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Mesquite Tree (Prosopis spp.): A Native Resource for the Potential for Human Consumption and Healthcare.
Mesquite Tree (Prosopis spp.): A Native Resource for the Potential for Human Consumption and Healthcare.
- Source :
-
Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands) [Plant Foods Hum Nutr] 2024 Dec 09; Vol. 80 (1), pp. 5. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Dec 09. - Publication Year :
- 2024
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Abstract
- Mesquite is a tree widely distributed in arid and semi-arid areas of the American continent. Its use dates back to the native cultures of the continent. Its use mainly focuses on obtaining products for human consumption, traditional medicine, fuel, and construction. There are 44 known species, which are widely distributed in the north and south of the American continent, and some of them can be found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. The entire mesquite tree can be used without wasting any part of the plant. Its uses include fodder for small farm animals, furniture manufacturing, firewood for fuel, charcoal for cooking, or biofuel biomass. As for its use in human food, the mature seeds and pods are used to obtain a gluten-free flour added as a supplement in baking corn and wheat products. This flour is rich in fiber, protein, and minerals and low in fat. Due to the presence of compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds in various tissues or sections of the plant, it has a high antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal capacity, among other properties that make the Prosopis tree an excellent source of active compounds, flours, natural sugars, and gums that can be used by the food industry to enrich the population's diet. It is an underutilized and widely distributed natural resource in the American continent that should not be ignored.<br />Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: Not Applicable. Conflict of Interest: The author declares that she does not have an interest conflict about the results reported in this document.<br /> (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1573-9104
- Volume :
- 80
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 39652239
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-024-01255-x