Surprising health benefits of arrowroots/nduma

Common in central Kenya, arrow roots which are popularly referred to as

They may not be as sweet as sweet potatoes but their nutritional value is definitely worth it. Although they are mostly boiled and eaten for breakfast, you could also cook them with other foods to make stew.

ALSO READ: 6 great health benefits of eating sweet potatoes

Check out these great benefits of ndumas:

1. Digestion

Arrowroots have high starch and they act as a laxative to people with bowel movement problems. The fiber in arrowroots helps in preventing bloating, indigestion and constipation.

2. Heart health

Ndumas are rich in Potassium which is known to be a vasodilator. It relieves the tension of your blood vessels hence reducing the blood pressure. When your blood pressure is balanced, you are at a lower risk of getting cardiovascular diseases.

3. Pregnancy

Expectant women require folate for healthy development of the fetus. Eating arrow roots when pregnant will help your baby develop without any congenital disabilities.

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4. Weight loss

Compared to other starch foods such as potatoes, cassava and yams, arrowroots are low in calories. If you are trying to shed some pounds therefore, add arrowroots to your diet. The higher fiber contents will also fill you up and you won’t crave for food for quite some time.

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5. UTI

Urinary tract infections can be very stubborn to treat. However, the inflammatory properties in arrowroots helps in treating UTIs and other bladder infections.

6. Boosts metabolism

Folate is responsible for metabolism in our bodies. And since arrowroots have considerable amounts of it, eating them increases the rate of metabolism.