BRAZIL NUTS (BERTHOLLETIA EXCELSA): AGOUTI, BEES AND PROPAGATION OF BRAZIL NUT TREES: BRAZIL NUT COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS RECIPE

BRAZIL NUTS (BERTHOLLETIA EXCELSA)

Brazil nuts grow on Brazil nut trees but not as other nuts do. They grow in clusters inside pods which are rather like coconuts. These are the hardest nuts to crack open as they come in three sided hard outer shells. Inside the nut has a protective brown skin which prevents it turning rancid when exposed to the oxygen in the air. Once you’ve cracked the shell though, the seed or nut is packed full of nutrients and tastes delicious. If you live in the UK you’ll be happy to know that theses nuts are shelled when sold all because of another EU rule. The nuts have to be tested for ‘alfatoxin’ and it is cheaper to test nuts that have been shelled, so the supermarket chains choose to buy shelled Brazil nuts so that customers can afford to buy them. So fortunately or unfortunately as the case may be, there are no more problems trying to crack them open, and having to resort to a hammer. (Nut crackers tend not to do the job in all cases.)

     Brazil nuts grow in the Amazon rainforest and the Brazil nut trees tower above the canopy, reaching 165 feet. The flowers blossom once a year and are pollinated by the Euglossine bee which is powerful enough to force open the hood which protects the store of nectar. The trees have been planted in plantations, but these bees are not plying the cultivators game and don’t like being kept in hives near the trees as they don’t produce enough flowers for a year’s honey production. They aren’t the most social of bees apparently.

photo:Andrew Bartschi

  When the flowers have been pollinated the fruit or pod begins to form and this can take up to 15 months to become ripe. The harvesters allow the pods to fall from the trees naturally and have to wait until they have all fallen to harvest them. No one wants to get hit on the head by one of them as they can weigh up to 2.5 kilos. The little rodent, the agouti, is the only animal that can crack open the pods with its teeth and the trees have to rely on this animal to propagate. Fortunately it hides the pods and like the squirrel forgets where it has hidden them, so after a year (it takes the pods that long to split open naturally) the seeds inside can begin to sprout. There can be as many as 300 pods on one tree and each pod will contain 10-25 seeds (Brazil nuts), which grow like the segments of an orange.

   The fate of the Brazil nut was very much tied to the rubber market as harvesters would collect the pods in the rainy season (December to March) and then from May to November would harvest rubber. That was in the mid 19^th century. Now the rubber business has moved to Asia and harvesters have a tough time if they only rely on harvesting Brazil nuts for a living. However there are moves to cultivate these trees in South America, as the trees grow not only in Brazil (which is not the main exporter of them) but also in Guiana, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Colombia.

  The Spanish and Portuguese explorers found these nuts in the 16^th century and they were called “almendras de los Andes” in Spanish or almonds of the Andes. The sailors used them as a useful source of protein and fibre on their long voyages.

    In the 1930s it was discovered that Brazil nuts contain barium and later in the 1950s radium was also discovered in these seeds. However there is as yet no evidence that either substance is secreted by the body; it seems able to flush these out of the system. However it is not wise to eat too many Brazil nuts. One or two a day is fine, but don’t go mad over the winter’s festive season and gorge on these nuts.

    Having said that, these seeds are very beneficial for our health as they contain calcium, magnesium, phosphate, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, iron, selenium, phosphorous, Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, vitamins C, D and E as well as the B-complex vitamins,riboflavin, niacin, thiamin and B6, Pantothenic acid, choline, Betaine, and folate. Like walnuts, and cashews they are high in protein and fibre and are good for lowering cholesterol levels. They are gluten free as are almonds and pine nuts and the high level of selenium present in these nuts may help protect against breast cancer, prostate cancer and lung and bowel cancers. It also helps protect against heart diseases and thyroid problems.

   Brazil nuts are also a source of the essential amino acid methionine which is lacking in most protein foods. This helps to break down dietary fats and convert them to energy. It in turn promotes the production of the antioxidant glutathione, which combats the free radicals which are responsible for premature ageing and some chronic diseases such as cancer. The glutathione recycles vitamin C which in turn recharges vitamin E and so boosts the immune system, helping it combat diseases.

    Brazil nuts are used not only as a ‘snack’ food but are also made into an oil which is great for salad dressings. They are also used in the cosmetics, paint, timber and lubricants industries.

