolerance. But an immoderate amount of berries or products based on them, for example, dietary supplements, can be harmful to health.
- People who are prone to allergies may have an allergic reaction to an exotic product.
- Those who want to lose weight should be careful with this high-calorie berry.
- The high protein content of acai can lead to health complications. nervous system, kidney and liver.
- An excess of carbohydrates, which this miracle berry is rich in, can increase blood sugar levels, which increases the risk of obesity.
- Excessive consumption can increase cholesterol and provoke problems of the cardiovascular system.
As you can see, the Brazilian acai berry is really very useful. But, like other gifts of nature, the “Amazonian pearl” should be consumed correctly and in limited quantities.
What are palm trees? What types of palm trees grow on our Black Sea coast? Can they be grown at home? Which of them can be grown independently from seeds? Here we will try to answer these questions. To begin with - general information.
Palm leaves are characterized by pinnate and fan type. The leaves are spirally arranged on petioles. Flowers unisexual or bisexual. The fruits are a drupe or a nut.
Palm trees grown at home from seed, long time are in a rosette state, and only after the rosette reaches the required diameter, the stem begins to grow in height. This feature makes it possible to keep young palm trees grown from seed in room conditions. The following types of palms are most suitable for this: Canarian date, capitate butia, sabal palmetto, low (squat) cameraops, thread-bearing washingtonia, Fortune's trachycarpus.
Canarian date
The Latin name is Phoenix canariensis Chahand. This plant is dioecious, evergreen. It develops like a tree, but more like a large wide bush 10-20 m tall, with a massive, unbranched false trunk, covered with the bases of old leaves.
AT open ground on the Black Sea coast, the palm tree reaches a height of 12-15 m. The leaves are large, up to 4 m. There are sharp needle-like spines along the edges of the leaf petiole.
This palm tree blooms in summer and autumn. Male inflorescences up to 2 m long, female inflorescences shorter. The fruit is ovoid, yellowish-brown, 2.5 cm long, with rough pulp, inedible. Propagated by seeds.
Date finger edible
The Canarian date should not be confused with the edible date, the palmate date (Phoenix dactylifera). Unfortunately, the seeds extracted from the fruits of an edible date germinate poorly - after all, before the dates get to the consumer, they significantly lose their germination capacity. In addition, the temperature required for germination, 20-25 ° C, can only be maintained in greenhouses and greenhouses.
The city of Basra in southern Iraq is considered the world capital of edible dates. 420 varieties of this species are concentrated here. Arabic wisdom says that "the palm tree should stand in the water with its base, and drown in the hot rays of the sun with its top."
The date palm is a dioecious plant. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks hung several male panicles inside the crowns, pouring out pollen, since without artificial insemination, female specimens are fruitless.
Butia capitate
The Latin name is Butia capitata. This type of palm is native to Brazil. It grows in mountainous areas on sandy soils. The butia trunk has a characteristic capitate thickening at the base, gradually tapering upwards.
The emergence of new leaves begins in April and continues until the end of September. During the growing season, from 4 to 9 leaves are formed, and each lives up to 7 years.
The palm tree is beautiful with its openwork crown, lush inflorescences and fruits.
In the open field of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, butia begins flowering and fruiting from the age of 10-12. Rarely blooms indoors.
In butia, the seed is rounded oblong, pointed at the ends, up to 20 mm long and 10 mm wide, with three distinct sutures. In the lower part there are three rounded pores, closed with loose corked tissue - this is the place where the embryo exits.
Seeds contain about 60% liquid coconut oil. Butia fruits are used for eating raw and for making jams and liqueurs.
Before germinating butia seeds, it is recommended to carry out their long-term stratification in wet sand or peat. Mechanical stratification is possible - sawing of seed coats or careful destruction of corked tissue with a sharp metal object.
Freshly harvested seeds germinate after stratification within 35-45 days. In some cases, the process can take up to 24 months.
Butia capitate is frost-resistant - it can withstand temperatures down to -10 ° C. Drought-resistant. Grows well in sandy soils.
