Bactris gasipaes
Bactris gasipaes
Common name:
Peach Palm
Local name:
Pupunha
Country:
Brazil
Food Group(s):
Fruit
Part of plant/stage of process:
fruit, boiled
The peach palm fruit contains high amount of protein (twice of the amount of banana) and carbohydrates (compared to maize). It is important, however, to cook the fruit to remove the naturally-occuring alkaloid, pupunhadine. The oil extracted from the mesocrap is rich in beta-carotene and can be used for cooking.