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Know what juá powder is and how to differentiate the edible from the toxic

Edited and resized image by Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil is available on Wikimedia and licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Juá is a fruit that grows on the juazeiro tree, with a scientific name Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. It is a fruit widely used in jellies, soaps and, in the powdered version, it is a substitute for toothpaste. However, the juá has a very similar plant that presents toxicity, scientific name Solanum capsicoides. That's why you need to be careful and avoid ingesting juá if you're not sure of the variety, after all, they're both very similar.

Edited and resized image of jacilluch is available on Wikimedia and licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Why Juá Powder is Famous in the Cosmetic World

Apply a moisturizing cream on your hands or apply a well-designed makeup... No matter what it is, most people devote at least a few minutes of the day to maintaining a beauty routine, be it simple or complex.

According to a survey published by the Euromonitor International Institute, our everyday vanity yields relevant profits for the beauty and personal care industry. The Brazilian market represents the third largest personal care, perfumery and cosmetics market in the world, losing only to the United States and Japan. These data show that the Brazilian population has the behavioral trait of worrying about their appearance and investing in them . And the trend is for this trait to be reinforced in the coming years.

According to the study, it is possible to conclude that there are four main factors that indicate the reinforcement of this trend: population aging, which causes the emergence of a consumption profile dedicated to preserving a youthful appearance; the growing access of classes C and D to the cosmetics industry and the constant innovation that takes place in this sector, which results in a diversification of products that reach the shelves.

The quantity and variety of products offered is immense. And they are not always sustainable alternatives. But what if you could take care of your appearance without opening your wallet at cosmetic stores and pharmacies? Nature also offers an immense amount and variety of options that replace these products that are acquired through the cosmetics industry. And one of these options, newly discovered and still not well known by the Brazilian public, goes by the name of powdered juá.

comes from the northeast

The name of the Juá powder comes from Tupi a-ju-a, which means "fruit extracted from thorns". Juá powder is extracted from the juazeiro, a typical tree in northeastern Brazil. In fact, juazeiro is the affectionate nickname for Ziziphus jeweler.

Juazeiro is a tree with a leafy crown and thorny stem, which offers benefits that go from the roots to the tips. Or rather, even the fruits. Juazeiro fruits are traditionally used to feed cattle in times of drought, in addition to being used to make jams. The bark is rich in a substance called saponin, which has a detergent, sanitizing, astringent and antiseptic action. For these reasons, saponins have a practically guaranteed presence in the composition of soaps and toothpastes (check out a recipe for toothpaste based on Juá powder).

Hygiene

It powder has already been widely used among vegans and the benefits of juá are old acquaintances of indigenous peoples, who used it to sanitize their bodies and hair.

The vegan lifestyle does not consume products that have any extracts of animal origin (or tested on animals) and this extends to beauty and personal hygiene habits. This can be a problem, since most cosmetics, cleaning and personal care products available on the market are made with substances of animal origin, such as animal glycerin, collagen and lanolin.

As it is still not well known in the Brazilian consumer market, there are not many companies and stores that offer this juá extract, but it is already possible to obtain it via the internet. Always remember to observe the origin of the product and if the company you are selling is trustworthy and does not harm the environment. A sustainable consumer is an attentive consumer.

Be careful!

The wild juá can be confused with the wild juá, a highly toxic plant for the human body. Due to the presence of a substance called solanocapsin, the juá-bravo, whose scientific name is Solanum pseudocapsium, can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, neurological depression, respiratory depression, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmia and death! Both the tame and wild juá are very similar visually. Despite the fact that the common juá has a more reddish color and the wild juá is more yellowish, only a person with experience is able to distinguish with certainty the edible juá from the toxic one. So never ingest this type of plant.

for the hair

O eCycle portal selected a simple shampoo recipe so that you and your hair can enjoy the benefits of Juá Powder.

As this recipe does not contain preservatives, it is likely to degrade quickly if not properly stored. Therefore, it is important that you keep it reserved in the refrigerator and only put at room temperature the amount you are going to consume. Another tip concerns the acquisition of other ingredients: all of them can be purchased at homeopathic pharmacies and natural food stores.

Ingredients

• 500 ml of filtered water;
• 3 tablespoons of juá-manso powder;
• 1 aloe leaf;
• 2 tablespoons of jaborandi;
• 2 tablespoons of rosemary;
• 8 cloves;
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon;
• 3 drops of copaiba oil.

Method of preparation

Place the jaborandi, rosemary, cloves and filtered water in a pan until the water starts to boil. Then turn off the heat and remove the pan and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. It should look like a tea. As soon as it cools, blend this mixture in a blender with the pulp of the aloe. Add the juá powder, cinnamon and copaiba oil and mix until it looks homogeneous. Finally, put in a bottle of your choice and let the shampoo rest for 24 hours.