Arrowroot Powder

Description

Arrowroot powder, also known as arrowroot flour, ararot powder or arrowroot starch, is a healthier alternative to common cooking ingredients for bread, pasta, and cakes. Generally, arrowroot flour is used as a replacement for corn starch as a healthier alternative. It is gluten-free, which makes it more valuable today with the rising incidence of celiac disease in many countries.

Arrowroot powder has traditionally been used as a digestive aid for over a century, documented as early as 1900. According to research about Antarctic expeditions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was one of the four main foods and drinks for explorers whose bodies were largely devoid of vitamins. Arrowroot has traditionally been used as a nutritional food for infants and for people recovering from illness, and traditionally for stomach and intestinal discomfort, including diarrhea. Babies have traditionally used arrowroot cookies for teething.

Arrowroot powder or starch is obtained from the rhizomes of Maranta arundinacea, a tropical perennial herb. In addition to the Maranta arundinacea variety, it is also obtained from Zamia integrifolia (known as Florida arrowroot) and tapioca from cassava (Manihot esculenta). A similar plant, known as "kudzu," is referred to as Japanese arrowroot (from Pueraria lobata) and is used in the same fashion.

Arrowroot powder is harvested from the tubers of its plant without the use of harsh chemicals or high heat. The modern extraction process, which includes washing, peeling, soaking, and drying the fleshy roots in the sun, is not much different from the process used throughout recorded history.

In foods, arrowroot is used as an ingredient in cooking and for making thin arrowroot biscuits. Arrowroot is often replaced with cheaper starches, including potato, corn, wheat, or rice starch. Today, arrowroot is used most often as a thickener in food. It serves as a gluten-free alternative to cornstarch.

Benefits

Arrowroot is gentle on sensitive digestive systems and is one of the easier starches for the body to digest. It's traditionally valued as a home remedy for various common digestive matters and is also associated with supporting general immunity.

Nutrition Facts (per 100g)

Calories: 65
Total Fat: 0.2g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 26mg
Potassium: 454mg
Total Carbohydrate: 13g
Dietary Fiber: 1.3g
Protein: 4.2g
Vitamin A: 19 IU
Vitamin C: 1.9mg
Calcium: 6mg
Iron: 2.2mg
Vitamin D: 0 IU
Vitamin B-6: 0.3mg
Vitamin B-12: 0µg
Magnesium: 25mg

Usage

Recommended dosage: As directed by dietitian.

It is always better to consult your doctor, physician, or dietitian.