The most common hearts of palm in Costa Rica are obtained from the peach palm, which has been present in this country since the pre-Columbian times. The palm was essential in the diet of the indigenous people of Talamanca, and it had more than 200 different names. During the conquest and colonization of America, peach palms were almost extinct due to the cutting of trees that the conquerors made to feed their troops.
For Easter week, it has been a tradition in many of the Costa Rican communities to prepare salads and a variety of dishes with hearts of palm. At the beginning, people ventured into the mountains for Easter season to obtain the heart of the palm. Nowadays, companies like Demasa have sustainable cultivated plantations of hearts of palm to preserve the palm tree and avoid deforestation.
The tradition of eating hearts of palm in the country is very strong, so it is important to keep it alive and continue enjoying this delicious and healthy legacy.
