Description
What is Leche de Oje?
Leche de Oje is the milky latex of the oje tree (Ficus insipida), a tall wild fig native to the Amazon basin in Peru, Brazil and neighboring countries. The name means “oje milk” in Spanish, after the white sap that flows when the bark is tapped. We offer Leche de Oje as a single-ingredient botanical, with nothing added.
A traditional Amazonian botanical
Communities along the Amazon’s rivers have gathered oje latex for generations, and the tree is one of the best-known wild figs of the region. Its latex is part of the area’s long botanical history and is still collected and traded locally today.
What’s inside: ficin, a plant enzyme
Leche de Oje naturally contains ficin, a protein-digesting enzyme found in the latex of fig trees. Ficin belongs to the same family of plant enzymes as papain from papaya and bromelain from pineapple, and it is also used in food processing, for example in cheese making.
How it is harvested
The latex is usually collected from wild oje trees by tapping the bark and gathering the sap as it flows. This leaves the tree standing and able to produce again.
Product details
- Common name: Leche de Oje (oje latex)
- Botanical name: Ficus insipida
- Plant family: Moraceae (fig family)
- Part used: latex (sap) from the bark
- Origin: Amazon rainforest, South America
- Ingredients: 100% Leche de Oje, nothing added
Safety and storage
- Raw fig latex is strong. It has been linked to serious side effects when swallowed and to skin irritation and allergic reactions when applied to skin.
- Ask a qualified healthcare professional before any use.
- Do not use if you have a latex or fig allergy, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Keep out of reach of children and pets.
- Store sealed in a cool, dark place. Natural separation is normal; shake gently before use.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Browse more plant extracts in our extracts and tinctures range.
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