Alocasia macrorrhizos (also called Giant Taro, Ape, Egyptian Lily,

Elephant’s Ear, Giant Alocasia and Roasting Coco) is a flowering plant

native to tropical Asia. It belongs to Araceae family which consists of
4095 species and 117 genera.
It is widely cultivated in the subtropical and tropical regions. It was
originated from India, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka and also spread to
Oceania and Asian tropical countries.The plant is found in the humid
moist, medium and low elevation valleys where it got naturalized along
the stream banks. Today it is available throughout tropics. The leaves
and stem are widely used as vegetables.
Plant
Giant taro is a coarse, erect, monoecious, rhizomatous and evergreen
plant which grows to about 5 m high with large, sagittate, rosette leaves
measuring up to 0.9-1.8 m long and 0.6-1.2 m wide. The leaves are
glossy in medium green color. The fruit is spathe, oblong top ellipsoid,
green and 8 cm long. Each fruit possess several, pale brown seeds with
4 mm as a diameter. It has upright, erect, elongated, woody stems of 1-
1.2 m long and 25 cm in diameter. It prefers tropical, subtropical climates
and well-drained soil.
Nutritional Value
100 grams of raw Giant taro serves 70 grams of water, 100 calories, 2.2
grams of protein, 0.1 grams of lipid fat, 23 grams of carbohydrate and
1.9 grams of dietary fiber. The same amount cover minerals such as 38
mg of calcium, 0.8 mg of iron, 52 mg of magnesium, 267 mg of
potassium, 30 mg of sodium and 1.6 mg of zinc. It provides the vitamins
such as 0.02 mg of Vitamin B1, 0.02 mg of Vitamin B2, 17 mg of Vitamin
C and 2 mg of Vitamin E.

Health Benefits of Giant Taro

Giant taro provides various benefits to the health. It is rich in Vitamin C,
carbohydrate, zinc, vitamin E, magnesium and iron which is essential to
maintain the health.

1. Prevent scurvy
Scurvy is the health condition which is caused due to the deficiency of
Vitamin C in the body. The symptoms occur due to the weakening
of bones, blood vessels and connective tissues that involve collagen.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant which is essential for the collagen production.
(1)
2. Eliminates free radicals
Vitamin C is an antioxidant which prevents the damage caused due to
the free radicals, pollutants and toxic chemicals. The buildup of free
radicals leads to the health ailments such as heart disease, arthritis and
cancer. Free radicals build up during the breaking down of food or
exposed to tobacco, smoke and radiation. (2)
3. Treats acne
Zinc helps to eradicate the acne from the skin. It helps to regulate the
testosterone levels which play a vital role in the formation of acne. It
helps to normalize the skin oils and enhance the skin health. Zinc
promotes the count of white blood cells and lowers the risk of infection.
Zinc also helps to lower the scars which are left by the acne. (3)
4. Balance hormones
Zinc has positive effect on fertility and hormonal health because it plays
a vital role in the production of hormones such as increase in
testosterone naturally. Zinc effect the hormones of female sex and
involves in the release and creation of eggs from the ovaries.

Zinc is essential for the progesterone and estrogen production which

supports the reproductive health. The excessive presence or deficiency
of estrogens will create the problem with mood swings, menstruation,
infertility and early menopause. (4)
5. Vision
Vitamin E lowers the chances of macular degeneration which is an age
related eye disease that is the cause for blindness. It should be
consumed with beta carotene, vitamin C and zinc. The study shows that
high intake of Vitamin A and Vitamin E improves the vision and healing
in the people who have undergone through laser eye surgery. (5)
6. Treats insomnia
Magnesium can help to get a sound sleep. Those who have low nutrient
consumption and low absorption of nutrients are at high chances of
getting insomnia. The study shows that the people with magnesium
supplements have increase in sleep time, high amount of melatonin and
low level of cortisol which is related to stress. Magnesium helps to lower
the symptoms of insomnia effectively, enhance sleep efficiency, sleep
onset and sleep time. (6)
 7. Prevent heart ailments
Magnesium prevents the irregular heartbeats, heart damage and muscle
stress. It soothes the nerves and mediates the digestive processes
which prevent the ailments such as indigestion, vomiting, cramps,
flatulence, abdominal pain and constipation. The deficiency of
magnesium increases the chances of fatal heart disease. (7)
8. Prevent cramps
Magnesium helps to treat backaches by relaxing kidney stress, back
muscles and muscular tension. It assists in the calcium absorption that
speeds up the healing of bones. The deficiency of magnesium results in
the symptoms such as general fatigue and leg cramps. The adequate
intake of magnesium helps to cure the problems of chronic leg cramps.
(8)
9. Brain health
Iron aids the oxygen supply in the blood. About 20% of the oxygen is
used by the brain so iron is related to the function and health of brain.
The adequate blood flow in the brain enhances the cognition and creates
the neural pathways which help to prevent the cognitive ailments such
as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. (9)
10. Formation of hemoglobin
Iron is essential for the hemoglobin formation and it also provides the
dark red shade to the blood. It transports the oxygen up to the body
cells. As human beings lose the blood in both external and internal
injuries, extra hemoglobin is very important. Women lose blood during
menstruation every month due to which they have high chances of
getting anemia than men.

