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'''The Baobab tree grows in different areas regions of Madagascar and comes in many shapes and sizes. Out Six out of the nine existing Baobab species in the world, six exist only in Madagascar, making the baobab tree symbolic to the country. The Baobab tree and its fruits have many uses from practical and nutritional to medicinal and spiritual to practical and nutritional.'''
[[File:Morondava_0030.jpg|600px]]
[[File:Baobab_011.jpg|600px]]
The Baobab name originates from the Arabic phrase ''bu hibab'' meaning fruit with many seeds. The fruit can contain several hundred seeds. Baobab belong to the Bombacaceae family of trees which includes the [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L4JhU2um4dEwatch?siv=gHpB9ZD6ZhPnQHyG ntV9vEWa1iw Kapok tree].
The first botanical description of the baobab was made by French botanist Michel Adanson and a species was
The baobab only bear leaves in the rainy season and are leafless during
the dry season which limits their water loss.
[[File:Andavadoaka_001.jpg|600px]]
The large flowers of baobab live only for one night and open almost
sugar, makes a refreshing and
vitamin-rich drink.
The baobab fruit has many nutritional properties:
* High natural Vitamin C content (at least 150mg/100g)
* Strong antioxidant properties: Integral Antioxidant Capacity (IAC) - 11.1 mmol/g. This value is significantly higher than that of an orange pulp (IAC = 0.103 mmol/g), and grape seed Oligomers (IAC = 10.25 mmol/g).
* A natural source of minerals including Calcium (293 mg/100g), Phosphorus (96-118 mg/100g), Iron (7-8.6 mg/100g) and Potassium (2.31 mg/100g).
* Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and Vitamin B3 (niacin).
* Vegetal source of amino acids.
* Soluble and insoluble dietary fibers with prebiotic effects (44.6g/100g)
* The acidulous taste is attributed to the presence of organic acids, such as citric acid, malic acid and succinic acid
The Baobab fruit has twice as much Calcium as milk and six times the Vitamin C of an orange. According to the International Centre for Underutilized Crops at the University of Southampton (UK), the Baobab is "a fruit of the future", rich also in vitamin B1, B2. It also contains
high levels of iron and potassium.
Baobab dried fruit pulp contains powerful antioxidants. Ranking of ORAC values (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, method of measuring antioxidant capacities in biological samples) shows Baobab dried fruit pulp to have double the capacity of pomegranate and cranberries, and even more than fruits such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
The flavour of the pulp is somewhere between marshmallow and tamarind.
are used as cisterns. In the
rainy season, they are filled with
water. These reserves allowmen to survive in for the dry season ina particularly dry environment.
For the [[Sakalava]] ethnic group, the
grandidieri) is called "reniala", meaning
"mother of the forest".
The [[Mikea]], an ethnic
group from the southwest of Madagascar, use Baobab wood
to make coffins.
In the bay of [[Diego-Suarez]], several baobab species gathered
on an islet serve as graves for stillborn children. Their
bodies wrapped in shrouds are abandoned in
the forks of the branches.
The Sakalava associate the
legend explains that the baobab was once a very beautiful tree but
that was a little too pretentious. One day, this angered
God who tore it up to punish him and replanted it upside down. Another legend is that it was the devil who pulled out the tree and planted it upside down.
The fruits of baobabs
coated in a white, chalky pulp.
It is likely that giant tortoises, the elephant bird (aepyornis[[Aepyornis maximus]]) and large lemurs,
were good seed dispersers. This role is probably ensured today
by animals introduced by man (zebus, goats, bush pigs) or
by water which can sometimes transport the fruits and their
valuable cargoes of seeds over long distances.
The appearance of the unopened fruit pods do not degrade for many
years and can be used for decoration.
The pulp is very
And [[Majunga]] is home to
22 meters in circumference. It is
represented on the city's coat
because they are difficult to
access.
== Additional information ==
* [[Baobab Avenue]]
* [[Baobab tree]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe1W1UGK8j4 Baobab coffee]