The Brazilian Cerrado is recognized as the second largest ecosystem in the country in terms of area, with a great diversity of species of fauna and flora. Among the plants found in this ecosystem are unconventional food plants (UFP), which are plants that have a very rich nutritional composition. UFP have great potential to be introduced to the population's diet, but these plants have not yet been widely explored and are still being studied by the scientific community. They stand out for their nutritional potential, for being easily accessible and for their sustainability, since they contain bioactive compounds and are found in native vegetation. UFP therefore have nutritional, economic and social importance. This study is a literature review on a UFP species, the mama-cadela (Brosimum gaudichaudii) belonging to the Moraceae family, native to the Brazilian Cerrado biome. This review article will cover the environmental and physiological aspects, chemical and phytochemical components, socio-economic and cultural importance, and gastronomic potential of mama-cadela.