Slowly but steady, tiger nuts are becoming known for their properties and health benefits and not only for being the main ingredient from which Valencian horchata is made.
These benefits were already known by the ancient Egyptian, Persian and Chinese empires, which already used the tiger nut for their medical value for healing purposes.
Tiger nuts and their contribution of natural vitamins and minerals
Tiger nuts are a great source of natural minerals. They mainly provide calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and zinc. Calcium helps to keep teeth and bones healthy, intervenes in blood coagulation and in the transmission of nerve impulses. Magnesium is also involved in the formation of teeth and bones, and also helps maintain the activity of muscles and nerves, promoting a healthy immune system.
Potassium and sodium help in the correct functioning of nerves and muscles, they are essential for the correct growth of the organism. Phosphorus also participates in the storage and correct use of energy and zinc intervenes in the development and growth of the reproductive organs and in the function of the senses of taste and smell.
“Tiger nuts are a considered a superfood as they provide a great number of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and zinc and vitamins E, C and folic acid.”
Tiger nuts are also a source of vitamins E and C. While VItamin E which helps prevent haemolysis, vitamin C, promotes the formation of collagen and the absorption of iron for the protection of bones and teeth. Both vitamins have an antioxidant function, helping in the production of red blood cells and the protection of cell membranes.
The folic acid provided by the tuber (also known as Vitamin B9) helps the formation of red and white blood cells and the content in Vitamin B6 intervenes in the functioning of nerve cells and in the formation of antibodies and red blood cells. Moreover, thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2) are vitamins, which are also present in tiger nuts, and are involved in energy metabolism. Finally, we can mention tiger nuts also contain niacin, which helps generate s3xual hormones. This makes tiger nuts some kind of a nutrient cocktail and why they have been highly regarded along history for their health healing properties.
Medicinal values of tiger nut
In addition to a large number of minerals and vitamins provided by tiger nuts, they are a source of natural energy thanks to its content of starch and sucrose, necessary to carry out the vital functions and promote growth. Their high fibre content, similar to whole grains, nuts and fruits, helps to keep the gut happy, improving constipation symptoms, reduce cholesterol and enhance glycemic control.
Tiger nuts are a good source of vegetable proteins since they contain a large number of essential amino acids. For example, they contain both lysine, that participates in the formation of collagen; and glycine, that is a neurotransmitter.
Oleic acid helps to decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good cholesterol) and at the same time, helps to control triglycerides. The most abundant amino acid in tiger nuts is arginine, which is needed in the synthesis of urea.
In addition, tiger nuts also contain a significant amount of polyphenols, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties. It has been demonstrated that the consumption of a small daily serving of tiger nuts is beneficial for our health.