Where to buy Baobab and everything you should know about this African tree

And if you want to know everything about baobab, its benefits and properties, and how to buy the highest quality one. We tell you everything in this post! 

Baobab is a fruit that comes from a robust African tree of the same name. It has an extremely long lifespan, of thousands of years.

Its name comes from Arabic (buhibab, tree of many seeds). There are eight species belonging to the family Bambocaceae and the genus Adansonia. The one that is abundant in Africa and the most valued for its fruit is Adansonia digitata.

Its height can range between 5 and 30 m, and the trunk diameter can exceed 11 m. 

The fruit is ovoid in shape, and can measure from 10 to 45 cm. Inside is the pulp, whitish in color, powder-like in appearance, dehydrated, and with a slight acidic taste.

It has long been used in Africa to prepare a drink known as bouy juice or gouy, rich in vitamins, fiber, amino acids, and mineral salts.

Baobab has been considered a sacred tree by all cultures that have come into contact with it. Proof of this is that only “the wise one” can climb the tree to collect its fruits and leaves.

Although you may not believe it, it is a symbol of resilience, tolerance, community life, and longevity, and appears on the coat of arms of Senegal. In South Africa, the Order of the Baobab was even established to honor its exceptional citizens.

The baobab has many properties, some of them very interesting. Here we tell you about the main ones and the scientific studies where you can verify them:

It is very rich in vitamin C, reaching up to 300 mg per 100 g, six times more than an orange. This may be why it has been shown to have strong antioxidant power (study) and help with iron absorption.

In addition to containing a large amount of vitamin C, it is very rich in fiber (soluble and insoluble), has high amounts of vitamins B1 and B6, and is abundant in minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium, with potassium standing out in particular.

Here you can see a review of its nutritional value.

In this 2013 study, it was observed that baobab helps with starch digestion and reduces the glycemic response in humans.

It may be a good idea to sprinkle baobab over your carbohydrate-rich dishes. 

Baobab has properties similar to aspirin (study). When administered to someone with a fever, baobab may help reduce it or bring it down. It can chemically block the body’s pain signals to reduce the inflammation experienced. It also works by blocking certain enzymes in the body that cause fever to rise.

Finally, it has been shown to be effective in combating diarrhea.

Its effects on improving cardiovascular health are being studied. In this study, a significant improvement was observed in animals, probably due to its antioxidant capacity.

Baobab has a high content of vitamin C and polyphenols, with strong antioxidant activity.

It stands out for its high fiber content, since it contains 50 g of fiber per 100 g. The daily recommendation is 20 g of fiber per day; adding one tablespoon of 15 g will provide 8.5 g of fiber to your diet, helping you reach the recommended levels.

The sugar it contains is the naturally occurring sugar present in the food itself, so there is no need to worry about it...

As for storage, simply close the package properly. Store it in a cool, ventilated place away from sunlight.

There are no contraindications regarding the use of baobab, but if consumed in excess, because it contains a lot of fiber, it may be counterproductive in certain digestive conditions, since excess intake can lead to excessive gas and abdominal bloating.

At Baïa Food, we used to sell the highest-quality baobab, with an organic certification, native to tropical Africa and grown under fair trade conditions. For a few months now, we no longer sell organic Baobab. 

If you live in Spain and are looking for where to buy quality organic Baobab, we would not know what to recommend. But we can recommend our organic superfoods that we sell on our website and they will arrive at your home within 24-48 h. We have Organic Açai, Organic Matcha, Organic Maca and Organic Cacao. 

Also, if what you were looking for is a food rich in fiber and high in Vitamin C, we have a product that meets these characteristics:

The Beauty Creamer is an ideal supplement for those who want to improve gut health and skin health. 

A powdered supplement to mix with your favorite drinks, with a high amount of fiber, collagen, and natural vitamin C. 

You will be able to enjoy great recipes with our superfoods and the beauty creamer and take advantage of all the benefits of these superfoods.

To ensure you can enjoy all these benefits, make sure the baobab fruit originates from Africa. The fiber content should be close to 50%, and the pulp should be whitish in color.

Also try to ensure that the product carries an organic certification label, so as not to consume pesticides and to help safeguard the health of the ecosystem where this ancient tree grows.

Here we show you some simple recipes so you can start enjoying baobab as soon as possible.

1.  Healthy Orange Juice

 Ingredients:

• 1 squeezed orange
• 1 piece of ginger
• Carrot juice
• 1 tablespoon of ORGANIC BAOBAB

Preparation: add everything to the blender until it is well mixed. Serve and drink immediately!

We love this solution at Baía Food, and here we leave you the direct link where we explain in detail why you should add a tablespoon of ORGANIC BAOBAB to your orange juice. 

2.  Baobab Cherry Smoothie

 Ingredients:

• Two cups of plums
• ½ cup of watermelon
• 1 cup of coconut water or plant-based drink
• 1 tablespoon of ORGANIC BAOBAB

Preparation: add all the ingredients to the blender until you obtain a smoothie.

We have told you about this African fruit. If you have read the post, you are already an expert in this superfood!

Go ahead and add it to your day-to-day routine and share it with us! If you have any questions about Baobab, leave us a comment!

----- EDIT 10 JUNE 2024 -----

At Baïa Food we have already discontinued Baobab. We have replaced "superfoods" with functional foods, easy to incorporate into your routine, with clear benefits and proven effectiveness.

Our best-known product is the Microbiotic Creamer.

Improve the health of your microbiota, while adding creaminess and flavor to your coffee. ✅ Helps reduce bloating. ✅ Improves the health of your microbiota. ✅ Regulates intestinal transit. With probiotics, prebiotic fiber and lion’s mane extract. VIEW MICROBIOTIC CREAMER