Non-timber Amazonian Forest Products and Their Valuable Edible Nuts: Cutia Nut, Egg Nut, Sapucaia Nut and Brazil Nut

Abstract

The Amazon region contains the world’s leading genetic reserve of native plants, with most of the area located in Brazil. This region is rich in species that little known or still unknown by the population at large, including species that produce non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as edible nuts. The objective was to verify the occurrence of these edible nuts in Brazil, to evaluate their potential and the possibility of other uses, in addition to expanding the knowledge about them. A bibliographic review of the last 50 years was carried out, mainly using the descriptors the popular name and the scientific name of the four nut trees present in the Amazon and their respective families, namely: agouti nut (Acioa edulis Prance) and egg nut (Acioa longipendula Pilg.) From the Chrysobalanaceae family, and sapucaia nut (Lecythis Pisonis Miers) and Brazil nut (Bertholletia excels Bonpl.) From the Lecythidaceae family. The Chrysobalanaceae has 450 species and 17 genera of woody plants and shrubs, producing oilseeds by some species, including egg and agouti nuts. The Lecythidaceae, on the other hand, has approximately 17 genera and 300 species, and in Brazil it is possible to find 9 genera and 122 species, 54 of them endemic, some of which produce edible seeds such as sapucaia and Brazil nuts. Those species have a great nutritional potential, and the chemical composition of their nuts reveals a good amount of lipids and proteins, but more in-depth research on the subject is necessary, including on other biases for better knowledge of the species, discovery of other potential uses and benefits and, consequently, their valorization.

Nutraceutical potential of Amazonian oilseeds in modulating the immune system against COVID-19 – A narrative review

“…These authors have been studied this seed and its by-products as a rich source of phenolic compounds, such as myricetin and, vanillic, ferulic, and ellagic acids. These bioactive compounds may display anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects, which have contributed to the potential use of L. pisonis for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food applications, such as a plant-based milk enhancer, confectionery flour and others ( Barreto et al, 2020 , Demoliner et al, 2020 , Lopes et al, 2021 , Teixeira et al, 2018 ). Moreover, polyphenols present in Brazil nuts and Sapucaia nuts could bind to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), thus preventing that virus entry in host cells, as they may hold the same binding site that S protein from SARS-CoV-2 ( Paraiso, Revel, & Stevens, 2020 ).…”

Effect of extraction type on the fatty acids profile and physicochemical properties of biolipids from Astrocaryum vulgare pulp: supercritical CO2 versus n‐hexane extractions

“…Moreover, the recent pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) propelled research on alternative and co‐adjuvant therapies to reduce the severity and sequelae of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). In this context, bioactive and nutritional compounds that can modulate the immune system are of special interest (BourBour et al ., 2020; Rogero et al ., 2020), thereby precipitating studies focusing on sources of bioactive lipids (Das, 2020; Lopes et al ., 2021; Monnerat et al ., 2021), especially those rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, carotenoids and vitamins A and E (Paraiso et al ., 2020; Saini, and Keum, 2018b). A dietary supplementation of omega 3 fatty acids in patients with COVID‐19 disease, per example, may represent an important co‐adjuvant therapy owing to their antiplatelet, anti‐inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiviral and antioxidant properties, which can positively affect the symptoms and severity of viral infections (Calder et al ., 2020; Rogero et al ., 2020).…”