Organic Nuts – Raw Ramon, Organic Ramon, Ramon, Mayan Breadnut

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Ramon (Mayan Breadnut)

Brosimum alicastrum and its edible relatives (Brosimum utile, Brosimum galactodendron, Brosimum costaricanum, Brosimum terrabanum and Trophis racemosa) comprise up to 20% of the natural forests of the tropical and subtropical Americas, and are a dependable source of high protein food. It is speculated that Amerindians took the valuable seeds of this well studied Maya staple crop and distributed them throughout their trading range so that they would always have a supply of nutrition. Today edible Brosimums range from Mexico to Brazil and all the way up through the Caribbean, from Jamaica to Cuba. Unfortunately, today this once abundant "food of the gods" is threatened with extinction throughout much of its former range because of land conversion to cattle pasture grasses and grass and legume based annual monocultures.

Ramon has been listed as one of the most underutilized tropical crops in the world today by the National Academy of Sciences. Edible Brosimums have many components that are consumable with strong potential for use in the U.S. The seeds are edible in a variety of ways:

Raw; boiled; boiled and ground into a fresh bright green dough (taste similar to mashed potatoes) and made into tortillas, tamales, or patties; the fresh dough can be diluted, sweetened, and added to milk for a nutty protein rich drink; boiled and fried (a flavor like french fries); dried and ground into flour which can be made into tortillas, breads, cookies, and other products made with flours; dried, ground, and roasted and used as a caffeine-free coffee alternative.

A single adult tree can produce over 150 pounds of highly nutritious seeds per year. The seeds are high in protein (12%), vitamin C, calcium, and iron. The amino acid content of the seeds is more complete than many other important foods, including egg, milk, sorghum, corn, and wheat.

The fruit can be eaten fresh or made into jams and jellies. The sap can be consumed as a creamer-like beverage. Even the leaves can be eaten raw straight off the tree, fried, steamed, powdered or infused as a nutritious caffeine free tea. The sap and leaves are galactogenic -- they increase breast milk supply. Farmers feeding ramon leaves and branches to their cows and goats note an increase in milk production of 1 to 2 liters per day (hence the name "ramon" which means "the forage tree" in Spanish). Pharmaceutical companies are now finding that Brosimum sap helps cure stomach and digestive ailments, something the Maya people have known for centuries. The tree also produces a semi-hardwood prized for furniture construction.

Valuing Brosimum products in the U.S. market will create a strong market-driven force for stopping the cutting of Brosimum trees. Brosimum trees and the forests they inhabit are rapidly being felled for one-time extraction of wood (largely for plywood) and conversion to cattle pasture and monoculture crops, leading to soil loss, continual decrease in land productivity, and social poverty. ELF works with local landowners, NGOs, and governments to develop sustainable harvesting plans so that sufficient seeds remain to support local wildlife and ensure that Market Driven Conservation standards are applied to Mayan breadnut sources.

ELF imports Mayan breadnut from Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize, and is investigating supply potential from other countries. Dried seeds are available for processing into a variety of products highlighted above.

Please contact ELF for samples of Ramon for your products. Ramon is available as whole seeds, roasted seeds (dark or light), and ground (unroasted, light roast, dark roast).