By Abdulroqeeb Arówólò
Tiger nuts are a great source of natural minerals. They mainly provide calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and zinc.
They are becoming known for their properties and health benefits and not only for being the main ingredient from which Valencian horchata is made.
1. Contain Antioxidants
In the human body, free-flowing oxygen molecules can create free radicals, otherwise known as oxidative damage. This damage can eventually lead to diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
It’s essential for one to have a diet rich in antioxidants to protect yourself from oxidative damage over time, and tiger nuts have been proved to be a great source of antioxidants. With high vitamin E content and oleic acid, these “nuts” help you protect your body from disease.
Certain preparation styles change the antioxidant properties of tiger nuts, although they’re all be beneficial to you. For example, when preparing horchata, using germinated tiger nuts helps retain higher antioxidant content than using fresh tiger nuts.
2. A Great Source of Fiber
One serving of tiger nuts has a whopping 10 grams of fiber, providing one with almost half of one’s daily requirement. Fiber is an important, if misunderstood, part of nutrition.
When it isn’t absorbed by your digestive system, it passes through your system, capturing toxins, waste, fat and cholesterol particles and expelling them from your system. Fiber helps you feel full always, maintain digestive health, prevent heart disease, lose weight and prevent diabetes. Tiger nuts contain more fiber per serving than many other recommended high-fiber foods, like quinoa or chia seeds.
3. Hold Antibacterial Properties
Another tiger nut benefit is the ability to fight bacteria in the human body. Wherever you live, it’s important to fill your diet with immune system boosters like tiger nuts. Bacteria-fighting food helps you fight off infections and viruses so don’t neglect this important part of nutrition.
4. Work as a Prebiotic
While tiger nuts help fight bad bacteria in your body, they also aid your digestive tract by acting as a “resistant starch” prebiotic. Prebiotics function by serving as energy sources (a “fuel,” of sorts) for the positive gut bacteria that keep your entire digestive system running smoothly.
Because a rapid shift in gut microflora can temporarily upset your stomach, it’s a good idea to introduce “resistant starch” prebiotics into your diet gradually. This can help you avoid any temporary gas or bloating you could experience otherwise.
5. Control Diabetes
The insoluble fiber in these tubers helps control blood sugar levels, as it’s a type of carbohydrate that doesn’t raise blood sugar.
This shows positive signs for the tiger nut working as a diabetes treatment.
6. Lower Bad Cholesterol
Even though there is a lot of misinformation out there about good and bad cholesterol, it’s still important to maintain healthy levels of each. Tiger nuts have been proven to lower levels of LDL cholesterol and balance cholesterol levels by absorbing it better due to the fiber content.
7. May strengthen immunity
Studies have shown that tiger nuts extracts can benefit the immune system. The extracts are found to be effective against bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and E. coli.
