Are taro leaves nutritious?

[unknownjulie]

It would seem that all of my spinach, endive, and cabbage is being eaten by insects prior to me really being able to pick it in any quantities. The kale appears to be safe, and the taro leaves. I was thinking about "just forgetting about trying to grow other cultivars and just eating the taro leaves" in place of spinach etc. Is this ok to do regularly? Do they need to be cooked? (some leaves have cyanide but cooking deactivates it). Thanks.

[Wao nahele wahine]

quote:

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Originally posted by unknownjulie

It would seem that all of my spinach, endive, and cabbage is being eaten by insects prior to me really being able to pick it in any quantities. The kale appears to be safe, and the taro leaves. I was thinking about "just forgetting about trying to grow other cultivars and just eating the taro leaves" in place of spinach etc. Is this ok to do regularly? Do they need to be cooked? (some leaves have cyanide but cooking deactivates it). Thanks.

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http://www.survivalfoodplants.com/taro-c...esculenta/

According to this link, the leaves can be eaten, but need to be cooked first (same goes for the root).

Wahine

[Carey]

Taro does not have cyanide, but all parts of the taro plant have oxalates, also all parts are nutritious.

Another nutrient loaded plant that does well in Hawaii is Moringa olifera, and once started, it is a very hardy plant

[dayna]

Taro is delicious! Just be sure to cook it well. It's one of the few plants even goats won't eat raw.

Dayna

http://www.FarmingAloha.com
www.E-Z-Caps.com

[Hawnjigs]

What are your favorite leaf varieties? A common preference is Chinese taro aka bun long, but are there similar lower oxalate Hawaiian kalo varieties?

Aloha aina, aloha kai

[rainyjim]

I hear the woofers / folk at cinderland eat sweet potato and tarp leaves primarily when their EBT runs out.

lol.

I've not tried it myself yet but many have told me sweet potato leaves are indeed edible and quite nutritious - i've also noticed very little damage due to insects or pathogens on any sweet potato here - a very hardy plant.

[dayna]

I used to eat at a place in Juneau Alaska. The gal was from Honokaa and she made the BEST taro chicken dish I ever had. Steamed then sauteed taro leaves with some yummy ginger somethingoranother chicken. Man, so good. I ate there a lot.

Dayna

http://www.FarmingAloha.com
www.E-Z-Caps.com

[Carey]

Dayna, that sounds like the start for Tinola Manuk - Chicken is saute'ed in ginger, garlic, onion, patis, then steamed or boiled with green papaya & moringa (or taro, spinach or chard leaves)
I learned how to make this from one of our neighbor & is one of my fav. crock pot meals...esp when we harvest moringa (the green papaya is fantastic for tenderizing meat)

[Rene Siracusa]

A word of caution: make sure that you are eating the leaves of taro and not of the giant taro, called 'ape. The leaves of hat one is loaded with oxalic acid and will make your mouth feel like a pincushion. However, its corm, when cooked, can be eaten.

[Iju]

After reading on taro varieties in CTAHR, I'm interested in the Chinese variety, bun-long.

Will it grow in 7-gal pot? And where can I get some starts?

Mahalo.