Take It From Taro (Part Two)
This week we continue with one of Nature's Best Healing Foods, Taro. If you missed Part One, just click on "previous article" at the bottom of this page for a quick catch up!
Taro as a Nutritional Source
Taro was not merely a staple to a single area of the globe, nor has its use dwindled in other parts of the country. Demand for Taro is steadily increasing worldwide, and still far outweighs supply. It is beginning to gain awareness in many parts of the world previously unfamiliar to its virtues, and we are seeing it touted more and more as one of Nature's healthiest health foods. Taro is often fed to babies as their first whole and natural healthy food, as well as to the elderly, for its ease of digestion and high vitamin content. Often the claim is made - quite rightly - that this plant helped make early Polynesians some of the world's strongest, tallest, healthiest peoples. In fact, when 20th century archeologists discovered the remains of ancient Hawaiian warriors, they found skeletons with strong teeth, no cavities, and strong bones - all attributed to the staple diet, po'i.
When we analyze the plant, it's easy to find support for these beliefs and encourage the use of Taro today. We know that the basis of health is good nutrition, and Taro is a rich source of many essential nutritional elements that are making modern individuals call it one of our most healing food sources. Taro is rich in iron, very high in calcium, Vitamins B and C, thiamin and riboflavin, is very low in fat and sodium, and contains no cholesterol. It is a good source of protein, is gluten and lactose free, and 'hypoallergenic'. By that I mean, while po'i is primarily a starch, it is a unique form of starch composed of very tiny molecules that allow it to be extremely digestible. This has great benefits for seniors, those suffering from illness, chemotherapy patients, even premature infants and those suffering from other 'starch allergies'.
While this may be news to some, it is well known throughout other parts of the world. In Japan, Taro is an integral part of local cuisine. The root is grated into a sort of paste which is then mixed with soy and eaten hot with rice, as a standard breakfast staple. A type of Taro called satoimo is often served in miso soup. The Chinese use Taro in Taro Root Cake, a traditional New Years treat containing the root, shrimp, bacon, and mushrooms as a few of the ingredients. There are also snacks, breads filled with Taro paste, as well as fried Taro which resembles fried noodles.
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