At room conditions, butia requires regular watering, and in summer the plant must be fed with flower fertilizers once every two weeks. For it, you should use the soil mixture for palm trees, sold in stores.
Sabal palmetto
This type of palm (lat. Sabal palmetto) comes from North America. Its single trunk in the open ground reaches a height of 20 m. The leaves are fan-shaped.
Inflorescences up to 2 m long. The fruit is a black globular drupe.
On the Black Sea coast, sabal palmetto blooms and produces viable seeds that usually germinate within four months.
Stratification at 35° (about one month) shortens germination time. soaking in hot water(about 90°C), and especially the removal of the cap over the embryo also accelerates seed germination. At home, young, not yet opened, leaves are used as food as vegetables, they are called “palm cabbage!”
Chamerops squat
The botanical name of this palm species is Chamaerops humilis. Came to Europe from Africa. Cultivated in greenhouses for over 300 years. This is a bushy palm tree with several trunks 2-3 m high, growing from a common base. In the Sochi arboretum of the Research Institute of Gorlesecology there are specimens with 7-10 or more trunks in a bush.
The palm grows slowly. During the summer it forms up to 7 leaves, which usually live for 7 years. Blooms in May-June. The fruit is a drupe, ripens in November-December.
The palm tree is drought-resistant, undemanding to the soil. Propagated by seeds.
Seeds in the pulp of the fruit do not germinate. After removing the pulp, they germinate within 2 months at room temperature. Removing the cap causes accelerated germination of seeds in 11 days.
Washingtonia filamentous or filamentous
The Latin name is Washingtonia filifera. She is native to southwestern North America. This is a very beautiful fan palm. The trunk in the homeland reaches a height of 30 m. The leaves are fan-shaped with delicate thin threads hanging between the leaf segments.
Inflorescences are compound. The flowers are bisexual with a strong smell. The fruit is an indehiscent drupe.
On the Black Sea coast, it blooms and bears fruit abundantly, the fruits ripen in December. This is one of the fastest growing palm trees.
Easily propagated by seeds. Germination 80-90%. At a temperature of 35 ° C in greenhouse conditions, seedlings appear on the seventh day. AT normal conditions- within a month.
This type of palm tree will look good in spacious rooms - halls, offices, greenhouses. Care is simple, but there is one feature - in winter it will feel more comfortable in cool conditions. If you can not maintain the temperature in the room no higher than 20 ° C (preferably 15-18 ° C), then the dishes with the plant should be kept in a pan with water and sprayed daily. At high temperature indoors and dry air, it can drop leaves.
Seeds remain viable for up to 5 years.
Trachycarpus Fortune
This type of palm (lat. Trachycarpus fortunei) in its homeland, in China, Burma, Japan, grows up to 10 m. At the top of the trunk it forms a bunch of fan-shaped leaves, the petioles of which reach a length of 0.5 to 1.5 m. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious , collected in large paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is a drupe. Abundantly fructifies from 20 years. Blossoms in May, fruits ripen in December-January.
It is the most hardy of all fan palms.
It is undemanding to the soil. Easily propagated by seeds. Seeds germinate within a month.
Young plants at room conditions are recommended to be transferred once a year to larger pots. This accelerates their growth and makes it possible to remove rotten and dried parts of the root. All transplanting work must be carried out in the spring, at the beginning of the growing season.
Trachycarpus Fortune tolerates transplantation well in adulthood.
In many places on the Black Sea coast, it gives abundant self-seeding and runs wild.
The peach palm is a tree-like plant of the Palm family that produces edible fruits.
Straight slender palm tree 20-30 meters high. The trunk, along its entire length or only in the upper part, is covered with wide rings of long (up to 12 cm) black needle-like spines, which greatly complicate harvesting.
The leaves are long (2.4-3.6 meters), pinnate, with lanceolate dark green, prickly along the edges, leaves. The petioles are also covered with spines.
The flowers are small, yellowish-white, collected in racemes up to 30 cm long, located under the very crown of the palm tree.
