Plant atlas Short
Taro: Cook It Well, or the Crystals Sting
Taro · เผือก · Colocasia esculenta
Taro — เผือก (pheuak) — Colocasia esculenta.
Taro is a starchy staple that must be cooked thoroughly before eating. The edible part is the corm. Lab digestion tests measured how slowly taro products released glucose. It's rich in manganese, vitamin E, vitamin B6, fiber, and potassium. Fiber adds bulk to meals, can help with fullness, and can slow carbohydrate absorption as part of a mixed diet. Bua Loy Phuak features chewy taro dumplings simmered in sweet pandan-infused coconut cream, topped with tender young coconut strips, and served warm as a classic comforting Thai dessert. Khanom Mo Kaeng Phuak is a baked taro custard made from taro, duck eggs, and palm sugar, baked until golden and garnished with crispy fried shallots. Taro must always be cooked thoroughly — raw corms and leaves carry sharp calcium-oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and throat. A little fat or oil helps your body absorb its fat-soluble vitamin E. Treat the raw stems and corms with the same care. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Taro Dumplings in Coconut Cream — บัวลอยเผือก (bua-loy-pheuak)
Baked Taro Custard — ขนมหม้อแกงเผือก (kha-nom-mo-gaeng-pheuak)
Source: Simsek S, El SN (2015). In-vitro starch digestibility & estimated GI of taro. Food Chem 168:257-261. DOI:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.052
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
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Food and nutrients
Rich in: manganese, vitamin E, vitamin B6, fiber, potassium
Research context
Taro products release glucose slowly in lab digestion tests — Food Chemistry, 2015 (in vitro; depends on preparation)