Copoazú. Plant of common name Copoazú, Copuazú or White Cocoa, it is native to the eastern Amazon, it is a species of Amazon cocoa, its natural habitat is the humid tropical forest in high non-flooding terrain.
Summary
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- 1 Description
- 2 Uses of Copoazú Butter
- 3 Characteristics of Copoazú Butter
- 4 Health benefits
- 5 Sources
Description
The Copoazú Theobroma grandiflorum is a tropical fruit tree that is found wild in the Amazon basin of the countries of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia . Tree of the humid tropical forest that can reach up to 18 m in height , presenting a stem with a dark brown shell and trichotomic ramifications, with the ascending upper branches and the horizontal lower branches. The growth of the aerial part obeys a well defined pattern. The stem grows in stages of 1.0 to 1.5 m ., Emitting trifurcated plagiotropic branches at the end of each period.
Uses of Copoazú Butter
The Copoazú presents more pulp than seed, in a ratio of 2 to 1, so you can take advantage of the pulp, an aspect that is not possible with cocoa. The pulp of the Copoazú is white, with high contents of phosphorus, pectin and medium contents of calcium and vitamin C. It is used in the elaboration of juices, nectars, jams, compotes, jellies and sweets. The fruit is also used for its seed, which contains high percentages of protein and fat, for the preparation of cupulate, a product with characteristics similar to chocolate.
Characteristics of Copoazú Butter
- Acidity Index: 4.77 mgKOH / g
- Saponification Rate: 170.0 – 200.0 mgKOH / g
- Iodine Index: 30.0 – 55.0 gI2 / 100g
- Melting Point: 22.0 – 35.0 .C
- Peroxide Index: <12.0 mEq 02 / 1000g
Its economic importance lies in its fruit, from which its pulp is used, which can be commercialized fresh or industrialized. The seed is used for the manufacture of chocolates or copulate and the shell as organic fertilizer.
Health benefits
It has a chocolate flavor with a touch of citrus, difficult to describe, but very tasty, especially in smoothies. Native shamans use it to help women who are about to give birth to a quicker and painless labor, also chewing their seeds will ease stomach aches. This plant is from the same family as cocoa and is packed with powerful antioxidants called flavonoids, which are well publicized as the key ingredients in dark chocolate that is receiving a lot of attention as a product favorable to strengthening heart function since flavonoids have been shown : • Help regulate blood pressure. • Help keep veins, arteries, and blood vessels flexible and strong. • Assist in the free flow of blood circulation