Fruits, yellow, orange or red, hang in clusters of 50-100 pieces. They are cup-shaped, conical or oval shape, about 6 cm long, with weakly expressed six faces. Under thin skin there is a sweet mealy yellow-orange flesh and a large ovoid stone with a sharp top.
The fruits of this palm tree are harvested from September to December, and this tree gives the richest harvest in October and November. Up to thirteen bunches of such fruits can grow on one palm tree. The palm tree blooms twice a year. If the soil is sufficiently moist, the peach palm in Panama can produce two crops a year.
The tree begins to bear fruit for 2-3 years, then an adult can pick the fruits while standing on the ground. As the palm tree grows in height, the clusters of fruits become more difficult to get, so for harvesting, for example, Panamanians use special tools to pluck these clusters and make these clusters fall. tender fruits on the ground as softly as possible.
Here is what Heinrich Walter Bats, who traveled around the Amazon in the mid-nineteenth century, wrote about the peach palm, or as it is also called peihuare: “The famous “peach palm”, pupunha ... .. (“Guilielma speciosa”). I believe that the name is given by the similarity of color, and not by the taste of the fruit, because it is dry and mealy, and the taste can be compared to chestnuts with cheese. ... This tree makes a wonderful decoration; it grows in clusters near houses covered with palm leaves; in its full development, the pupunha reaches from fifty to sixty feet in height. It is difficult for a strong person to pick up a bunch of ripe fruits, and each tree carries several of these brushes. Nowhere in the Amazon does the pupunha grow in the wild. This is one of the few plant products (including three genera of mandi oca and American types of banana) that the Indians have been cultivating since time immemorial... And then only more developed tribes were engaged in its cultivation... Twelve pieces of fruits are enough to completely saturate an adult.
Peach Palm Spread
The homeland of the Peach palm is the Amazonian jungle of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. This palm tree has long been cultivated and distributed by Indian tribes to neighboring areas. It has the most important economic importance in Costa Rica. It is also cultivated in Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, northern South America and the Antilles. In 1924, the peach palm was introduced to cultivation in the Philippines and in the 1970s in India.
The use of peach palm
In addition to the fact that the fruit has great taste, it also has an insane amount of vitamins, minerals, organic compounds that make it easy unique product nutrition. The fruit has a lot of protein structures, carbohydrates, vitamins C, E, A, B, K, as well as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.
Peach palm fruits are an effective source of energy. 100 grams of fruit contains 37 grams of carbohydrates, which are the building blocks of our energy supply, and by breaking down these carbohydrates, our body is able to renew and energize very quickly. It is because of these wonderful beneficial properties that it is popular in the countries of South America and is becoming more and more in demand around the globe.
Digestive system
Like most other vegetables and fruits, peach palm fruit is an excellent and versatile source of fiber. It plays an important role during digestion because its coarse fiber slows down the processing process. This, in turn, has a positive effect on reducing bloating, helping to prevent more serious gastrointestinal diseases such as stomach ulcers and colon cancer.
Heart health and diabetes
Fiber plays a very important role in the fight against diabetes and can help the body regulate insulin levels in the blood. By slowing down the absorption of glucose into the blood, fiber optimizes the functioning of many organs, such as the pancreas. Also, peach palm fruit fiber reduces the severity of the consequences. diabetes, strengthens the heart, cleanses the body of excess cholesterol in blood vessels and arteries, thereby reducing the chances of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes.
Vision
One of the most important vitamins found in the fruit is vitamin A, as well as other carotenoids that help protect the body. Carotenes have a positive effect on eye health, and therefore improve vision, because they act as antioxidants, reducing cataracts, as well as preventing macular degeneration in the eye cell.
Skin protection
Vitamin C, vitamin A, also found in the miracle fruit, maintains a healthy fluid balance in the body. Vitamins stimulate the growth of new skin cells and protect others. Potassium in human blood helps to control the balance of water in the body, promotes the exchange of fluid in cells, thereby maintaining the functionality of all important elements body work.
In addition, the fruit contains many key minerals, such as magnesium and calcium, which can normalize white blood cells and thus eliminate the chronic effects of free radicals.
fruits in fresh not accepted.
