Every time we talk about source of vitamin C, the fist come to mind must be the fresh fruit with little bit sour taste such orange and kiwi. But do you notice that recently people buzzing about the vitamin C from a powder? What kind of powder can produce vitamin C? It might leave you a little wonder about it.
The vitamin C powder we’re talking about comes from an African native fruit called baobab. Baobab fruit has white pulps which dry naturally in pods while it is hanging from the tree. When the hard pods are picked and open, the pulps are already easily come into powder. But for the common marketing need. The powder is sterilized before packed and present us the health benefits of baobab fruit powder.
Baobab fruit powder has its tart and sweet taste. People usually mixed this powder into their white bread. Pour the powder on their cake, or just drink it with water. Besides providing the health benefits of baobab fruit powder, this fruit product can easily be used in any kind of foods which ensure you to get vitamin C and other beneficial values easier.
Nutritional Information of Baobab Fruit Powder
The dried baobab fruit is rich with antioxidants and other beneficial values. Here is the nutrition we can get from consuming baobab fruit:
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Protein
- Fiber
The Health Benefits of Baobab Fruit Powder
Baobab fruit powder is able to present the health benefits as mentioned in the explanation below. Most of them are credited to the content of vitamin C of baobab fruit.
- Maintain healthy digestion
This fruit is rich with fiber, even when it comes in a form of powder. A study found that the fiber in baobab fruit is in the size of a half serving. Fiber in baobab fruit powder is able to maintain the healthy digestion by acting as prebiotic. It aids the growth of good bacteria in the gut.
- Prevent diabetes
A study published in British Nutrition Research revealed that consuming baobab fruit powder along with bread or cake is able to slow the absorption of starch from those kinds of foods. This way, baobab will prevent the blood sugar spikes. In addition, it will also quickly break the sugar into energy. Overall, the health benefits of baobab fruit powder are very beneficial for those with diabetes.
- Improve immune system
As we know, vitamin C and immunity have a very strong bond. It also happens with vitamin C in baobab fruit powder. The vitamin C is able to act as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral property. This way, the vitamin C helps enhancing the body’s immune system by counter the attack from those threats.
- Potential pain reliever
Baobab fruit powder has been used for ages as natural pain reliever. It is included as traditional medication by people from Africa. It is possible as the ability of baobab fruit powder as anti-inflammatory property which reduces the pain caused bay inflamed part of the body. It can be used to reduce some pain such migraine, muscular pain, and arthritis.
A research by University of North Carolina found that the high intake of vitamin C from baobab fruit powder heal the post workout muscular pain better than placebo.
- Reduce fever
People call baobab fruit as the tree of life as the fruit along with its leaves and stem have beneficial value for health. Long ago, people in Africa suffered from dying because of fever. In this case, they used baobab fruit powder or the other part of the tree to reduce the fever, and it was effective.
And if some of you watch The Lion King, you might notice the tree of life in the film. And well, the tree the meant in the film is actually baobab tree.
- Treat diarrhea
As mentioned before that the fruit powder aid the healthy digestion, it can also treat some digestive problems such diarrhea. It is effective to stop diarrhea, and even dysentery, the life-threatening version of diarrhea.Â
- Protect liver
One of the health benefits of baobab fruit powder is protecting liver. Recently, a certain study found that the baobab fruit powder can prevent liver damage by protecting the liver from toxic elements which may come into our body.
- Good for skin
Vitamin C as antioxidants in baobab fruit powder is in charge to restore the natural glow of our skin. It is the reason why we can find many Health Benefits of Baobab Fruit for Beauty.
Reported by the Journal of Nutrition, that baobab fruit possesses the higher antioxidants than we can get from the Benefits of Goji Berry . So, there’s no doubt that the powder is able to help us in giving the radiant glowing skin and preventing wrinkles.
- Slow energy release
Consuming vitamin C and the other nutrients from baobab fruit powder is able slow the energy release. Just pour the powder on to your morning coffee or tea, and having a blasting day. This way, we can stay longer from fatigue and able to easily carry our busy day.
- Aid iron absorption
It is true that we can obtain iron from the Health Benefits of Meat, Poultry and Fish. However, we need some other component to boost the absorption of iron. In this case, we can employ the vitamin C from baobab fruit powder to aid the iron absorption from those foods.
- Good for pregnancy
The ascorbic acids or vitamin C in baobab fruit powder is evidently able to aid the production of collagen. Collagen is highly needed by pregnant women to aid the fetal growth. Collagen plays the significant role in structuring baby’s body and vital organs.
- Balance body’s pH
Baobab fruit powder is one of the high alkaline foods with the ability to balance the body’s pH. A study published in the Journal of Environment Health in 2012 found that the high alkaline foods are able to prevent our body from developing chronic diseases such hypertension and arthritis.
- Workout supplement
We need some physical exercise to maintain and improve fitness. Therefore, we have to make sure we have some workout sessions during our busy week. However, the vigorous workout may increase oxidative damage to cells and muscles.
As the result, we might experience fatigue and muscular pain after the workout. With high vitamin C intake from baobab fruit powder, before and after the workout session, we might minimize the side effect of the physical exercise.
The other health benefits of baobab fruit powder are:
- Prevent anemia
- Prevent heart disease
- Reduce high cholesterol level
- Improve sleep quality
- Reduce fatigue in pregnant woman
- Control weight
- Enhance mood
Recommendation in Using Baobab Fruit Powder
The nutritious baobab fruit powder can be easily included in any foods and beverage. Here are some recommendation to get the enhanced health benefits of baobab fruit powder in fun and tasty way.
- Pour the powder into your fruit and veggie smoothies. It will definitely enhance the benefits from baobab fruit powder with the Health Benefits of Fruit and Veggie Smoothies.
- Mix the powder with hot or cold lemon water to give you the vitamin C booster. As we know, we can get enormous amount of vitamin C from the Health Benefits of Water with Lemon Slices or simply the lemon water.
- Give your breakfast an extra vitamin C content by pouring the baobab fruit powder into you breakfast cereal or pancakes.
- Blended the powder into salads dressing for your wraps or sandwich, so you can have vitamin C enriched take out for school or work.
- Mixed the powder into yogurt, ice cream, and other dessert to make sure you children get sufficient vitamin C intake. We know that most children hate eating fruit and vegetable.
Those are some recommendation to get the health benefits of baobab fruit powder by blending the powder into your daily menu.