AGUAJE POWDER SUPPLIER

Aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa L.f) also known as buriti or moriche, is distributed throughout the Amazon Basin and in Trinidad and Tobago, which represents more than 35% of the entire territory of South America. The native Amazonian peoples call it the “tree of life”, due to its multiple health benefits. Buriti represents a non-timber forest resource of enormous potential in the South American region because, in addition to its abundant distribution, it turns out to be used in all its parts (from the root to the shoots) for a wide variety of uses and applications such as: food, drinks, construction, decoration, utensils and other objects of daily use.

In Peru, where it is estimated that 50,000 families are linked to the aguaje trade. In Venezuela, the indigenous populations use the dry dough as bread; in Brazil, the main food source during the flood season for the riverside populations of the State of Pará, relies on the aguaje and, in Ecuador, the aguaje plays an important role in feeding the native populations.

AGUAJE COMPOSITION According to researchers from the IAAP (Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon in Iquitos), aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa) is a rich source of energy and nutrients, containing one of the highest plant sources of vitamin A as carotenoids – with amounts five times greater than carrots.

The pulp of the Aguaje also contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) from 50 to 60 mg/100g, it contains phytoestrogens and oleic acids that are very important in human nutrition, especially for women and especially in menopause.

Other Peruvian studies on food composition indicate that aguaje contains 706 micrograms of retinol (form of vitamin A), a zero contribution of vitamin C and a caloric content of 283 calories per 100g of pulp and approximately 50% water.