12th March 2012
Vote for Baobab - The Ethical Superfood
What is baobab? Known as the “Tree of Life”, Baobab fruit is cherished by people all over Africa for its amazing nutritional properties. Baobab is changing the lives of people in Southern Africa and helping to protect the environment and biodiversity.
Baobab fruit comes from an extraordinary African tree that lives for over a 1000 years and reaches up to 25 meters in trunk circumference. Baobab is often called the “upside down tree” as its branches look like roots.
Baobab fruit looks like a velvety-green coconut. Inside are seeds, coated with a powder that has a pleasant tangy taste.
This powder is extremely high in essential nutrients:
- 6x vitamin C than oranges
- 2x calcium than milk
- Rich source of magnesium and iron
- 5 x potassium than bananas
- 3 x antioxidants than blueberries.
Locals have used the baobab powder for centuries to boost vitality, energy, immune system and help with digestion.
Organic Burst Baobab is completely pure without any additives or preservatives. It is organic, raw, gluten-free and suitable for vegans.
Organic Burst Baobab is also an ethical project. In Southern Africa, sales of the baobab fruit now provide life-changing income to millions of people. Many of the families growing and harvesting baobab lived below the poverty line on less than £65 a year. As the baobab trade is picking up these people can now earn income to send their children to school and build their homes. We work with PhytoTrade Africa, a non-profit trade association that aims to eliminate poverty through sustainable and ethical trade. PhytoTrade ensures harvesters are always paid a fair price for their baobabs and part of the sales are used to fund the communities.
"I have made enough money from the baobab business to start a small kiosk in my village, I have also built a house for us to live in and bought a plot of land.
I no longer have to depend on anyone else to take care of me or my children – I am a home owner and a businesswoman with big plans! I also sell fish and grow maize to feed my family and help neighbours in need.
It is important to be respectful of the Baobabs and help preserve them for the women who come after me."
PatumaMsyenda, Maldeco-Mechesi village, southern Malawi
Harvesting baobab also helps conserve the environment and biodiversity. The beautiful trees are now preserved as the locals earn more from harvesting the fruit. Our producers use forestry techniques based on European best practice, with measures in place to ensure long-term sustainable production.
2012 is set to become a year of baobab with Comic Relief pledging £500,000 to help the Phyto Trade Africa Baobab project.
Organic Burst Baobab powder is nominated as the Best Superfood of 2012 in VegFest awards. Please support Baobab and its ethical trade by voting here.
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