The fruits are boiled for 2-3 hours salt water, often with the addition of oil, after cutting the peel, then eaten hot. Usually they are eaten with some kind of gravy or as a side dish for fatty meals because the flesh of the peach palm is dry. Fruit pulp is also added to bread products, prepare from them a strong alcoholic drink. The pit kernels are edible and taste like coconut.
The soft core from the upper part of the trunk (palmetto), like some other types of palms, is eaten raw or used in various dishes, preserve. It tastes like celery stalks. This part of the palm is consumed fresh or boiled, mixed with an egg and used as a filling for casseroles. Also, during the fermentation of palm sap, an alcoholic drink is obtained. Chicha beer is made from the fermentation of unsalted boiled purée of these fruits, sometimes mixed with plantain. The production of such a drink is prohibited in Costa Rica, with the exception of reservations where the Indians live.
The pit kernels are edible and taste like coconut.
In Panama, the fruits of the peach palm serve as food for many species of parrots, including those listed in the Red Book and endangered.
Carefully harvested fruits (without dents) can be stored at room conditions for a week.
Palm wood is used as a building material, and the leaves are used to make roofs for huts.
Peach palm leaves are used to feed pigs and chickens. The hollow trunks of the palm serve as gutters for water runoff, as pipes or planters for flowers.
The thorns with which this unusual palm tree protects its fruits from animals serve the Indians for tattooing, with which they decorate their bodies.
Fruit Picker
The content of the article:
Peach palm (lat. Bactris gasipaes) is a plant of the Palm family without a voluminous crown, which has a not very thick trunk up to 30 m high with evergreen leaves, the length of which can be 3.6 m. The flowers are yellow-white in color, the fruits are edible, yellow, orange or red, depending on the season, are collected in clusters of 50-70 pieces, the skin is thin. Hiding inside juicy pulp with a sweet aftertaste and one large bone. The jungle of South America is called the birthplace of this palm tree - Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia. In the wild, it grows mainly along the shores of the Amazon, and is cultivated in Costa Rica and India, the Philippines, in a word, in the tropics, where all year round hot and sunny. In food, the fruits are most often consumed in a fried or boiled form.
Composition and calorie content of peach palm fruits
The calorie content of peach palm fruits has not been fully elucidated, but it is definitely low. But it is known that 100 g of pulp contains 37 g of carbohydrates necessary to maintain vitality at a high level and improve performance.
Consider the benefits of vitamins in the composition of fruits:
- Vitamin C. Ensures proper functioning immune system, increases the body's defenses and does not get sick, especially in winter.
- Vitamin E. Necessary for the timely regeneration of tissues after injuries, maintaining the water-salt balance, preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Vitamin A. Promotes a good metabolism, which eliminates the appearance of obesity, diabetes and a number of other problems. It is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes negative impact free radicals and thereby preventing premature aging and the growth of neoplasms.
- Vitamin B. With its help, the condition of the skin, nails, hair improves, the level of hemoglobin normalizes, visual acuity increases, all metabolic processes in the body are restored and bad cholesterol is removed from the blood.
- Vitamin K. Participates in the work of the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, pancreas. It is also important that it neutralizes the strongest and dangerous poisons- aflatoxin, coumarin, etc. This reduces the likelihood of the appearance of cancer cells and reduces their number in time, if they are nevertheless formed.
Particularly worth highlighting magnesium and potassium which have a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. They strengthen the heart muscle, normalize its contractions and supply it enough blood to prevent a heart attack.
deserves the closest attention, and calcium with phosphorus, which strengthen bones and teeth, promote tissue renewal after injuries and prevent the development of various dental diseases (caries, periodontal disease) and rheumatic, such as arthrosis.
Palm fruits are also rich in zinc, which is very useful for men who want to lead a full intimate life. It also has a positive effect on blood sugar levels, reducing it. It is a reliable antioxidant that protects cells from destruction.
Note! The fruits are high in starch and vegetable fats.