    If you are allergic to mangoes, cashews, or pistachios, you may also be allergic to Brazil nuts as they are all related.

BRAZIL NUT COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS

Ingredients

2 tbsps olive oil

200 gr couscous

30 gr dried apricots, chopped

30 gr Brazil nuts, chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves shredded

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

300 ml hot chicken stock

coriander leaves or basil leaves for garnish

Method

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the couscous stirring so that it is all well coated. Cook on a low heat for 2-3 mins, stirring all the time. Add all the other ingredients and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until all the stock has been absorbed and the couscous is tender.

Fluff up with a fork, and garnish with the leaves and serve.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

CATNIP OR CAT MINT: HOW TO USE CATNIP FOR HEALTH: CATNIP TISANE

CAT MINT, CATNIP, NEPETA CATARIA

Cat nip or catnep or cat mint is a member of the mint family as its name suggests, and there are more than 200 varieties growing around the world. Nepeta cataria grows wild in Britain in fields and hedgerows and wherever it can get a hold. Other Nepeta varieties grow in the Indian subcontinent in temperate and tropical zones; are common in North America, where catnip is not thought to be an indigenous plant, and throughout Europe.

   You may have thought that its purpose on the planet was to keep cats happy, but as it turns out you would be wrong in assuming this.

 To our non-feline sense of smell it is a bit like mint or perhaps like pennyroyal, but the essential oil it produces is very attractive to moggies. The main constituent of this oil is nepetalactone which is an effective mosquito and cockroach repellent. It is also an effective antimicrobial and works against fungi and bacteria. Rats are said not to go anywhere near catnip, although this might be because of the frequent feline visitors to it, but it acts as a good deterrent to these rodents, whatever the case. Cats are attracted to plants whose leaves have been bruised and exhibit signs of sexual excitement when they get a whiff of it. They rub against the plant then roll around on it so destroying the plant in the process. If you have an old pet cat or an obese one, don’t plant catnip in your garden. The stimulation might be too much for it.

   There is an interesting old rhyme; -

      “If you set it, the cats will eat it,

       If you sow it, the cats don’t know it.”

Catnip Seeds

This has been observed to be true. If you transplant catnip, cats will soon destroy it, but if you plant it from seeds they don’t seem to bother with it. This might be because the smell of a transplanted catnip plant will exude because of bruising caused to the plant and leaves in the transportation of it.

    Before the introduction of tea to the British Isles, people used to make catnip tea, and this was used for a variety of purposes. For one thing it is hallucinogenic (mildly) and has been smoked with tobacco or alone as a substitute for marijuana. These days as cannabis is more easily attainable, it has fallen into disuse as a drug of this kind, but it does produce a state of calmness apparently, and has been used as a “cigarette” for respiratory ailments, including asthma.

   Catnip leaves may be chewed to relieve toothache, and if you chew the roots you may become quarrelsome and fierce. There is an old tale about a hangman who was a very mild person and who had to chew the root to get up his courage to hang someone.

    It has been used to relieve hysterics and insanity in the past and Sydenham (1624-1689) wrote that its effects were probably because of its “strong and noisome smell, to recall the exorbitant and deserting Spirits to their proper Stations.”

Culpeper wrote that “the juice drunk in wine is good for bruises” and the fresh juice can be used as an emmenogogue and for stomach pains. Culpeper also wrote that “the green leaves bruised and made into and ointment is effectual for piles” and “the head washed in a decoction taketh away scabs, scurf etc.”

    The flowering tops of the plant have traditionally been used in medicine, and they have a refrigerant or cooling effect on the body, as well as being useful as a mild emmenogogue especially used for stomach cramps. It induces sweating so is a diaphoretic, and is mildly stimulating to humans. It has been used to cure sleeplessness, restlessness, colic, headaches and the young tops are good to stop nightmares. The tea or tisane helps with flatulence problems and to produce sweat during fevers.

  If you use equal parts of saffron and catnip tisane it is allegedly good for smallpox, scarlet fever, colds and hysterics. The plant has also been used traditionally to relieve yellow fever and jaundice.

   Catnip can also be found in toys for pet cats, and the powdered roots, seeds and dried or fresh leaves are good in tisanes, to help in the cases of the illnesses mentioned above. You can add catnip leaves to soups, stews and sauces for their flavour.

