Arrowroot herb looks and feels like cornstarch but it is more nourishing and easy to digest.
This medicinal herb is also a culinary herb
Arrowroot, Maranta Arundinacea, is a jungle plant and native to Africa, the East and West Indies and also Central and South America. It can also be described as a large perennial herb of genus maranta found in rain-forest habitats. It is also called obedience plant and it also a medicinal as well as culinary herb.
Archaeological studies in the Americas show evidence of this cultivation as early as 7,000 years ago.
The name may come from aru-aru, which means, meal of meals, in the language of the Caribbean Arawak people, for whom the plant is a staple. It has also been suggested that the name comes from arrowroot's use in treating poison arrow wounds, as it draws out the poison when applied to the site of the injury.
In the early days of carbon-less copy papers, this herb, because of its fine grain size, was a widely used ingredient.
It yields an herbal starch for commercial use
This is a popular root food used by many rural folks for many years. The rhizome yields a very pure form of starch for commercial use. The powder is high in carbohydrates, and can be made into a nutritive drink for convalescents.
This is one of the herbs that is safe for babies, especially during teething, the crushed leaves of this plant can be rubbed on the gum to ease discomfort.
Mixing the powdered roots with water can be taken to reduce body heat and also rubbing it on the skin will prevent sunburn.
Some of its benefits
This medicinal herb is used to treat bowel and urinary problems, neutralizes poisons and acids in the blood. It is good to soothe an uneasy stomach and may alleviate and cure diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
In culinary uses, this herb is used in puddings, pies, soups and gravies. It is especially used to thicken the soups and gravies and is more nourishing than the use of flour or cornstarch.The starch of this herb has long been used in making clear glazes for fruit pies or Chinese clear gravies because of its superior thickening ability.
Dosage
The dosage of two to three teaspoons of the white powdered root may be boiled in a pint of water, and the drink may be taken several times for the day.
Instead of boiling in water, the herb may be boiled in milk. It has a soothing and softening effect upon mucous membranes as well.