Useful properties of peach palm fruits
They improve overall well-being, as a result of which fatigue and migraine disappear, appetite is restored and mood rises, and the amount of vital energy increases. Sleep is also normalized, due to which bags under the eyes, swelling on the face and a number of other signs of fatigue are eliminated. All this is possible due to the fact that the product has tonic and soothing properties.
Here are the benefits of peach palm fruit:
- Normalizes cardiac activity. This is facilitated by strengthening the heart muscle, restoring its normal rhythm, providing this organ with a volume of blood sufficient for stable functioning. Such effects can minimize the possibility of a heart attack, stroke, angina pectoris, arrhythmia and a number of other cardiac diseases. That is why the product is more useful than ever for people who have crossed the 60-year mark, who are more prone to this than young people. It should also be noted that the pressure level decreases, which, in turn, improves the general condition.
- Takes care of blood vessels. The pulp of fruits cleanses their walls from cholesterol accumulating there for years, sooner or later forming life-threatening plaques. She dissolves them and gently brings them out, without clogging the passages and without disturbing the blood flow. This helps to restore it and prevent a lack of oxygen in various internal organs, to which it enters just along with the blood. In the same way, the development of thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, atherosclerosis and a number of other vascular diseases is prevented.
- Accelerates skin regeneration. The fruits of the tree contain iron, potassium and magnesium, which are actively involved in the renewal of damaged tissues. Therefore, they will be most welcome for those who suffer from dermatitis, eczema, urticaria and other skin diseases. They are recommended to be included in the diet even in the presence of wounds and cuts on the body, which, due to this, heal many times faster.
- Strengthens health. Fruits increase immunity, due to which the body becomes stronger and less exposed to harmful bacteria, viruses and infections. This minimizes the possibility of influenza, tuberculosis, hepatitis. It also reduces the likelihood of infection with helminths, staphylococcus, streptococcus, and this is very important for the prevention of tonsillitis, tonsillitis and other otolaryngological pathologies.
- Increases hemoglobin. If its level in the blood is low, then a person may be disturbed by constant dizziness, nausea, a feeling of coldness in the limbs, weakness, hair loss, peeling of the skin and exfoliation of nails. As a result of insufficient production of red blood cells, the internal organs do not receive the necessary for normal operation the amount of blood and, consequently, oxygen. The same fruit eliminates such a deficiency and provides normal nutrition for the liver, kidneys, heart, intestines, etc. It is worth looking at the fruits of this palm tree very carefully, first of all, for pregnant women, in whom in most cases low level hemoglobin.
- Improves bone health. Fruits supply the body with phosphorus and calcium, which are especially valuable for the joints. They make them stronger and more durable, which minimizes the risk of injuries (dislocations, fractures) and various rheumatic diseases - arthrosis, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc. For this very reason, they are recommended to be included in the menu primarily for older people who are at risk of developing these pathologies is much higher than in young people.
- Increases potency. This is made possible by the content of zinc in the product, which is widely known as the “male” trace element. It improves the quality of intimate life, enhances libido and sexual arousal, promotes good erections and prevents impotence.
Note! Fruits have immunocorrective, firming, analgesic, hemostatic and regenerating properties.
Contraindications and harm to peach palm fruits
It is strictly contraindicated for people with allergic reaction on these fruits, which usually looks like redness and itching of the skin, irritation of the nasal mucosa and sore throat. The product must be included in the menu for pregnant women and the elderly very carefully. It is also worth doing this with great care for any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
To exclude harm from the fruits of the peach palm, you should try not to eat them in the morning. Before this, you should either have breakfast with something else, or, in extreme cases, drink a glass of warm water, which will eliminate irritation of the gastric mucosa with fruit pulp.
How are peach palm fruits eaten?
Raw they are practically not eaten because of the specific taste. Before cooking, the fruits are poured with water and left for 1-2 hours, after which they are dried and boiled in salt water for 2-3 hours. They are served hot to the table, most often with some kind of gravy.
No less popular is the combination of pulp with cheese and mayonnaise. It can be boiled, fried, stewed. The peel from the fruit and seeds are always removed. They make wine, various soft drinks, desserts. There is also experience in manufacturing oil and flour based on the product.
