Taro is a root vegetable that is commonly found throughout Asia. However, this is a vegetable that is popular all over the world and eaten in a variety of savory dishes.
But despite being hugely popular among foodies, there are still people who are unfamiliar with the taste of taro.
We decided that it was time everyone knew about this wonderful flavor so, let’s explore what taro tastes like and how it can benefit your diet.
What Is Taro?
In Southeast Asia and many parts of India, taro is a staple part of many people’s diets. This root vegetable comes from the taro plant which can be found widely growing in this part of the world. However, this vegetable is also very popular in areas across Africa and the Caribbean.
While this is a hugely popular food, taro can be dangerous if eaten raw. Many experienced chefs will always advise you to wear gloves when handling the flesh of raw taro since it has been known to cause irritation to the skin.
That being said,when cooked, taro is perfectly healthy – but we will look at that in a little more detail later on.
Is taro actually purple?
A lot of foods that have taro as an ingredient take on a purplish tinge. However, for the most part, this is as a result of food colorings.
Taro has white flesh with specks of purple but this is not enough to change the color of any dish it is included in.
The ube, which is a close family member of the taro has a deep purple flesh and this does have the ability to create purple foods.
What Does Taro Taste Like?
One of the most accurate descriptions of the taro is that it is somewhere between a sweet potato and a regular potato.
But that doesn’t give us much to go in. In order to understand what taro tastes like, we need to go a little deeper.
Taro has a relatively nutty and rich taste which could be described as being complex. Typically taro is used in savory dishes.
For example, across India, this vegetable is cut into cubes and added to vegetarian curries as a substantial alternative to meat.
What does taro ice cream taste like?
Taro may often be used in savory cooking, but there are always exceptions to any rule and this vegetable can be used to make taro ice cream. In fact, this is a very popular dessert and has a wonderfully nutty flavor with hints of vanilla.
What does taro bubble tea taste like?
As well as being used in ice cream, taro is used to make bubble tea.
Drink lovers favor this beverage for its sweet and nutty taste that is milky and extremely comforting.
Does taro have caffeine?
When drinking taro tea, many people are concerned that this will boost their daily caffeine intake. Of course, most teas have a level of caffeine but this depends on the variety.
Taro, as a vegetable doesn’t contain any caffeine, however, since the tea is made using black tea or green tea, this adds caffeine into the mix.
What Flavor Goes With Taro?
Hey, no one is stopping you from experimenting with taro and discovering what you like to eat it with. That is the beauty of food, you are free to create unique dishes that appeal to your palate.
However, most commonly taro pairs very well with coconut; this combination likely comes from the fact that, where taro is grown, there is also an ample supply of coconuts.
Taro is also frequently used to alter the taste and texture of certain dishes. For example, it is often used in mooncake to give an altered texture and will balance the sweetness of very sugary desserts.
Furthermore, taro can be added to plain foods such as yoghurt as a way of boosting the flavor and making them more appealing.
How Healthy Is Taro?
Taro is not only a very tasty and versatile food, but it is also extremely healthy. When compared to a regular potato, taro has five times more fiber so is excellent for the digestive system. However, the benefits do not end here. Let’s take a look at how healthy taro is.
- Taro is thought to be able to control blood sugar. This is because it has high levels of certain carbs including fiber which humans are unable to digest. This means that it will have no effect on the blood sugar. In addition to this, it can decrease the speed of digestion which may help to prevent a sugar spike after eating.
- As a result of the high levels of fiber in taro, the risk of cardiovascular disease may be significantly decreased. Studies have shown that those who eate higher levels of fiber experience improved heart health.
- Taro is relatively low in calories and so may form part of a successful weight loss program. A single cup of taro contains less than 190 calories!
- There are significant levels of a plant based products known as polyphenols found in taro root. These are known to have several benefits to your health, including the potential for lowering the risk of certain types of cancer. There have been studies to show that the particular polyphenols found in taro may slow the growth of cancerous cells and even cause some of these cells to die off completely.
Conclusion
Taro is a root vegetable that can be found growing in parts of Asia. It is very popular in this part of the world but is also frequently eaten in Africa and the Caribbean. The vegetable has a rich, nutty taste that is versatile enough to use in many dishes; it can just as easily be used to make ice cream as it can in a curry.
Not only is this a very delicious food, but taro also has a wide range of health benefits, making it great as part of a nutritious diet.
