Native foods from Brazilian biodiversity as a source of bioactive compounds

The interest in South American native plant species has been growing in recent years due to their health benefits. Brazil is one of the world's mega-diverse locations with over 40,000 different plant species representing 20% of the world's flora. The country was visited in the 19th century by European travelers and naturalists, who described the use of native plant species as food. In this study, data on 67 species was recovered from historical documents and bibliographies. Several of the recorded species show potential as functional food in laboratory studies. Other species are unknown or not yet submitted to any study, in order to verify their health benefits.

► Forms part of a larger project retrieving historical data on useful Brazilian plants. ► 67 food species used in 19th century Brazil are listed, including Amerindian origins. ► Need for more detailed studies on these plants and promote their use is discussed.