MonaVie™ The Cupuacu

 

Cupuacu (Theobroma grandiflorum), also spelled Cupuassu and Copoasu, is a tropical rainforest tree related to Cacao. Common throughout the Amazon basin, it is widely cultivated in the north of Brazil. The white pulp of the cupuacu is uniquely fragrant, and it is frequently used in desserts, juices and sweets.

 

 

Cupuacu is a medium tree in the Amazon Rainforest canopy which belongs to the Chocolate family and can reach up to 15-20 meters in height. Cupuacu fruit has been a primary food source in the Rainforest for both indigenous tribes and animals. The Cupuacu fruit is about melon-sized with a husk-covered coconut-like shell and is highly prized for its creamy exotic chocolate tasting light-yellow pulp. The pulp occupies approximately one-third of the fruit and is used throughout Brazil and Peru to make fresh juice, ice cream, dessert, jam, sweets and tarts.

 

The fruit ripens in the rainy months from January to April and is considered a culinary delicacy in South American cities where demand outstrips supply. Like chocolate, the fruit has a large center seed pod filled with "beans". With a taste that is often compared to already very popular foods, such as chocolate, banana, melon, or bubble gum, the cupuacu fruit is served in a wide variety of ways. When the seeds are processed using a method like that used to refine cacao seeds into chocolate, you get the base flavor for cupulate, a hot drink that is very much like hot chocolate. From the sweetened pulp of the cupuacu fruit comes a variety of desserts, including candy, jelly, ice cream, and juice. In addition to the sought-after taste, cupuacu is often harvested and sold as a health supplement. Finally, cupuacu is often sold as a lotion or cream because it has rejuvenating effects on skin.

 

Cupuacu is found throughout the Rainforest regions with it seeds being dispersed by birds and monkeys which feast on the tasty fruit pulp. Indigenous tribes as well as local communities along the Amazon have cultivated Cupuacu as a primary food source for generations.