Cupuaçu

Cupuaçu is a well-known and useful exotic fruit, which, in some respects, is similar to the cocoa fruit. ^[1]. It can often be found on the banks of the Amazon River, as well as in the jungles of countries such as Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia. Kupuas trees look quite unusual. In height, they grow from five to twenty meters. The leaves reach an average length of thirty-five centimeters, their shade can vary from dark green to pale pink. The fruits grow up to twenty centimeters in length and are covered with a dense peel. ^[2].

The chemical composition of the fruit

Translated from the language of the Amazonian aboriginal tribes, “cupuasu” means “food of the gods.” Eo is explained by the incredible range of its beneficial properties. ^[3]. Due to its properties, the fruit is one of the most expensive in South America. The product is quite nutritious, as it contains a high percentage of oils. ^[4]. The composition of the product contains vitamins and macroelements, which are necessary for the full functioning of the body. Among the vitamins there are B6, B2, B1, E, C, A, and among the macronutrients – magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium. Of the trace elements in the composition of the fruit, there is only iron ^[5].

The most famous components of the fruit are cupuaçu oil (saturates the body with stearin, vegetable polyphenols, oleic, stearic and palmitic acids) and caffeine (it has stimulating, diuretic properties, increases blood pressure, stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, enhances mental and motor processes, accelerates the heartbeat ).

Useful properties of the product

Due to such a diverse chemical composition, the product has a nutritious and healing effect on the human body. Benefits include the following: ^[6]:

1. Accelerates the loss of extra pounds. The indigenous peoples of the Amazon have used the product since ancient times in order to increase their efficiency (due to the release of energy into the blood) and keep their bodies in perfect shape. ^[7]. Theobromine and caffeine have a positive effect on metabolic processes, due to which more energy enters the body, and extra pounds go away. The product helps to remove fat deposits, especially in the abdomen.
2. Skin condition. Due to the content of vitamins B2, B1, omega-6 and 3 fatty acids, amino acids, niacins, the product has a positive effect on skin elasticity and firmness.
3. Improves cognitive functions. All components actively nourish the cells, which, in turn, improves the quality of impulse transmission; there is an improvement in memory.
4. Raises the mood. It has a calming effect on the body, normalizes sleep ^[8].
5. It is a natural analgesic. It is an excellent pain reliever, often used to relieve labor pains. Cupuacu helps eliminate pain in the gastrointestinal tract, relieve spasms and migraines.
6. It is used as an anti-allergic component.
7. It lowers blood cholesterol levels as quickly and effectively as possible. Improves the functioning of the digestive tract due to dietary fiber, helps to rid the body of free radicals and toxins. It has a positive effect on the state of the whole organism, increasing its resistance to various diseases, including chronic ones. ^[9].

Calorie content and BJU of the product

The fruit belongs to foods with a moderate calorie content, and due to the composition of BJU, it can be ideally added to a carbohydrate diet. One hundred grams of the product is:

• kilocalories – 90;
• proteins – 0,8 grams;
• fat – 2 grams;
• carbohydrates – 13 grams;
• dietary fiber – 5,4 grams ^[10].

The fruit is very useful, but it also has contraindications.

Contraindications to the use of the product and its harm

One of the main drawbacks of cupuaçu is its high cost and inaccessibility in the market. It is also not known how the body of a pregnant or lactating woman reacts to this oblong exotic fruit. If you abuse cupuaçu fruits, you can provoke the following side effects:

1. Obesity. The product contains a lot of carbohydrates and fats. If you use it in large volume, the calorie content will be significant.
2. High pressure. The product contains caffeine and other stimulants that actively increase blood pressure. At the same time, the rate of heart contractions increases, which can provoke the occurrence of such diseases as stroke, heart attack, rosacea, etc.

It is completely forbidden to use fruit for people with allergies (people allergic to chocolate will be more allergic to fruit), with diabetic disease, since the fruit contains a high level of carbohydrates.

Applications

Cupuaçu oil is often used in cosmetology, as this remedy has a tonic, rejuvenating, tightening, nourishing, regenerating effect. The fruit is used for skin and hair care products. ^[11]. In cooking, the fruit is used to prepare a variety of desserts, sauces, drinks, marinades.

exotic fruit recipes

The taste of the fruit resembles pineapple and chocolate, and some can also feel notes of banana and pear. ^[12]. How to cook dishes with such an exotic fruit? Cupuaçu smoothie + peach. To prepare, you need to take fruits in equal proportions, place the chopped pieces in a blender, sprinkle with coconut flakes when serving.

Cocktail. For cooking, you will need half a glass of chopped cupuaçu puree, one banana, one hundred and fifty milliliters of almond milk. All components must be thoroughly mixed with a blender. Serve the cocktail with a pinch of vanilla.

Cheesecake. We will need one glass of powdered sugar, one can of condensed milk, two hundred milliliters of water, four eggs, one tablespoon of corn starch, one glass of cupuaçu pulp. Separately, you need to boil the caramel and pour into a baking dish. All other components are whipped in a blender until smooth and poured into a container on top of the caramel. In an oven preheated to one hundred and seventy degrees, first place a steam bath (a container of water), then put the form with the dough. Bake the cake for forty-five minutes (the top will be a nice golden color). The role of the water bath is the constant heating of the caramel. Cheesecake should be served caramel side up. Although the fruit is very rare in our region, it is still worth trying. The combination of aroma, taste and the presence of useful properties will not leave anyone indifferent.

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