Arrowroot Nutrition Facts & Health Benefits

Arrowroot is an erect herbaceous plan that produces long, fleshy, and cylindrical subterranean rhizomes, which taste like corn when boiled. Arrowroot is cultivated for its edible rhizomes, originated in South America and has been widely distributed in tropical countries and the West Indies.

Arrowroot's scientific name is Maranta arundinacea, also called West Indian arrowroot, maranta, obedience plant, Bermuda arrowroot, araru, araruta, ararao, or hulankeeriya. It is now mainly used in food products as an alternative to corn starch. It is gluten free and is a valuable ingredient in gluten free baked products and infant foods.

Nutritional Value of Arrowroot

Arrowroot is the most nutritious raw and contains vitamins A and B6, thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, calcium, manganese, potassium, iron, and folates. Once it is processed into powder, it loses much of its nutritional content but does contain fiber.

Arrowroot contains 81% water, 13% carbohydrates, 4% protein, and a small amount of fat. 100 grams of raw arrowroot provides 65 calories, 13.4 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g fiber, 4.24 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 1 mcg vitamin A, 1.9 mg vitamin C, 338 mcg folate, 0.266 mg vitamin B6, 6 mg calcium, 2.22 mg iron, 25 mg magnesium, 98 mg phosphorus, 454 mg potassium, 0.63 mg zinc, and 0.174 mg manganese.

Raw Arrowroot Nutrition Facts Label

Health Benefits of Arrowroot

Improve Immune System

Arrowroot can help protect the overall health of the body, promote circulation, and boost the immune system. The extracts of arrowroot powder display cytotoxic actions that help in building immunity. It means arrowroot extract increases the production of cells within the immune system.

Helped Improved Digestion

Arrowroot starch has been a home remedy for gastrointestinal disorders since it is reputedly the most digestible starch. Arrowroot has been shown in studies to be an effective natural diarrhea treatment. Arrowroot starch has been shown to reduce diarrhea as well as constipation in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It not only reduces diarrhea but also reduces abdominal pain.

Cardiovascular Health

Due to the high amount of fiber present in arrowroot, this is very beneficial for our cardiovascular health and it also helps to prevent various types of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, heart stroke, etc. Fiber helps to reduce the bad cholesterol levels in our body, such as LDL cholesterol, and also helps to increase the good cholesterol levels in our body.

Lower Blood Pressure

Arrowroot consists of a considerable amount of potassium, which is extremely beneficial for healthy blood pressure levels. Potassium acts as a vasodilator, which means it helps to reduce the strain on blood vessels and provide a smooth passage for blood through arteries, thus reducing the pressure of the cardiovascular system, which helps in reducing blood pressure. Studies show that foods rich in potassium help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Prevent Anemia

Arrowroot consists of significant levels of iron and folate. These are very important for our blood health. Deficits in iron, vitamins B12, and folate can cause hematologic changes, which if untreated, can lead to anemia. The effects of anemia are fatigue, weakness, cognitive impairment, muscle aches, etc. Iron is one important component of red blood cells, thus boosting oxygenation in the blood. Controlling iron levels in the body is a critically important part of many aspects of human health and disease.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a condition where the proteins from the closely related cereals wheat, rye, barley, and triticale damage the small intestines. On the off chance that you have celiac disease , eating gluten triggers an invulnerable reaction in your small digestive system. Not all cereals are harmful to people with celiac disease—for example, rice and corn are apparently harmless. Arrowroot is considered to be gluten-free and is often part of the diets of celiac patients.

Traditional Uses of Arrowroot

• Arrowroot is considered to be the most easily digested of all starches, and its chief value is as a nourishing diet for convalescents and invalids, especially those with intestinal problems.
• Arrowroot is also often recommended for people with allergies to cereals and for infants.
• In South America and the Caribbean, arrowroot has been used externally as a poultice for smallpox sores and as an antiseptic tea for urinary infections.
• The tuberous rhizomes are used in the treatment of diarrhea.