The root of taro, also known as malanga, an edible tuber that is native from tropical regions. It is very popular in Caribbean, Polynesian and African cuisine. Malanga is usually the size of a turnip but with oblong shape, fibrous skin and brown color (sometimes hairy). The flesh of the taro is usually white or cream. However there are varieties that have purple spots. It is usually cooked and consumed in the same way as potatoes, but the malanga has a more knotty and nutty flavor, similar to water chestnuts.
White Malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium): It is the most popular variety of malanga in Central and South America, as its name indicates it has a white flesh. According to the region, White Malanga is also known as bore, camacho, chonque, macabo, mafafa, mangareto or mangarito, mangará-mirim or mangarás, ocumo, elephant ear, rascadera, taioba, yaro, tiquisque and yautía.
The malanga is a type of tuber that usually grows in the American continent and the Caribbean islands. Knowing the properties and health benefits of malanga is important because it seems to provide the necessary nutrients for our body to function at its best.
There are some varieties of this tuber: the white one, that besides South America, we find it in the Canary Islands; the yellow one, and the island one that is an Asian type variety. This food is rich in vitamins and minerals, among others.
Properties: It is good in vitamins C, B and E. While we can point out that it offers minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, manganese, which are essential for the proper functioning of everyone's body.
It is also good in fiber, ideal for improving intestinal transit. Another particularity to highlight of the malanga is that it is low in sodium, specifically, a portion for an adult person only provides 20 milligrams of sodium, which is only 1% of the daily recommended amount of sodium.
