The baobab goes global

Growing up in Africa, I never gave much thought to the baobab tree even though it was pretty familiar to me. But now the baobab is about to hit the big time as experts have discovered the varied and healthful uses of the tree, which is “rich in antioxidants, potassium and phosphorus, and has six times as much vitamin C as oranges and twice as much calcium as milk.”

Africans have long used parts of the baobab to heal everything from malaria to toothaches. But if the essence of the tree becomes popular in the Western world, there are potential consequences for the supply in Africa and the few other parts of the world where it grows.

I’ll have to check out how it ends up being packaged and marketed to us next time I’m at Whole Foods, but in the meantime, here’s the New York Times look at What Will Happen When the Baobab Goes Global?