The name arrowroot is derived from the phrase ‘root used to treat wounds from poison-tipped arrows’. Whenever there were problems with people’s digestion systems, traditional wisdom dictated that they be put on a mild diet to ensure that their bodies are given enough time to heal themselves. Such a mild diet might include easy to digest dishes that are packed with the required nutrients like chicken noodle soups, porridge from oats or arrowroot or sago etc.
Benefits or Uses of Arrowroot
- Arrowroot (Sathi) has been used from the Middle Ages around the world for its easy digestion in times of illness. In India, it is a common plant and so has been used for centuries as a staple food for patients in a thin watery form of porridge called kanji.
- As it is rich in starch it has been used as a staple in the Caribbean islands by the natives. The thick tubular root of the arrowroot plant is scaled off to remove dirt and impurities and then ground to a paste. Then the paste is left to settle in the bottom of a pan and is powdered and used like the corn flour or rice flour. It is white in color, odorless and tasteless.
- It is also used as a thickening agent in many products like sauces, curries, bakery products, jellies and is a good alternative to corn starch. It does not contain any gluten and so can be used in bakery products for those with gluten allergies. It can be shimmery when made into a jelly-like paste and so is used to make fruit jellies that look shimmery and appealing.
- Arrowroot is a nutritional yet non-irritating easy to digest staple and is the first diet recommended for people recovering from prolonged illnesses like typhoid or jaundice, when their digestive systems can be very vulnerable.
- Arrowroot is also used in case of sever bowel problems due to its demulcent properties though too much unsupervised use might result in sever constipation.
- As it is bland, nutritious and harmless, arrowroot is used as a substitute for breast milk to help wean babies away or as a supplement to breast milk.
- Arrowroot has been used to treat poisons and toxins resulting from spider bites, snake bites and scorpion stings etc. by applying the mashed rhizomes to the affected area to remove the toxins.
- It is also used as an antidote for vegetable poisoning or plant toxins, by mixing the fresh arrowroot juice with water.
- Arrowroot is also used traditionally to treat gangrene and athlete’s foot, by sheer moisture control as it does not possess any medicinal qualities.
- As it is soothing to the skin like aloe vera, it is also used to treat small pox, as a means of controlling the eruptions as a non-irritating topical application and soothing the itching.
In this way, arrowroot as a plant has plenty going for it and its versatile usage shows how healthy it is in various ways. It can be used as baby food and sick food, and can also be used for the treatment for toxins and disturbed bowel movements. It is also used to prevent the formation of ice crystals in the case of homemade ice creams.
The Side Effects of Arrowroot
Though there are no major side effects attributed to arrowroot, like with any other herbal preparation, you have to be vigilant for side effects as enough studies have not been done on them. As it is very effective in the management of diarrhea, it can also lead to severe constipation, if taken indiscriminately. Special care should be taken in the case of pregnant women, lactating mothers, infants and those recovering from illnesses.
One reason for the popularity of the arrowroot as sick food, at par with chicken noodle soup is its versatility. It is totally bland and easy to digest and so can be had by everyone to suit myriad tastes in myriad ways. The one major precaution to remember is to check for possible allergies in infants and young children and to ensure that when administering it as a treatment for diarrhea, no other medication or supplements are also being used, as this might lead to sever constipation with adverse results.