   There is a story about a restaurateur in the Loire valley (France) who was keen to get a highly coveted Michelin star when the Michelin man visited the region. A friend gave him a tip off to say which day the man would come and he prepared a dish especially for him. One man went to the restaurant and the owner assumed this was the person who recommended restaurants for the Michelin Guide. Unfortunately most things that could go wrong did and the man walked out of the restaurant in high dudgeon. The owner, who was also the chef, yelled at his wife and kicked his heavily pregnant cat, which ran off. Later when he had calmed down he apologized to his wife, but couldn’t find the pet cat. Determined to make amends, he cooked a chicken dish for the cat to entice it back and laced it liberally with catnip. Off he went with some of this dish, leaving the rest in his kitchen. When he got back there was the actual man from Michelin who was enthusing about the chicken dish. He said that he would give the restaurant two stars on the quality of the dish alone, but three if the man would tell him his secret ingredient. The man declined to do so, as he didn’t want the Michelin man to know it had been cooked with a feline in mind, and might withdraw the offer of the stars. The man was delighted and awarded the restaurant three stars because good chefs never reveal their culinary secrets. Now the man had to decide what to call the dish and as he was pondering the cat came back carrying a kitten in its mouth. The cat went away again and came back eventually with twelve more kittens. So the dish was called “Chicken Surprise Thirteen Kittens”.

  I don’t know if this is true or not, but it’s a good urban legend and apropos to this post.

CATNIP TISANE

Ingredients 

1 oz fresh leaves or flowering tops

1 pint boiling water

Method

Pour the boiling water on the catnip and leave to steep, covered, for 15 minutes. You can drink it like a tea, but this might have sedative effects or hallucinatory ones (visual and or auditory) depending on its strength.

For medicinal purposes adults should have a tbsp dose three times a day for headaches, to induce sweating during colds or fevers etc. Children with colic can have 2 tsps.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

WHAT IS GUGGUL? INDIAN BDELLIUM OR FALSE MYRRH: HEALTH BENEFITS OF GUGGUL AND USES

GUGGUL, INDIAN BDELLIUM, COMMIPHORA MUKAL

Guggul in Urdu, Indian Bdellium of false myrrh in English, and is known by several botanical names, Commiphora mukul and wightii, or Balsamodendron mukul. It is related to myrrh and is sometimes added to it to adulterate it. Interestingly, bdellium is the only word in the English language to begin with ‘bd’. Guggul is a tree or shrub with thorns on its branches, which is native to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Africa, although different genuses grow there. It has an ash-coloured bark which flakes off to reveal an under bark which also peels off in thin paper-like rolls.

   Pliny, in his “Natural History” describes guggul in this way: -

    “Adjoining India in the Bactrian country, in trees of which is produced the highly esteemed bdellium. The tree is black in colour and the size of the olive (tree), its leaf resembles that of the oak and its fruit that of the wild fig… It ought to be transparent like wax, to have a scent, to exude grease when crumbled and to have a bitter taste, though without acidity. When used in religious ceremonies it is steeped in wine, which makes its scent more powerful. This tree is native to Arabia and India, but also to Media and Babylon…Almonds are used to trade adulterated Indian bdellium”

  You have to remember that Pliny never actually saw a tree such as he describes here, but had to rely on descriptions of travellers and traders.

   In the Middle Ages Indian Bdellium reached Europe with the Radanite traders, the “wandering Jew” described by Shakespeare and Marlowe. Without these traders, who took long routes to sell their spices, incense and other wares, Europe would have been cut off from the rest of the world, as it had been in the Dark Ages. The commodities which entered Europe were often brought only by these traders. This changed during the Renaissance as Europe redeveloped and reestablished links with the Arabs, albeit that this was through their conquering of parts of the Iberian Peninsula.

    The tree is tapped so that it exudes an oleo resin which has been found to help, in laboratory in vivo trials, to protect against atherosclerosis. It has anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower cholesterol levels.

     Guggul has been used in traditional medicine for centuries in the Indian subcontinent and the Arab world, and is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. It has astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and aids the digestive processes as well as stimulating the appetite. It is a diaphoretic, expectorant, diuretic and emmenogogue, and is used in lotions for skin problems such as acne and as a gargle for chronic sore throats, including pharyngitis, and chronic tonsillitis as well as for ulcerated throats. Because it is an emmenogogue and useful in the absence of, or to control irregular, menstruation, pregnant women should avoid it as a medicine.

     Its extract has been used as an aphrodisiac for centuries and it can help with erectile dysfunctions and increase the sperm count and the quality of sperm, so helping infertile men.

