Trees grow in the tropics, in the trunks of which a liquid flows, resembling milk in appearance and taste. Milk tree has several scientific names: useful castrum, galactodendron. Locals call him a cow tree, pacifier.
Botanical Description
The brosimum belongs to the Mulberry family. It does not have a central shaft, the lateral roots are shallow, numerous thin roots extend down from them. Adult specimens reach a height of 25–30 m, the trunks of most of them are straight, 60–80 cm in diameter, almost ⅔ devoid of side shoots. Branching begins only at the top. The bark is light gray, dotted with grooves. Young trees have a reddish, thinner, smooth.
The leaves of galactodendron are whole, large, green, fleshy, juicy. The plates are oval-elongated, with a smooth leathery surface. Inflorescences same-sex. The fruits are spherical, covered with dense reddish skin, resemble apples, pomegranates. For people, they are inedible, since the flesh is quite bitter, tasteless, although non-toxic. Many locals feed them livestock.
The wood of useful castrum has a reddish-brown hue, heavy, durable. The vessels are filled with white milky juice.
Milk Juice Composition
In most known plants, the synthesized milk juice is saturated with alkaloids and other chemical compounds of pharmacological, industrial interest, but making the product unfit for food. The uniqueness of the useful castrum is that the fluid released by the trunks is nutritious, has a pleasant taste. A similar feature is evolutionary randomness.
The liquid is almost white, with a light specific aroma resembling cinnamon, sweetish. It is thicker than milk, more like cream. After being in the open air for several minutes, the mass acquires an even greater viscosity, turns yellow, and becomes similar in texture to soft latex.
After the flowering period ends, the fruit ovaries absorb most of the beneficial substances from the milky juice, it becomes liquid, watery.
They collect milk in the same way as birch sap: they make deep incisions on the bark, waiting for the first drops to appear, substitute dishes under the stream. From one tree in half an hour you can collect 1.5–2 liters of liquid.
Thoracic milky juice is heterogeneous. This is a mixture of vegetable fats, proteins, resinous compounds, starch. Almost half of the volume is water, 35–38% is a type of natural wax. Sugar, which gives the liquid a sweetish taste, is 6%. After eating, a little astringency is felt, a slight oily coating remains on the lips.
After heating, the waxy substance curls up and becomes like cottage cheese. During long-term storage, part of the moisture evaporates, the mass acquires density, density.
Spread
Homeland of usefulness - the territory of South and Central America. Trees are not an exotic rarity; they make up large populations in the Amazon lowlands. They grow at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level in the rocky gorges of the Andes. The composition of the soil is undemanding, the roots easily cling to rocky soil. A species of galactodendron is introduced and grown as a cultivated plant in India and on the island of Ceylon.
Europeans discovered unusual trees during a scientific expedition in the 19th century. After tasting wood milk, they came to the conclusion that it resembles coconut, but more viscous and fat. The head of the expedition, biologist Alexander Humboldt, was amazed at how easily the substance dissolves in water, despite the presence of fats and wax.
Application
After a short storage in an open container, a yellowish foam similar to milk appears on the surface of the liquid. There are no lactic acid bacteria in the juice, fermentation is impossible, therefore the product does not sour, does not deteriorate for several days at room temperature.
In cooking
Local residents drink wood milk, give it to very young, infants, the elderly. Despite the fact that there is no complete data on the biochemical properties of the juice, its use is not limited. Cases of poisoning, the development of any disease after taking it were not observed.
Liquid is consumed by dipping bread, corn tortillas in it. They prepare desserts, confectionery, boil cottage cheese, cheese. The elastic structure allows you to make edible chewing gum from dense, viscous fibers, and use them as natural thickeners. An excessively viscous product does not lose its qualities, it is diluted to the required consistency with water, added to tea, coffee, cocoa.
The use of vegetable milk is a good way out for people suffering from lactose intolerance, adherents of vegetarianism, opponents of animal fats.
In folk medicine
Galactodendron is not included in the number of medicinal plants, but its milky juice has pharmacological properties. The use of the product favorably affects the course of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract: bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma. The results are similar to those observed after the use of interior animal fats, butter.
Calorie content of the product is similar to fat milk, is 120 kcal per 100 grams. Its use helps to restore physical strength after exhausting loads, prolonged illnesses. This juice is used for colds, joint pain, during pregnancy.
Nutritionists do not consider milk of castrum as a functional food product. Despite the taste, milky juice contains a lot of refractory fats, wax, to which the human digestive system is adapted little. Fatty acids are similar to those found in palm oil. Excessive consumption can provoke an increase in cholesterol, obesity, impaired liver and intestines. Diabetics, young children, pregnant women are not recommended to drink this milk.
In other areas
Thick sticky juice is added to smoking hookah mixes to improve the taste. Wax is used to make candles and sealants to cover cracks in the walls of dwellings and utensils.
The inner layer of the bark of young trees contains red pigment. Art paints are made from it, added to funds for coloring furniture, fabrics.
Galactodendron wood is used as natural fuel, a raw material for the production of pulp and paper.
Tree classification
The genus includes several species. Some experts do not find differences in them.
In addition to useful qurachimum, milk gives a porcelain, its locals call callofora. Milky juice does not look different. It tastes more bitter, contains more tarry substances, less sugar. For a long time, the substance was considered unfit for food by Europeans, even poisonous. However, it was found that she had no toxic properties.