Babassu Nut

The babassu nut is the kernel found inside the fruit of the babassu palm (Attalea speciosa), a palm tree native to the transitional forests of northern and central Brazil. Each fruit contains several kernels encased in a very hard shell, traditionally cracked by hand, a labor often performed by rural women known as quebradeiras de coco who gather and process the nuts as a significant source of household income. The kernels are eaten locally and, far more commonly, pressed for babassu oil, a fat similar in composition to coconut oil that is used in cooking, soap making and margarine production.