As early as 2 million years ago, our primitive ancestors lived on the vast African prairie. Faced with the harsh living environment, nuts have become their most important food source, and tiger nuts account for nearly 80% of them. In the following more than one million years, tiger nuts have always occupied an important position in the recipes of African human races, providing vital support for human survival, evolution and reproduction.
? Archaeology has proved that abalone-type people living in East Africa (260-65438+200,000 years ago) ate wild tiger nuts. In ancient times, tiger fruit was a "fruit of life" that could prolong life and maintain ethnic groups.
Tiger nuts are gradually domesticated by human ancestors because of their rich nutritional value and strong adaptability to the environment. The ancient Egyptians in North Africa were the first people to grow tiger nuts. They planted tiger skin nuts on a large scale in the Nile Valley. According to the archaeological evidence of plants, tiger fruit was one of the important crops in ancient Egypt more than 6000 years ago.
? In the tombs of Egypt 12 dynasties excavated more than 2000 BC, the fruit of tiger nut was found as a sacrifice, which was enough to show the status of tiger nut in Egyptian society at that time.
The cultivation of tiger nuts gradually spread from Egypt to North Africa and from North Africa to Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages. With the expansion of Islamic culture, it spread to Valencia, Spain.
? On the one hand, tiger nuts gradually spread from Spain to southern Europe and finally spread all over Europe. Because of its high nutritional value and unique taste, it is widely loved by Europeans.
? On the other hand, with the development of navigation technology, mature tiger nut planting technology was introduced from Spain to California.
In modern times, because of its excellent characteristics, such as strong environmental adaptability, easy planting, drought-resistant sandy soil and so on. Tiger nuts have been spread all over the world for a long time, and they are loved by many people for their high nutritional value and unique flavor, and they have many reputations such as the fruit of life, underground walnuts, concentrated food, divine food and so on.
? In Africa, tiger nut soybean milk is often used instead of breast milk; In Britain, many people drink tiger nut soybean milk instead of coffee in the morning; In Spain, tiger nuts have always been considered as a natural food for beauty and slimming; In the United States, it has been praised by NASA as "the oldest and greatest super food" and has become the first choice for astronauts.
As the birthplace of tiger nuts, tiger nuts are cultivated all over Africa, including Egypt, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Morocco, Sudan, Gambia, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Mali and other countries.
? They are the daily food of Africans. You can eat tiger nuts directly there, soak dried beans until full, cook them or make them into side dishes.
In northern Nigeria, tiger nuts are usually made into a kind of "kunnu? Aya "local drinks. Kunnu is alcohol-free, and is mainly made by heating grains (such as millet or sorghum), mixing spices (dandelion, avocado pepper, ginger and licorice) and sugar. Tiger skin nuts can make up for the lack of nutritional value of other grains in Kunnu. It is a healthy drink recommended by nutrition experts, which can supplement nutrition and energy all year round, especially in hot summer.
African babies will use tiger nut soybean milk instead of breast milk after weaning, because it is rich in linolenic acid and linoleic acid, which is close to breast milk and is most easily absorbed by the human body. In addition, it is rich in oleic acid and mineral elements such as calcium, potassium, zinc and selenium, which are necessary nutrients for the development of brain and skeletal muscle during the growth of infants.
? In some African countries, some people try to use tiger nut plant milk as a substitute for milk in fermented products (such as yogurt). For people who can't eat lactose in their diet, such as diabetics, tiger nut plant milk can effectively replace milk because it can release a hormone that produces insulin.
? Cooked tiger nut powder is often added to biscuits and other baked goods. It has a high sugar content and can also be used in the production of nougat, jam and beer. It is also a good ice cream flavoring agent.
Africans also eat tiger nut oil, which is usually used in salads or deep frying.
In modern Africa, tiger nuts are still widely distributed in the diet system and are an important daily traditional food for people.
Tiger nuts were introduced to Valencia, Spain, and used to make a very popular local traditional drink. According to historical records, this drink was called "llet de xufes" at that time, and now it is called "horchata" and "Ochata".
? Horchata is milky white in color and tastes similar to milk, but sweeter than milk, fragrant but not greasy, sweet but not greasy. Horchata can be made into original flavor, or it can be made into special flavor by adding cinnamon or lemon peel according to personal preference and traditional family recipes.
In Valencia, horchata is a very popular drink, and homemade horchata is sold in dessert shops and beverage shops everywhere on the street. Especially in the hot summer, when you are tired, you will find a shop, go in and have a cup of cold and sweet horchata, then you will feel bored and cool, and enjoy a leisurely and comfortable time with a piece of "fartons" cake (sweet and slender, you can dip in horchata).
? Faton's Horchata, like China's soybean milk fritters and British toast jam, are all classics deeply imprinted into local tastes.
In Europe, there are many kinds of leisure snacks made from tiger nuts, as well as edible oil, shampoo and soap made from tiger nuts.
? Some professional sports nutrition brands specialize in sports nutrition supplements and health products, and provide finely ground tiger nut powder to people who pay attention to fitness and shaping, because tiger nuts have natural plant nutrition characteristics and can provide sufficient dietary fiber, protein and energy.
Tiger nuts were very popular in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. They are called "super foods" because they contain high iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins E and C. Many people rated its sweet and delicious taste as "shocking taste". At that time, children often bought them at the local dessert shop.
? At present, many enterprises process tiger nuts into rich products, such as raw beans, plant milk, flour, edible oil and so on. Bring the excellent nutrition of tiger nuts to people.
There are records about tiger nuts in ancient China. At that time, tiger nuts were called iron water chestnut in ancient China. According to the Compendium of Xinhua Materia Medica, its tuber is pungent, sweet and warm, which has the effects of soothing the liver, promoting the circulation of qi and strengthening the spleen and stomach, and is mainly used for hypochondriac pain and chest tightness caused by liver depression and qi stagnation. Stomach fullness, stomachache, anorexia, dyspepsia and other symptoms caused by qi stagnation of spleen and stomach.
? The earliest introduction of tiger nuts in China was in 1952, and it has been more than 60 years. Until the 20th century, with the development of planting, production and processing technology and the attention of national policies, the tiger nut industry gradually rose in China, and many enterprises from all over the country joined in the development of tiger nut projects.
? But so far, tiger nuts, a kind of "super food" with high nutritional value and multiple functions, have not been widely recognized by the people in China.