References:
http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/biology/issues/biy-12-36-5/biy-36-5-11-1112-
11.pdf
http://www.globinmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=
101902:alocasia-macrorrhiza&catid=199&Itemid=139
http://www.stuartxchange.com/Biga.html
http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/4220
file:///C:/Users/drchi_000/Downloads/24352-87550-1-PB.pdf
http://digilib.library.usp.ac.fj/gsdl/collect/fourthtr/index/assoc/HASH5c64.dir/G
iant%20taro%20specialty%20crop.pdf
www.healthbenefitstimes.com
A high intake of fruits and vegetables can benefit health and reduce the risk of
many lifestyle-related health conditions.

Potatoes contain important nutrients, even when cooked, that can benefit
human health in various ways.

Here we look at 10 ways in which the potato might contribute to a healthful

lifestyle, including preventing osteoporosis, maintaining heart health, and
reducing the risk of infection.

1) Bone health
The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, and zinc in potatoes all help the
body to build and maintain bone structure and strength.

Iron and zinc play crucial roles in the production and maturation of collagen.

Phosphorus and calcium are both important in bone structure, but it

is essential to balance the two minerals for proper bone mineralization. Too
much phosphorus and too little calcium result in bone loss and contribute to
osteoporosis.

2) Blood pressure
A low sodium intake is essential for maintaining a healthy blood pressure, but
increasing potassiumintake may be just as important. Potassium encourages
vasodilation, or the widening of the blood vessels.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

(NHANES), fewer than 2 percentof American adults meet the daily 4,700-
milligram recommendation.
 Potassium, calcium, and magnesium are all present in the potato. These have
been found to decrease blood pressure naturally.

3) Heart health
The potato's fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 content, coupled with
its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health.

Potatoes contain significant amounts of fiber. Fiber helps lower the total
amount of cholesterol in the blood, thereby decreasing the risk of heart
disease.

Research based on the NHANES has linked a higher intake of potassium and
a lower intake of sodium to a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and heart
disease.

4) Inflammation
Choline is an important and versatile nutrient that is present in potatoes.
It helps with muscle movement, mood, learning, and memory.

It also assists in:

 maintaining the structure of cellular membranes

 transmitting nerve impulses

 the absorption of fat

 early brain development

One large potato contains 57 mg of choline. Adult males need 550 mg, and
females 425 mg a day.
5) Cancer
Potatoes contain folate. Folate plays a role in DNA synthesis and repair, and
so it prevents many types of cancer cells from forming due to mutations in the
DNA.

Fiber intake from fruits and vegetables like potatoes are associated with a
lowered risk of colorectal cancer.

Vitamin C and quercetin also function as antioxidants, protecting cells against

damage from free radicals.

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6) Digestion and regularity

The fiber content in potatoes helps prevent constipation and promote
regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

7) Weight management and satiety

Dietary fibers are commonly recognized as important factors in weight
management and weight loss.

They act as "bulking agents" in the digestive system. They increase satiety
and reduce appetite, so a person feels fuller for longer and is less likely to
consume more calories.
 8) Metabolism
Potatoes are a great source of vitamin B6. This plays a vital role in energy
metabolism, by breaking down carbohydrates and proteins into glucose and
amino acids. These smaller compounds are more easily utilized for energy
within the body.

9) Skin
Collagen is the skin's support system. Vitamin C works as an antioxidant to
help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke. Vitamin C also
helps collagen smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture.

10) Immunity
Research has found that vitamin C may help reduce the severity and duration
of a cold. Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C.

Nutrition
How healthful a potato is in the diet depends to some extent on what is added
or how it is cooked. Oil, sour cream, and butter all add calories, but the plain
potato itself is relatively low in calories.

It also provides important nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, and

various minerals.

A 100-gram (g) or 3.5- ounce serving is a little more than half of a medium
size potato. This much white potato, baked with skin, contains:

 94 calories

 0.15 grams of fat

 0 grams of cholesterol

 21.08 grams of carbohydrate

 2.1 grams of dietary fiber

 2.10 grams of protein

 10 milligrams (mg) of calcium

 0.64 mg of iron

 27 mg of magnesium

 75 mg of phosphorus

 544 mg of potassium

 12.6 mg of vitamin C

 0.211 mg of vitamin B6

 38 micrograms (mcg) of folate

Potatoes also provide niacin, choline, and zinc. Different varieties provide
slightly different nutrients.

Sodium: Whole, unprocessed potatoes contain very little sodium, only 10 mg

per 100 g (3.5 ounces), or less than 1 percent of the suggested daily limit.
However, this is not true of processed potato products, such as French fries
and potato chips.

Alpha-lipoic acid: Potatoes also contain a compound known as alpha-lipoic

acid (ALA), which helps the body to convert glucose into energy.

Some evidence suggests that alpha-lipoic acid can help control blood glucose
levels, improve vasodilation, protect against retinopathy in diabetic patients,
and preserve brain and nerve tissue.
Quercetin: Quercetin, a flavonoid found in potato skin, appears to have an
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect that protects the body's cells from
damage by free radicals.

Flavonoids are a kind of phytonutrient, organic compounds that are believed

to help protect against disease.

Antioxidants: Potatoes contain vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant.

Antioxidants may help prevent cell damage and cancer and promote healthy
digestion and cardiovascular functions.

Fiber: The fiber in potatoes helps to maintain a healthy digestive system and
circulation.