Peach Palm Recipes
Take only fresh raw fruit, not covered with mold and with a rather tough peel, which, moreover, should also be smooth. They can be added absolutely different dishes- salads, desserts and even soups. They can be fried, stewed, boiled, stuffed and baked in the oven, they are very tasty and healthy.
Of all the recipes with peach palm fruits, the following can be offered:
- Jam. Wash the "peaches" (1 kg), dry them, cut in half and remove the seeds. Then grind, add boiled water(50 ml) and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. After the appearance a large number juice in a saucepan, stir the mass and remove it from the stove. Then combine sugar (300 g) and warm water(100 ml), boil the mixture and mix with boiled palm fruits. After that, put the mass on fire again and do not remove for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly with a spoon. After this time, beat it with a blender, pour over clean glass jars 0.5 l and roll up with sterilized lids. Dip the finished jam in the cellar, turn the jars upside down and leave in this form for 2-3 days.
- . Dissolve gelatin (20 g) in cold water(100 ml) and leave to swell for about 30 minutes. Do the same with the same volume of gelling agent, only this time use syrup from under canned pineapple. Next, crumble some as small as possible shortbread without any additives and put it in a baking dish lined with special paper. Then mix sugar (120 g), liquid cream(100 ml), vanillin (1 tsp) and beat the mass with a blender. Bring the gelatin swollen in water to a boil and combine with cottage cheese grated through a sieve. Mix these two compositions and fill them with the cookies previously laid out in the mold, put it in the refrigerator. After 20 minutes, lay out the fruits cut in a semicircle around the edges and add boiled gelatin soaked in syrup. Put the dish in the refrigerator for 3 hours to cool and solidify.
- Jam. Wash, peel and seeds and chop the fruits (1.5 kg). Put them in a multicooker bowl, add sugar (700 g) and cook in the “Jam” mode for about 50 minutes, stirring the mass periodically and removing the resulting white film or foam. After this time, beat the mixture with a blender until a homogeneous slurry without lumps. Ready jam immediately spread in sterilized jars, roll up the lids and put upside down for 2-3 days, then return to normal position. It can be used both for greasing a slice of bread for tea, and adding it as a filling to pies, pies, buns.
- stuffed fruits. Wash and boil them (200 g) in salt water together with the peel and bone. Then peel them and beat with a blender. After that, stew white chicken meat (200 g), fry champignons (150 g), grate hard cheese(150 g). Combine all this, season with grated garlic (3 cloves), sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste, pour sour cream (2 tablespoons). Then wash, cut the fruit in half and fill with the prepared mixture. Place them on a greased baking sheet. vegetable oil, and put in hot oven for 15 minutes.
Note! The fruits are well tolerated. heat treatment without losing its taste and usefulness. Moreover, after cooking, they become much softer and more pleasant in salads.
Interesting facts about peach palm fruits
On one tree, an average of 7 clusters weighing up to 10 kg grows every year. The fruits have a diameter of about 5 cm and look like ordinary peaches or apricots from the side, which is why the plant got its name. In order for a person to get enough, it is enough to eat 5-6 fruits at a time, which, by the way, are folk medicine serve to eliminate pain in the abdomen and head.
Ripe palm fruits do not remain usable for long, already 3-5 days after harvest they become moldy or become soft. It is for this reason that it is almost impossible to find them fresh in those countries where this plant does not grow. Most often, fruits are sold in supermarkets in canned form. metal cans or on order in online stores.
Boiled fruits are very popular in Costa Rica, where street vendors offer to try them as a snack. In Panama, in addition to people, these fruits are also loved by parrots, for which they are used as food. By the way, here the harvest is carried out all year round, but it is especially rich in the period from October to November.
The palm tree is protected from animals by sharp thorns, which are used by the Indians for tattooing. They - those who live along the banks of the Amazon - call this plant peihuara, and for them the fruits of the tree are one of the staples in the food system.
