Not only does it taste delicious to eat, it turns out that the benefits of taro for health are so abundant. This is thanks to the nutritional content in taro which makes it one of the foods that are good for daily consumption.
Taro is a type of tuber that grows in mainland Africa, America, and Asia. In Indonesia, a plant with the Latin name Colocasia esculenta This is a plant that can be transformed into a variety of delicious-tasting foods, such as sponge cake, chips, compote, bubble tea, until the ice is mixed.
Behind the special taste, taro also saves a myriad of health benefits. Want to know what are the benefits of taro? Check out the following explanation.
Important Nutrient Content in Taro
In a serving of cooked taro (about 150 grams), you can get:
- 150 – 200 calories
- 5 – 7 grams of fiber
- About 4 grams of protein
- 150 – 170 mg calcium
- 450 – 600 mg potassium
- 30 – 50 mg magnesium
- 60 – 70 mg phosphorus
Not only that, taro is also enriched with antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin A, and the minerals iron and copper. The various nutrients in taro make taro as one of the foods that play an important role in maintaining the health and function of the body's organs.
Come on, know what are the benefits of taro for health
Here are the benefits of taro that you can get if you consume it in the right amount:
1. Maintain normal sugar levels
To support a healthy body, blood sugar levels must be kept stable. Blood sugar levels are too high, the risk of causing insulin resistance. If not controlled, high blood sugar can cause diabetes.
Untreated diabetes can cause various dangerous complications, such as damage to the retina of the eye that can cause blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and a weak immune system.
To keep blood sugar levels stable, the body needs the intake of foods that contain complex carbohydrates and fiber. One of them is taro. In addition, the benefits of taro are also good for maintaining stable blood sugar, because taro has a low glycemic index.
2. Prevent heart disease
The benefits of fiber are not only for maintaining blood sugar levels, but also good for maintaining heart health. This is thanks to the high content of fiber, potassium, and antioxidants in taro.
In the body, the fiber you get from taro serves to ensure that cholesterol levels remain normal. If too much, cholesterol can clog blood vessels, so that blood flow to certain organs of the body becomes blocked. If the blood vessels to the heart are blocked, heart disease can occur.
In addition, potassium in taro is also good for preventing high blood pressure. As we know, high blood pressure is also associated with heart disease.
Luckily, about 20% of the daily fiber and potassium needs of adults can be met by just eating a serving of taro. But apart from taro, fiber and potassium also need to be obtained from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
3. Increase bone strength
Your bones can be stronger by eating taro. How could that be? Taro turns out to have a fairly high calcium content, even much higher than similar plants, such as cassava. Cassava contains only 15 mg of calcium in every 100 grams. Meanwhile, in the same portion, taro contains about 150 mg of calcium.
When you get enough calcium, your bones will become denser and stronger. Thus, you will avoid bone loss or osteoporosis.
Therefore, meet your daily calcium needs. Adults are recommended to consume calcium as much as 1000-1100 mg every day. Meanwhile, for children, the recommended daily intake of calcium is higher, which is 1000-1200 mg.
4. Reduces the risk of cancer
Exposure to free radicals not only interferes with various functions of the body's organs, but also triggers the growth of cancer cells. Therefore, the body needs antioxidants to counteract the effects of free radicals that come from various sources, such as the body's natural metabolism, pollution (eg from cigarette smoke or motor vehicles), and sunlight.
The benefits of taro are believed to reduce the risk of cancer because it contains antioxidants. Several types of antioxidants found in taro are polyphenols, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
5. Helps maintain weight
The fiber and carbohydrates in taro take a slower time to digest. This makes taro can provide a longer full effect. When you feel full, the urge to snack or eating high-calorie foods will also be reduced.
Therefore, taro is considered beneficial to help maintain weight. But keep in mind, to maintain an ideal body weight, a healthy diet and regular exercise are also needed.
In addition to the various benefits of taro above, taro is also good for maintaining healthy digestion. This is inseparable from the fiber content in it.
Although taro is good for health, before consuming it, make sure the taro has been washed thoroughly and cooked until completely cooked. If the taro you eat is still dirty or undercooked, you are at risk of poisoning or infection. One more thing you need to remember, consume taro in reasonable limits.
If you have certain diseases or take medicines that must be consumed in the long term, it's a good idea to consult your doctor first to determine whether taro is safe to eat and how many servings of taro you can eat per day.