Dipteryx alata

Dipteryx alata (Baru) is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family. It is a large tree usually referred to as "Baruzeiro" (Baru tree) in Portuguese and its fruits or almond-like beans are known as Baru. Other names besides Baru are Cumaru and Cumbaru.

It is found only in the Cerrado region of Brazil and is threatened by habitat loss. Historically it has been used as lumber, for charcoal production and for shadow in pastures. The fruits are used as bovine feed or as nourishment and are also an important food source for native animals species as small mammals, rodents, birds, bats, etc.

The tree can measure up to 25 m in height, 0.7 m in diameter and have a useful lifespan of 60 years. A tree will produce about 150 kg of fruit per harvest.

Its fruits, which are brown in color, are either collected off the floor or picked from the tree when they are almost ripe. A fruit usually weighs 25g of which 30% is pulp, 65% is ligneous endocarp and 5% is seed (bean/almond).

Out of the fruit, the pulp is sweet and can be consumed but is also used to manufacture jams and liquors; the beans (Baru almonds) are rich in flavor and are typically served after being roasted and salted or as a part of any number of dishes as bread, cakes, Pesto sauce and ice cream; additionally the oil extracted from the almonds may be used as a culinary ingredient or in many other varied forms. Baru is known to be rich in proteins, fibers, magnesium, potassium and iron and to have a high energetic content.

The uses for the Baru fruit can be summarized as :

Additionally :

Source

• World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Dipteryx alata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.blavla Downloaded on 10 July 2007.

See also

Portuguese Wikipedia article on Baru

Chemical composition of seeds and oil of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) native from Pirenópolis, State of Goiás, Brazil