American oil palm / Coroza de aceite
Scientific Name: Elaeis oleifera
Origin: South America
Botanical Family: Arecaceae
American oil palm is a tropical plant in Central and South America known for its oil-rich fruit used in food and medicine.
Brief History and Description
Coroza de aceite is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. The length of this plant is 1–6 meters. Its calloused leaves are dark green, 2 to 4 meters long, and its fruits are ovoid or rhomboid, 2-3 cm long, with a reddish-orange color.
Culinary Usage and Nutritional Properties
Coroza de aceite contains 30 to 50% oil, similar in composition to olive oil. This plant produces an oil with large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, carotenes, and vitamin E. In addition, the carotene content of this oil is very high, consisting of α- and β-carotenes. It also has vitamin A precursors.
This plant produces two types of oil: palm oil (from fruit) and kernel oil (from seed). Coroza de aceite oil is used in manufacturing edible products such as margarine, ice cream, chocolate confections, cookies, bread, and many pharmaceuticals. Its oil is used for drinking with sugar-added water and is also used in cooking.
Economic and Environmental aspects
Coroza de aceite, a resilient evergreen arboreal species, thrives in diverse ecosystems, serving as a pivotal ecological ally.
Global production and demand for Coroza de aceite oil are increasing rapidly. Its oil is used for margarine, cooking fat, detergents, and cosmetics, and its waste is used as animal feed.
The food industry is the largest consumer of palm oil, with more than 80% of the market, but a large amount of palm oil is also processed in the chemical industry.
Annual Yield
The tree yields about 120 to 350 kg of fruit each year.
Pharmacological Activities and Bio-active Properties
- The oil of Coroza de Aceite is used for hair; it promotes hair growth and is also useful to remove dandruff,
- The oil obtained from the pulp is used to treat rheumatism,
- Vitamin E is the most abundant substance in its oil and is one of the four essential vitamins for the human body,
- The composition of vitamin E has antioxidant properties that cause free radicals responsible for many degenerative cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis or arthritis, cancer, and premature aging to be damaged,
- It reduces the risk of vitamin A deficiency,
- It can improve the antioxidant status of plasma in humans,
- It is used to treat stomach or digestive system disorders.
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