Discover organic Baobab

We are delighted to have worked with Yeo Valley to launch their delicious ‘Artist’s Edition Baobab & Vanilla’ yogurt (as seen in the image above), now available in store, and containing Baobab directly sourced and supplied by us.
 
The remarkable qualities of Baobab are becoming increasingly recognised around the world, and working with pioneering businesses such as Yeo Valley to bring this product to market represents, we believe, the future of this incredible Superfruit.

To watch a short film about this project, click here. You can also read more about our collaboration with Yeo Valley in this feature, written by London's largest food and drink magazine, Foodism.
 
Read on to learn more about the incredible Baobab fruit, or click here to view and download our Baobab Infographic. 

The Baobab tree - often known as the ‘tree of life’, or ‘upside down tree’ - is iconic, native to Africa and steeped in tradition and folklore. Often measuring up to 30 metres in height and 50 metres in circumference, its large, beautiful white flowers bloom at night and are pollinated by bats. The fruit ripen to become hard pods, containing large seeds encased in nutritious pulp and fibres. The pods are cracked open and the pulp is ground into powder, oil is pressed from the seeds and fibres are all extracted.
 
The Baobab fruit is a remarkable, 100% raw and organic Superfruit, with many reported benefits* linked to immune support, energy release, digestive health and skin anti-aging. These are thanks to its nutrient dense properties, including;

• 10g of powder contains 33% of the daily vitamin C requirement
• More antioxidants than any other fruit
• 50% fibre (vital for gut microflora health and shown to help control blood glucose levels)
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Potassium

*See ‘RESOURCES’ at the bottom of this page to read full scientific, peer reviewed research papers linked to the benefits and properties listed above.

The powder has a unique and delicious taste, subtly sweet with a lemony zing, and has been used for millenia as a totally natural source of health and beauty. It makes a great flavour-enhancer, and combines well with both sweet and savoury foods/drinks. Its high pectin content creates a thick and creamy texture, making it an ideal and functional ingredient for many applications from smoothies, juices, ice-creams, yogurts and sauces, to nutrition bars, baked goods and cereals. The oil has historically been used as a highly-prized anti-aging and moisturising ingredient, often used in hair and beauty products, and naturally containing omega 3, 6 and 9.

The qualities of Baobab are now becoming increasingly recognised around the world, and there are a number of peer reviewed, scientific research papers available* substantiating its benefits and properties.

*Please see ‘RESOURCES’, below.

Working in partnership with B'Ayoba

Organic Herb Trading works in partnership with B’Ayoba in Zimbabwe to bring their excellent quality organic Baobab to the European market. This relationship came about when Organic Herb Trading’s founder, Mike Brook, visited Zimbabwe and met with B’Ayoba founder, Gus Le Breton, where the two agreed to work together and bring Baobab to the UK. B’Ayoba is a leading producer of Baobab products, ethically and sustainably wild-harvested by rural communities in Zimbabwe. Organic Herb Trading’s partnership with B’Ayoba enables us to offer complete batch traceability and quality assurance.

Harvesting Baobab has a very positive impact on the collector’s lives. Many families in these rural communities live on less than $100 a year and by harvesting Baobab, they are able to greatly increase their standard of living. Collectors working with B’Ayoba receive double the minimum wage.

Traceability and food safety

Baobab powder from B’Ayoba is the first in the world to be certified FairWild, and it is certified to EU and NOP organic standards by Ecocert. B’Ayoba is part of PhytoTrade Africa, which successfully gained Novel Foods approval for organic Baobab powder in 2008. 
 
As the sole EU distribution partner of B’Ayoba, we are able to offer:

• Large volumes (annual sustainable production is 1500MT) of organic Baobab powder (of different grades), oil and funicles (fibres)
• Competitive prices
• Complete traceability and quality assurance; including full batch-specific, microbiological analysis, carried out by our UKAS accredited laboratory Southern Microbiological Services Ltd
• Swift and efficient despatch to our customers in the UK, EU and further afield

If you would like to speak to us about Baobab, please call +44(0)1823 401 205 or email info@organicherbtrading.com.

Resources (scientific peer reviewed research papers & other reading)

• Garvey, R., Clegg, M. and Coe, S., 'The acute effects of baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata) on satiety in healthy adults', Nutrition and Health, 2017.
• Vimalanathan Selvarani and Hudson James B., 'Multiple inflammatory and antiviral activities in Adansonia digitata (Baobab) leaves, fruits and seeds', Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 3 (8), 2009.
• Silvia Vertuani, Elena Braccioli, Valentina Buzzoni and Stefano Manfredini, 'Antioxidant capacity of Adansonia digitata fruit pulp and leaves', ACTA Phytotherapeutica Vol. V n 2, 2002.
• Various, 'Benefits of Baobab Oil', B'Ayoba.
• Besco, E., Braccioli, E., Vertuani, s., Ziosi, P., Brazzo, F., Bruni, R., Sacchetti, G., Manfredini, S., 'The use of Photochemiluminescence for the measurement of the integral antioxidant capacity of baobab products', Food Chemistry, 2006.
• Various, 'Scientific Substantiation of the Health Benefits of Baobab Fruit Powder', B'Ayoba, 2017.
• Isaac Kwasi Baidoo, John Justice Fletcher, Linda Osei Poku, Apori Ntiforo, Jude Bayor Simons, Nicholas Sakyitey Opata, Robert Ekow Quagraine, 'Major, Minor and Trace Element Analysis of Baobab Fruit and Seed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Technique', Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2013.
• John Kinyuru, Lucy Mlipano Chove, Peter Kahenya, Willis Owino, ' Nutritional Quality and Functional Properties of Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Pulp from Tanzania', Journal of Food Research; Vol. 5, No. 5; 2016.
• Shelly A. Coe, Miriam Clegg, Mar Armengol, Lisa Ryan, 'The polyphenol-rich baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata L.) reduces starch digestion and glycemic response in humans', Nutrition Research, 2003.
• Leatherhead Food Research for PhytoTrade Africa, 'Nutritional Evaluation of Baobab Dried Fruit Pulp and its Potential Health Benefits', PhytoTrade Africa, 2009.
• G.P.P. Kamatou, I. Vermaak, A.M. Viljoen, 'An updated review of Adansonia digitata: A commercially important African tree', South African Journal of Botany 77, 2011.