Composition and calorie content of African trekulia. The benefits and possible harm from the use of this exotic fruit. How it is eaten. Recipes using this product.
Useful properties of African treculia
Despite the small popularity of this fruit in European countries, it can significantly help solve some health problems in humans:
- Prevention of cardiovascular diseases … The benefits of African trekulia are invaluable for people with a similar problem, because this fruit contains a large amount of potassium. It is also necessary for those patients who suffer from high blood pressure.
- Improving brain function … This product contains enough omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to enhance mental performance.
- Diabetes care … The calorie content of Treculia africana is quite low, which is a great reason to include it in your diet for those who have high blood sugar.
- Stabilization of the body's immunity … Thanks to vitamins C and B1, which this specific fruit is rich in, people are much less likely to suffer from the consequences of a sharp drop in air temperature and infectious diseases.
- Eliminate skin problems … Some nonessential amino acids, when vitamin C enters the body, which is sufficient in African treculia, begin to actively produce fibrillar protein in the form of collagen. It is he who improves the condition of the human skin.
The useful properties of the described guest from distant Africa primarily lie in the high protein content in it. It is this high-molecular organic substance that is the foundation for the formation of cells, without which the human body is unable to function properly.
Contraindications and harm to African treculia
The use of any exotic product should be approached with great caution. The harm from African trekulia is small, but you should not eat it in large quantities. In addition, it contains a sufficient amount of vitamin C, which can cause an allergic reaction in those who like to eat fruits from the tropics.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers are also advised to refrain from unnecessary experiments in the field of food tasting during such a crucial period for them.
Experts insist on the fact that exotic fruits should not be given to children under three years old. Even after the onset of the announced age, it is better to play it safe and supplement the child's diet with small portions of a product that is unusual for the baby's stomach.
How to eat African treculia
The eaten part of the fruit of this tree is the seeds. When asked how they eat African treculia, it should be remembered that the local population prepares young fruits as a vegetable. When the fruit ripens, it is soaked in water, opened with a machete (sometimes just smashed against stones), the contents are removed, which is then steamed for 5-10 minutes and ground to a powder consistency. The seeds of this plant do not exceed the size of beans, and they are used to make flour if you wish to feast on tortillas, cookies or cakes. They are also boiled or baked when creating exotic dishes (you can either leave the skin from the original product or remove it from it).
Almond milk lovers (especially in Nigeria) quite often replace it with a soft drink from the extract of African Treculia, which helps the local population to fight the fever. Beer makers have also paid attention to this fruit, because its seeds are a source of fermented (fermentable) sugar.
African Treculia recipes
Adherents of tasty and healthy food should try to diversify their menu with the following culinary novelties:
- African porridge … To prepare this dish, you need to rinse three times with 400 g of Treculia africana seeds, place them in a pressure cooker and pour 200 ml of water into the base for future lunch. After the product has become soft, it must be placed in a separate container. The chopped onion should be fried with 1 tsp. red pepper, two boiled crayfish and four large pieces of smoked catfish (can be replaced with any other type of fish). It is necessary to pour the broth into the sounded ingredients, in which the seeds of African treculia were thermally treated, and stew the dish for 5-10 minutes. To make the porridge completely ready, add the steamed Treculia africana grains to the liquid with crayfish and fish and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes over low heat.
- Chicken soup soup … 500 g of poultry must be boiled in 2.5 liters of water for half an hour. A glass of African treculia seeds, pre-soaked to a state of softness, should be placed in a boiling liquid. While the broth is preparing, you should cut three potatoes, one carrot and an onion into cubes, and then fry the voiced vegetables in vegetable oil. The soup is ready after all the ingredients are simmered for 20 minutes with 2 cloves of garlic and herbs added to the stew to taste.
- Stuffed pepper … It is best to use red bell peppers to add extra zest to the dish. The recipe for African treculia in this case is quite simple. It is best for people with diabetes to refrain from adding white rice to minced meat. It is recommended to replace it with a brown analogue, and ideally with boiled and crushed African Treculia seeds.
- Delicious biscuits … For its preparation, instead of the usual wheat or oat flour, you can use the dried and powdered seeds of the described fruit. Beat 100 g of softened butter with 200 g of sugar and two eggs. The ingredients should be mixed with 400 g of the sonicated product seed flour. From the resulting dough, you need to form small balls the size of a walnut and roll them in 2 tsp. vanillin and cornflakes. Cookies must be baked for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet with butter.
Interesting facts about African treculia
The sounded gift of nature is very fond of elephants, who are always happy to feast on them. At the same time, horses are not recommended to eat fruits, because for them such a diet can become a poisonous complementary food.
Observation of monkeys by scientists, who looked after the Guinean mountains as a dwelling, revealed interesting facts in the behavior of the voiced animals. These quick-witted primates have learned quite competently and expediently to cut the described fruits with the help of the so-called homemade sledgehammers made of stone and wood.
When African trekulia dries up, boards are cut out of it for the construction of new dwellings or for the purpose of making boats. In addition, the resin of this tree helps to make the boat a more reliable means of transportation on water. The bast of this plant is an excellent material for weaving mats. The tree also helps fight soil erosion and is recognized as an excellent organic source of mulch.
There are three varieties of Treculia: Treculia africana var. africana (growing areas: Senegal, South Sudan, southern coast of Angola, central Mozambique), Treculia africana var. inversa (eastern states of Nigeria), Treculia africana var.mollis (Cameroon, Congo, etc.). However, the benefits of their use depend little on the location of the fruit tree.
Watch a video about African trekulia:
The described product is a supplement to the general diet useful for human health. Using it in moderation, you can not only get pleasure from a delicious dish, but also alleviate the symptoms of pathologies already existing in the body, even preventing to some extent their occurrence.
