Tiger nuts tubers are daily diets for many people in North Africa and Spain. In North Africa, the tubers are consumed in their natural form or after being soaked in water for some hours. They have been known for 4000 years, and are not actually a nut but a small tuber, which is high in fibre, proteins and natural sugars.
They are a good source of energy and have a rather curious flavour, which is a little like caramel, and this is perhaps more pronounced because they are chewy. Tiger nuts are grown from April through to September, the dried during September and October until they are finally harvested in November/December. Like rice they need irrigation on a weekly basis, and seem to be particularly well adapted to the climate around the Spanish Mediterranean coast. They are also grown in Egypt where they are used in perfumes, food and medicine. You may have had ice cream flavoured with them or biscuits. It has been shown that they can help prevent heart attacks and thrombosis and that they increase blood circulation, as they, as well as their Asian relatives have potent antioxidant properties. They can also help to decrease the risk of some cancers including colon cancer partly due it would appear to the high content of soluble glucose in the nuts. Spanish tiger nuts have come under close scrutiny lately and it has been found that the oil obtained from them has similar properties to olive oil. This plant’s aerial parts look like those of rice or vetiver. Tiger nuts are also more nutritious (and I think tastier than peanuts). They contain minerals: - chromium, sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc, and have a high vitamin E and C content. Apart from all these beneficial ingredients, they also contain all the amino acids and some of the B-complex vitamins. They are suitable for diabetics and can be eaten raw, roasted or dried.
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