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"The babassu nut is the Swiss Army knife of nuts. The Ludovico
women call it ‘mother’ because it provides food and everything
they need: the husks are used for firewood; its fronds provide the
roofing for the huts; the timber is used for the walls; its flesh
can stop you bleeding, and it’s even alleged to cure cancer!
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Tony helps to crack babassu
nuts
Photo: Daniel Berinson/Oxfam |
The oil that is pressed from the nuts is multi-purpose too. You
can use it for frying chips, as a witty little vinaigrette, you
can rub it on your skin to lose your wrinkles, you can dye it cinnamon-rose
and turn it into lipstick or into soap.
They also sell the liquid oil direct to Western companies like
The Body Shop.
Truly the babassu is the all-singing, all-dancing, all-purpose nut.
No wonder big businesses want to chop the trees down and turn the
land into prairie instead -- who wants a sustainable lifestyle when
you can have hamburgers?
The stars that support Oxfam
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