   Indian bdellium is moister than myrrh and comes in irregular dark brown masses which soften in the heat of the hand. If you chew a piece it will stick to your teeth and it smells a little like myrrh. The wax-like pellets resemble pearls and were carried by ancient Egyptian women as perfume.

Guggul powder

   The United States Food and Drug Administration have classified it as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) and today it is viewed as a possible health booster. It is also believed that it boosts the action of sluggish thyroid glands, but trials are still ongoing.

    You can buy it in capsule form, as there are guggulsterones supplements on the market which claim to lower the levels of unhealthy cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) which builds up in the arteries and may lead to heart problems. It is thought that these guggulsterones may also reduce levels of triglycerides (a type of fat which accumulates in the blood and causes cardio-vascular diseases.

WHY WE NEED MINERALS IN OUR DIETS: WHAT THEY ARE AND FOODS THEY ARE IN

MINERALS WE NEED IN OUR DIETS

Electrolytes are salts and minerals that can conduct electrical impulses in the body. They control the fluid balance in the body and are important in muscle contraction, the generation of energy, so preventing fatigue, and almost all major biochemical reactions in the body. These include sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sulphate and others.

   Free radicals are compounds that have an unpaired electron which makes them extremely reactive and are linked to the causes of cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. They damage the cells and cause oxidation damage. They are also associated with the aging process and can age the skin, for example. The foods we eat can combat free radicals, and so help fight the ageing process by helping to make the skin smoother, preventing the wrinkles we get as we get older and rejuvenating the skin. Antioxidants protect us from the ravages of free radicals. These are substances which have the ability to convert free radicals into more stable substances, limiting the damage they do. So we need foods which have antioxidant properties such as kiora water, morels, leeks, chilgoza etc.

   Astringent properties: - if a foodstuff has astringent properties and is used for these in traditional or natural medicine, it causes contraction of the tissues and can control bleeding, so stopping the flow of blood from wounds; myrrh has astringent properties as well as antiseptic ones, for example.

  Calcium: - this is essential for healthy bones, teeth, nails and the normal functioning of the heart, nerves and muscles. It is found in dairy products, green vegetables such as broccoli, and in almonds, sesame seeds etc. It helps to prevent osteoporosis and perhaps colon cancer and is used to treat PMT/PMS, colon polyps, and may help to lower blood pressure.

   Magnesium: - this is essential in our diets and is required for enzyme activity in the body. It is important for neurochemical transmissions and muscular excitability. It is found in nuts, seeds, grains and greens. It is used in medicine to help reduce hearing loss which was produced because of noise; heart disease, painful menstruation, symptoms of PMT/PMS, migraines and high blood pressure. It is important for healthy bones and tooth formation; lack of it may affect the heart adversely and skeletal muscle.

    Manganese: - This is found in grains, nuts and is used to treat painful menstruation and osteoporosis as well as to alleviate deficiencies associated with seizures and diabetes.

    Phosphate: - is an organic compound which is extremely important for healthy cells, the storing and use of energy and it is a transmitter of genetic information within cells as well as from one cell to another. It is continually being excreted through faeces and urine so needs to be replaced.

    Phosphorous: - is found in bones and teeth and is essential for the health of the cell membranes. It helps convert food into energy and is found in nuts such as pistachios, and walnuts, legumes, cereals, grains and dairy products.

     Potassium: - this mineral is found in whole grains, meat, legumes, and some fruit and vegetables, such as ash gourd, mushrooms, pumpkin seeds and figs. It is important for the normal functioning of the nerves and muscles, kidneys and heart. It acts as an electrolyte and functions in nerve signal transmissions, muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation and maintenance of the body’s pH balance. Lack of it may result in moodiness, diarrhoea, nausea and weakness.

    Selenium: - a trace mineral with antioxidant properties in its selenoproteins which help to prevent cell damage from free radicals. It helps to regulate the functions of the thyroid gland and plays a role in the healthy function of the immune system. It is found in nuts, meat, bread, mushrooms and salmon. It is thought to help women during and after the menopause.

      Zinc: - a mineral found in eggs, meat, nuts, seeds, whole grains and brewer’s yeast. It is used medically to prevent infection and treat upper body respiratory problems. It can also help treat oral herpes, acne, anorexia nervosa, macular degeneration (weak eyesight and cataracts) male infertility and erectile dysfunctions and sickle cell anaemia. It is toxic if taken in high doses.