"Healthy through eating" series | What is the knowledge of eating taro, which is known as the "first vegetable in autumn and winter"?

The cold wind brings autumn and winter, and people start to eat various dishes that match the season. Taro is one of the regular guests on the table. With its fresh taro fragrance and soft and sticky texture, a bite will bring warmth and happiness to your heart. Do you know what are the benefits of taro, which is known as the "first dish of autumn and winter"? What should you pay attention to when eating taro?

Nutritional Value

Su Shi once praised taro in a poem: "Its fragrance is like ambergris, but still rich and white, and its taste is like milk, but even clearer." Since ancient times, taro has been considered a good tonic for autumn and winter. Known as the "first vegetable," it has many benefits for the human body.

First, it can nourish the body and enhance immunity. Taro contains a lot of starch, and its starch granules are only one-tenth of those of potatoes. After cooking, the digestibility can reach 98%, which is a good autumn tonic. In addition, taro also contains a kind of mucin substance, which helps to enhance immunity. It is especially suitable for the elderly and weak patients.

Second, it can nourish and protect the stomach and regulate acid-base. Autumn and winter are often dry, which can easily lead to loss of appetite and weakness in the limbs. Eating more alkaline foods can help regulate the pH and improve autumn fatigue. Taro is rich in a large number of minerals such as iron, zinc, and potassium. It is known as the "king of alkaline foods" and can regulate acid-base, reconcile stomach acid, and reduce damage to the gastric mucosa. It is very beneficial for nourishing and protecting the stomach.

Third, it can promote digestion and protect teeth. The soluble dietary fiber content in taro is four times that of rice. The rich dietary fiber can speed up intestinal peristalsis and promote digestion and absorption. Moreover, among the large number of trace elements in taro, the content of fluoride is also relatively high. When the hydroxyapatite in the tooth axon absorbs it, a protective layer of fluoride apatite will be formed on the surface of the teeth, which helps to enhance the acid resistance of the teeth.

Precautions for consumption

First of all, taro must be cooked before it can be eaten, and must not be eaten raw. The taro tuber is slightly poisonous, and the mucus in it will cause stinging pain when it touches the mouth, and may even cause hearing impairment and mild headaches.

Secondly, before eating taro, you need to determine whether you are allergic to it. There is a chemical called "taro saponin" in the mucus of taro, which has a strong irritating effect on the skin. People with allergies need to be extra careful.

In addition, "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that "eating too much is difficult to digest, and stagnates the spleen". Taro has a high starch content. Eating a large amount of it will not promote digestion, but will cause bloating, indigestion and other discomforts. Patients with diabetes and other diseases should pay attention to the amount of taro they eat to avoid causing a rapid increase in blood sugar. They can reduce the amount of other staple foods they eat while eating taro.

Author: Li Shanshan and Ding Weisheng from Luoyang Normal University

Review expert: Wang Yao, associate professor of the School of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology