Domestic utilization for human consumption
Traditionally all parts of Acrocomia are used, including the trunk (palm wine, palmetto, construction material and flour) and leaves (fiber for rope, tissues and baskets). The most important uses are described below.
Food
Direct consumption of fruits
It is usual for the pulp of fresh or cooked fruits to be consumed, in different regions of the Americas. They are sweet and require some getting used to. Acrocomia has considerable quantities of Vitamin A, sugar, fiber and fats. The nutrition value is described in the following table:
| Energy (Kcal/100g) | 243 |
| Carbonhydrates (g/100g) | 27 |
| Fat (g/100 g) | 12-22 |
| Protein (g/100g) | 2-3 |
| Calcium (mg/g) | 199 |
| Phosphorus (mg/g) | 57 |
| Iron (mg/g) | 0.2 |
| Vitamin A (mg/g de ß-caroteno) | 59 |
| Vitamin B1 (mg/g) | 140 |
| Vitamin B2 (mg/g) | 90 |
In Mexico, the fruits are traditionally used to elaborate brown sugar in desserts as can be seen below.
Acrocomia Pulp Flour
Fresh pulp can be used to produce a dark flour which can be used and stored similarly to flour made of grain. The nutrition value is higher than fresh pulp due to drying. The flour is used for cakes, liquors, ice cream, desserts etc. It is ideal for complementing the diet in regions where it is difficult to obtain other sources of food. You can download the manufacturing procedure of the flour and recipes in the links.
Acrocomia Solutions is conducting special research on pulp flour together with the University Catolica in Paraguay with the goal to achieve a more homogeneous product. Additionally, Acrocomia Solutions works on identifying species with higher and sweeter pulp content for improved flour production.
Consumption of Endocarp/Kernel
The consumption of Acrocomia kernels is very common in the areas where Acrocomia grows. It can be consumed directly or it can be ground and used in different recipes or in mate (local tea). It can also be ground and boiled with water as a breakfast meal. It can also be used with other ingredients such as peanuts as an energy drink.
The kernel of Acrocomia is rich in fat, fiber and protein.
The nutrition value is listed below:
| Moisture (%) | Energy (Kcal/100g) | Carbonhydrates (g/100g) | Fat (g/100 g) | Protein (g/100g) | Ca (mg) | Fiber (%) | P (mg) | Fe (mg) |
| 18 | 473 | 11 | 48 | 15 | 50 | 15 | 400 | 17 |
Pharmaceutical Applications
Acrocomia roots are used in traditional medicine in Paraguay and other Latin American countries. They can be used for blood pressure control and in diuretics. Roots can be bought on local markets.
Animal Feed
The leaves of Acrocomia are widely used for feeding, particularly cattle, horses, goats and sheep, who eat the leaves and fruits eagerly. Thus, it is a valid alternative for use as animal rations.
Consumption of Leaves
Due to the species' resistance to frost, and especially during the winter time when little forage is available on pasture land, Acrocomia is well known for its use in feed. Complete palm leaves are cut and fed. However, this practice reduces the fruit yield significantly, i.e. it is necessary to decide for which purpose to grow Acrocomia.
The nutrition value of Acrocomia leaves is as follows:
| Moisture (%) | Protein Content (%) | Fat Content (%) | Carbohydrates (%) | Lignin (%) | Fiber neutral (%) | Fiber acid (%) |
| 62 | 4.87-17 | 3.76-7.13 | 11.2 | 8.6 | 62 | 42 |
Consumption of whole fresh fruits
Nearly all grazing animals like fresh Acrocomia fruits and hence the fruits are a good feed supplement. Only the outer shell and the pulp are eaten; they regurgitate the entire seed. Hence they can be used as a complementary source of feed during winter and autumn on farms and livestock ranches.
Consumption of ground whole fruits
There have been several feeding trials conducted with dried, ground whole fruits. The results show that the feeding value is similar to other comparable concentrates (Article). The ground product is consistent and has a pleasant aroma.
It is a cost-efficient solution to grow Acrocomia on grazing land and collect the fruits for winter feeding. The fruits can be ground together with maize by a regular feed mill. However, it is very important to grind the fruits sufficiently finely. Otherwise, particles of the very hard kernel shell can hurt the intestine of the animals. (See related Article)
Consumption of fresh pulp
The pulp of dried fruits can also be used as feed. The energy content is higher compared to the whole fruit. Howeaver, it is recommended to blend the pulp with other feed since the high oil content can cause digestion problems. The production process is more costly since the pulp must be separated from the kernel in an additional process but the remaining kernel can be crushed for kernel oil.