Colocasia Esculenta is also known as the Taro Root as it is edible by consuming the root part. The species belong to the family of Araceae. Benefits of Taro root include its ability to grow at a faster rate. Hence, it is known to be among the group of new cultivating plants. Since 5000 B.C, taro root has been part of our diets. Today, it gets considered as essential in India, China, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Polynesian Island.
Different countries have different names for the Taro root plant, such as Malanga and eddoe. In Java, it is famous as tales, Kolokasi in Cyprus and Kalo in Hawaii. It has a substantial relationship between the plants of Caladium and Xanthosoma, that’s why some refer it as Elephant Ears when cultivated as an ornamental plant.
The size of its taro leaves is about 40 cm * 24.8 cm, and it grows from the rhizome part. Due to its good decorative properties, it has a lot of growth in many areas. It once got recorded that every year, more than 11.3 million taro roots get cultivated.
There are some exciting aspects of the Taro plant’s history (1). Austronesian people took the Taro plant to specific places around the years of 1300 BC, where it became a staple food for the Polynesians, who began its cultivation. Archaeological findings show that the plant also got into the staple diet of the Micronesians. Other cultures which have Taro as a staple food are – Oceanic, African and South Asian.
Some of the top Taro producers in the world are – New Guinea, Ghana, China, Cameroon, and Nigeria. People also sell Taro as an aquatic ornamental plant. It requires dry land cultivation and can grow into a mature plant within six months. People eat the root part in various regions.
It shares a texture hint with that of the potato, and when cooked, it has a very mild taste of sweetness. The external part of the Taro is brown accompanying the internal white fleshy part. Taro root serves a significant role in giving fiber to the body.
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The nutritional composition of the taro root is what makes it so beneficial. The essential nutrients present in the root portion serve great health benefits to the body. You cannot compromise with the benefits of taro root when it comes to taking good care of your health. The nutritional chart (2)of the Taro root is –
| Energy | 112kcal |
| Protein | 1.5g |
| Fat | 0.2g |
| Carbohydrates | 26.46g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.1g |
| Sugars | 0.4g |
| Calcium or Ca | 43 mg |
| Iron or Fe | 0.55 mg |
| Magnesium or Mg | 33 mg |
| Phosphorus or P | 84 mg |
| Potassium or K | 591 mg |
| Sodium or Na | 11 mg |
| Zinc or Zn | 0.23 mg |
| Vitamin C | 4.5 mg |
Having high nutrient values helps the Taro root to have better consistency of nutrients than other vegetables. It gives many health benefits altogether.
There is a myth about the toxicity of taro root. To crash the claims of this myth, you must know in which form you should consume the taro root. Taro root does not have any toxic substances in it. But it contains calcium oxalate. It is present in the form of needle shape and causes irritability in the hands. One should not consume Taro root in a raw way, as it might cause some illnesses due to the presence of calcium oxalate.
[Read: Benefits of Yucca Root ]
Here are the ten health benefits of taro root that can surely help you out in some of the ways
Digestion is an essential function of our body and requires attention. The dietary fibers help in making the feature more efficient and also improves the bowel movements.
It shows the high activity of anti-oxidants in our body, which promotes the inability of pathogens to contact or alter the essential mechanisms of our organization.
You can avoid the chances of getting diabetes with the help of taro roots (3). The dietary fiber helps in regulating the insulin levels in our body and lowers the chances of getting diabetes.
[Also Read: Treat Diabetes Using Natural Remedies]
The proper balance of potassium levels in the body helps in providing a successful passage for blood and fluid transfer. Taro is responsible for lowering the risks of heart-related diseases.
The health of eyes and vision gets better due to the consumption of taro roots. The anti-oxidants improve the imaging of an individual and deprive of future risks.
The vitamins enhance the replacement of dead or useless cells, which contains the properties providing a beautiful glow. Vitamin A and Vitamin E are responsible for the healthy glow.
Taro root serves an exceptional level of vitamin amounts, which stimulates the production of more white blood cells (WBC). WBCs enhance the productivity of the immune system.
[ Read: Gravel Root Benefits ]
The presence of iron and copper facilitates an appropriate distribution of blood in the body. It helps in the transportation of oxygen as well.
The dietary fibers facilitate both the digestion and excretion. The root enhances the metabolism and functioning that makes the absorption part efficient and as per requirement.
Taro root balances the blood pressure level, by neither making it too high or too low. It makes it more comfortable for the neural membranes to have an excellent fluid transfer.
There are a variety of ways to consume Taro root in the form of delicious recipes that can make your mouth watery. The steps to these recipes are simple to follow, and these recipes are
Here is a delicious recipe of Taro root chips (Baked) with step by step procedure and ingredients
You need precautions to keep in mind while using taro root and also the side effects other than its toxicity. Taro roots have a substance known as calcium oxalate in them. It is the substance which produces an irritating or burning sensation when you use bare hands to handle it.
One needs to properly boil the roots, to avoid the formation of kidney stones in the body. Often, the consumption of partially fresh root has chances to create stones in the kidney. To prevent the irritation from your hands, you can use gloves to hold the taro root and cleanse it.
The Taro root is way more beneficial to treat various illnesses and helps in reviving the stable health conditions. According to the previous statements, the benefits of taro root are numerous and way too active. To get more useful results, follow the recipe in your diet. Stay away from the side effects by taking care of the precautions. You can also try out various other food recipes of Taro root to enjoy the varied taste of it, without any interference of other supplements.