My first topic of the semester may or may not be helpful in getting us all back on track. That is, I’ve never actually tried the food I’m about to mention, but rather I recently heard about it for the first time, and I was intrigued. I have spoken about the versatility of the coconut. Now, let us explore the tigernut through a similar lens.
The what? The tigernut? Yep, you heard me. Maybe you’ve even heard of it before. But I had never before encountered the tigernut until this past week, so I did a little research and found the tigernut to be yet another quite nifty food that’s finding its way to the spotlight as a potential new ‘trend.’
For those of us who (like me) have no idea, what exactly is a tigernut? Well, as it turns out, it’s not a nut. It’s a vegetable — a root vegetable, like a potato, but much smaller. From my understanding, it is considered a ‘superfood’ that is found and cultivated in areas in West Africa as well as the Mediterranean. Again, like the coconut, it is not a new thing. The tigernut has been used since ancient times and is only recently making its debut in mainstream Western culture.
What are the benefits of tigernuts? Well, they’re rich in fiber, potassium, iron and more. They suit vegan, paleo and gluten-free diets. And they can be converted into flour, oil, milk — basically anything that nuts (and coconuts) can be converted into. The flour is apparently especially good for making pastries and supposedly can be easily substituted for white flour at a 1:1 ratio, which is uncommon among alternative flours.
As I previously mentioned, I have never tried any tigernut products. I cannot give a firsthand account of their usefulness. It is always, however, helpful to be aware of any and all foods that can act as replacements for wheat, dairy and certain oil products, especially for those of us who find our dietary options extremely limited. At the same time, remember that this new food ‘trend’ really isn’t new at all and has been a part of various cultures since ancient times — so even if the Western world has formerly been unaware of this ‘superfood,’ there are people elsewhere who have always known about it.
If you would like to look into these products, they are available for purchase online. As for grocery stores, I can only assume that tigernut products might be available in some stores that have special sections devoted to gluten-free and alternative products, but I cannot speak to this for sure. What do you think? Is this something you’d consider trying? It seems as viable an option as any; It is meant to be extremely healthy. Of course, as with any starchy food, it should be used in moderation.
For now, I plan to wait and see whether this product takes off as others have done. Perhaps the tigernut will turn out to be the next coconut!
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