If you have grown up eating home cooked food, you must be quite familiar with Taro root. A staple vegetable in most households, Taro root in Hindi is known as “Arbi”. It is also called “Chamagadda” in Telugu, “Chepankizhangu” in Tamil, “Kacchalo” in Punjabi. Taro root is widely cultivated in India but is said to have its origins in Malaysia. It is known for its nutty flavour and mildly sweet taste. Packed with carbohydrates, folate, iron, vitamins and minerals, Arbi vegetable is one of nature’s best gifts to mankind. Let’s take a closer look into the many taro root benefits to our health.

What Is Taro Root?

Taro root is the tuber stalk of the Taro plant, which has long, wide leaves. Also called “Elephant Ears”, these leaves are also quite edible and nutritious. Taro Scientific name is “Colocasia esculenta”. The tubers are believed to be poisonous in raw form due to the high amounts of oxalates. Indian Taro is a starchy root vegetable, which has brown outer skin and white pulp inside. It resembles a potato in taste and texture after cooking

Is Taro Healthy?

Taro is one of the healthiest foods available in the market. It is known to be gut-friendly due to the high amounts of dietary fibre. Taro also has a low GI and is recommended by the doctors for diabetic patients. It is rich in iron and folate, which helps in preventing anaemia and energy loss. Taro root is also known to prevent many types of deadly Cancers.

Taro Nutrition Facts:

Check out the nutritional value of Taro root in cooked form, per 132 gms of serving size:

• Total Calories: 187
• Dietary Fiber: 6.7 gm
• Vitamin E: 19 % of the DV
• Potassium: 18 % of the DV
• Copper: 13 % of the DV
• Vitamin C: 11 % of the DV
• Phosphorus: 10 % of the DV
• Magnesium: 10 % of the DV

How To Eat Taro Root?

Taro root should always be used after proper cooking. It is either boiled, roasted or steam cooked. Cooking taro is a time taking process. It is usually pressure cooked for saving time and effort. Taro is also used in making chips, where it is par-boiled and fried in hot oil for crispiness.