What does a peach palm tree look like - look at the video:
We talked about how peach palm fruits are eaten, how they are best cooked and what to serve with. And it is obvious that there are a lot of options here, you can easily replace ordinary peaches or apricots with these fruits, they do not lose to them either in taste, or in benefits, or in ease of preparation. You only have to try them once to be sure.
Somehow, while living in Krabi, we saw strange fruits on palm trees several times a day, which are not eaten. We even lived in a house in Krabi, which stood in a palm grove, and grew up there, as we later figured out oil palm!
Oil palm grove
By the way, while we were wintering in Thailand, we saw a lot of plants and their fruits, edible and not so much. In large supermarkets such as MAKRO, TESCO, BIG-C you can find absolutely everything, well, or 99% of what you need, familiar products, because these stores are created specifically for farangs.
So, firstly we knew that there are date palms (since Egypt). As well as coconuts, which are full in Thailand, from them I myself extracted coconuts :). Well, and low banana palms, the fruits and even the leaves of which are used for cooking.
Secondly, it seems that everything that can be eaten from the vegetation of Tai was sold at local markets, and we tried a lot of fruits. However, the fruits of the oil palm were unknown to us and did not look like anything.
Thirdly, there were so many oil palm plantations in Krabi that I could not help but be interested in them. The fruits were an interesting orange-red color, protected by thorns that looked a lot like porcupines. As a normal curious person, I had to figure it out!
As a result, we were lucky to see the cut fruits of the oil palm tree up close, in one of the palm groves, when we returned from MAKRO by a short road. I even tried to break off the fruit to see how it looks from the inside, but it turned out to be so dense, and the spikes are so sharp and strong that I can’t imagine how the Thais cope with them.
Unripe oil palm fruit
You will not envy the oil palm fruit picker, each branch is very heavy and prickly, grows to the trunk of the palm tree where it cannot be cut off, it must be cut down.
On the Internet, I found (not the first time, of course) various palm fruits, and determined that it was oil palms that surrounded us. But why are there so many?
It turned out that this is part of agriculture in Southeast Asia, in the countries of Africa and Latin America.
The first palm plantation appeared in Malaysia, and along with rubber, oil, gas; oil, from the fruit of the oil palm, is one of the articles of Indonesian and Malaysian exports. Therefore, we saw such an abundance of these palms in Krabi (this city is located on the border with Malaysia), in other regions of Thailand there are more coconut palms.
There are 2 types of oil: palm oil proper and palm kernel oil. The first is a rather thick red-orange mass obtained by squeezing the fleshy fruits and further cleaning. Oil of the second type, with characteristic odor and nutty flavor, made from palm seeds.
Tropical oils are widely used in confectionery and cooking, as well as in the production of margarine. Palm oil sachets are placed in packages with Doshirak noodles, for example, which I used while still a student. It is also used for frying chips and, in some tropical countries, for salad dressing.
Sweet juice is obtained from incisions in the petioles of inflorescences, and they drink it fresh, and also use it to produce alcoholic beverages. From one plant you can get about 4 liters of juice per day.
Also made from palm oil good soap, high-quality candles, are used in medicine as the basis for ointments, and, perhaps, the most important thing ...
There are cars that run on this fuel. However, this is not the same gasohol (91st gasoline biofuel), which is obtained by diluting 91st gasoline with ethanol, which is much cheaper in Thailand. At every gas station you will find both standard gasoline (91, 95, 98 octane) and gasohol!
Palm oil has been known since ancient times. Archaeologists have discovered some ancient finds that undeniably indicate that Palm oil used in cooking around the third millennium BC. e. At that time, palm oil was mined only on the African continent. And only in the 18th century sailors from Europe brought palm oil to us. And along with the oil, palm trees themselves began to actively spread, serving as raw materials for oil. At first they were bred for beauty, as they were quite unpretentious and looked very attractive thanks to huge clusters of palm fruits. But over time, they began to produce palm oil in the countries of Southeast Asia. Right now in modern world It is Asian countries that are the main producers and exporters of palm oil.
For a more detailed view, search the pictures for "oil palm fruits".
Also watch a video about our palm grove in Krabi, where oil palms grew:
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