Ramon

The tree was important to the Mayan people who boiled or toasted and consumed its seed, which is high in starch, fat, vitamins A and C, and mineral content, prompting its appellation as Mayanut or breadnut. It’s called iximche in some Mayan languages, meaning literally “maize tree,” reflecting its importance especially in lean times. The ancient Mayans cultivated it enthusiastically and it is still found in high concentrations around ancient Mayan settlements. One tree can yield around 29 kg of seeds and some forests have up to 125 trees per hectare. Ramon’s sap is edible with a pleasant taste and can yield a nutritious vegetable milk. The leaves and sap are used to stimulate breast milk production. The sap is rich in alkaloids – strong chemical substances which can be effective in fighting illnesses. In the Amazon, sweet amapá (Brosimum parinarioides) is traditionally used to treat respiratory conditions and gastritis and to promote the growth of scar tissue. 

Ramon’s leaves remain green through the dry season and form an important source of forage for cattle, pigs and chicken. They contain around 13% protein, rich in the amino acids lysine, arginine, tryptophan and valine. Cows fed ramon leaves increased milk production by 15-20%.