Baobab, scientifically known as Adansonia digitata is a tree whose origin is traced to certain regions of Africa, Arabia, Australia and Madagascar. It is a popular tree in many parts of Nigeria and enjoys several local names such as “Igi ose” by the Yoruba people, “Bishiyar kuka” by the Hausa people, and Usi by the Bini people.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Many parts or components of the tree are used for different purposes, with its fruit, seeds and leaves known to possess several nutritional and medicinal qualities. The fruit produced by the baobab tree is often large and possesses a delicious orange-like flavour. The fruits, seeds and leaves of the tree can also be converted to powder form.
Baobab is also rich in many essential nutrients such as fibre, vitamins B6, C, niacin, thiamine, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, as well as powerful antioxidant compounds. Whether you consume it in its fresh form or powdered form, you can be sure of deriving certain health benefits from the Baobab tree. A few of the health benefits are examined below:
1. It can help enhance weight loss
Adding baobab fruits or leaves to your diet may help you lose weight due to its ability to promote feelings of fullness, thus making you eat less and thereby lose weight. One thing that partly explains this health benefit of the baobab tree is its high fibre content, which has great effects on weight loss.
Its fibre content moves slowly through the body and help slow down the emptying of the stomach and make the stomach feel full for a long time. Hence, by adding baobab tree’s components into your diet, you can be sure that your calorie intake would be greatly reduced and your body weight would reduce as a result.
2. It can help balance blood sugar levels
High blood sugar levels or diabetes is one of the risk factors for several health issues such as kidney and heart diseases, which makes anything that can help to keep it regulated very valuable. Fortunately, this is where the baobab tree comes in as it is known to help balance blood sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes.
This is because baobab extract is known to help reduce the amount of digested starch absorption into the blood, thus slowing down the increase of blood sugar levels in the body. It can also help to reduce the amount of insulin that transport sugar from the blood to the tissues, thus helping to regulate blood sugar levels, with its high fibre content also known to slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
3. Reduction of inflammation
Chronic inflammation is responsible for many health challenges such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. This means keeping the level of inflammation within the body as low and healthy as possible is a must, and fortunately, with the baobab tree, you can be sure of a reduction in inflammation levels in the body.
This is because it is packed with antioxidants and polyphenols, which are compounds that help protect your body cells from oxidative damage, as well as help to reduce inflammation. The baobab fruit’s pulp and extract are known to help reduce many markers of inflammation within the body and are capable of protecting the heart from damage.
4. Promotion of digestive
Another valuable health benefit of the baobab tree is its ability to promote the digestive system’s health due to its rich fibre content. The high fibre content of the baobab tree is known to promote the wellness of the digestive system by moving through the gastrointestinal tract undigested, which leaves a positive mark on digestive health.
The fibre content of the baobab tree can also act as a prebiotic which helps feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, thus markedly improving the health of your digestive system. Apart from that, it can also help to reduce the risk of other digestive system related issues such as intestinal ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation and haemorrhoids…CLICK HERE FOR MORE ARTICLE>>>
