05/31/2021
BLESSED & HIGHLY FLAVORED š www.cookbycolor.comā
THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT ANNATTO:
The most impressive health benefits of annatto include its ability to promote healthy digestion, strengthen bones, prevent neural tube defects, promote healing, lower fevers, boost eye health, eliminate headaches, reduce nausea, and protect respiratory distress.
What is Annatto?
Annatto is a natural food coloring and condiment that is extracted from the seeds of the achiote fruit. The achiote tree (Bixa Orellana) is a tropical shrub or small tree that grows in Central and South America. The flowers of this tropical tree are white or bright pink, but the fruit is the most desirable part of the plant, made up of spiky brown and red pods that grow in clusters. When those pods dry and crack open, they expose seeds of red color, from which red pigment can be extracted. This is why the achiote tree is often called the lipstick tree. It is also called chitoe, onoto, bija, colorau, urucum, or atsuete in different regions.
Annattoās strong pigmentation makes it a natural dye which can range from yellow to deep orange to red, and it has plenty of applications in cosmetics. It is also used as a condiment in certain parts of the world. It has a floral and nutty smell and is mildly peppery to taste. In the Caribbean and Central American cultures, annatto has been used for thousands of years to treat everything from mild to potentially life-threatening diseases, making it an ancient āsuperfoodā.
Nutrition Facts
Annatto has a rich source of antioxidants such as cis-bixin, carotenoids, and vitamin A. It also contains minerals like calcium, sodium, and iron. It has a relatively high content of dietary fiber. The high concentration of tocotrienols, which are similar in effects and structure as vitamin E, makes this plant substance powerful.
Health Benefits of Annatto
Now, letās take a closer look at the impressive health benefits of annatto.
Antimicrobial
Annatto, due to its powerful antioxidants, possesses antimicrobial properties and it can kill various pathogens, and bacteria in the body. It is also very effective against various foodborne diseases.
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