Milk tree: a unique plant whose juice resembles condensed milk

In the tropical corners of our planet, many exotic trees grow that can surprise a resident of more northern latitudes. Useful brosimum, which is common in Central and South America, is just one of them. This plant produces juice, which, due to its unique properties, has been widely used by local residents. Moreover, the dairy tree, as it is called by the American Indians, even began to be cultivated in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Useful brosimum (Latin: Brosimum utile) in vivo grows in the humid forests of America, especially a lot of it in the Amazon Selva. Milk tree grows up to 1 meter in diameter and can reach a height of 30 meters. This tree of the mulberry family is outwardly unremarkable: it has a reddish bark, smooth leathery leaves, nondescript inflorescences and fruits. Like most plants of this family, useful castrum emits a thick milky sap. But, unlike the juice of relatives, which is extremely poisonous, the juice of castrum is not only edible, but also very nutritious and tasty.

By its consistency, milk tree juice resembles heavy cream or slightly diluted condensed milk, and it is very similar in taste to it, because it contains sugar. Of course, such a drink is not rich in protein, because it is a vegetable juice. But it is very tasty, fragrant and quite nutritious, so the locals call this tree dairy or cow. To collect the juice, an incision is made on the tree, and a tasty and healthy liquid flows quite intensively into the vessel. In small quantities, juice is released even when the leaves are broken.

It is noteworthy that during seed ripening, the tree spends most of its nutrients for the future offspring, so for a short time its juice becomes liquid, watery and not so tasty.

Milk tree juice retains its taste and useful properties unchanged throughout the week and does not deteriorate at all even in conditions of high temperatures in tropical climates. Perhaps this is due to the high content of resins and vegetable wax compounds, which in this milk are about 30%. But if the freshly picked juice lasts for several days, then it becomes even thicker and looks like sweet cream cheese. In addition, the juice of castrum has another interesting feature. If it is boiled, then a film of wax floats on the surface. This semi-finished product also found its application: local residents use it for making candles, as well as chewing gum. According to the Indians of America, milk tree juice gives strength, tones, is useful for people with bronchopulmonary diseases, and they even feed weakened babies. No wonder this tree is so loved by the indigenous peoples of America, because it has so many valuable properties.

Due to its unpretentiousness, the dairy tree migrated overseas and is successfully grown by residents of tropical regions of Asia. This plant, not demanding on soils, quickly gained popularity here. People consume plant juice as food, and also use it as a medicine.