Sometimes it’s good to review some of those simple, old-fashioned remedies and natural plants that worked so well for our grandparents’ health…and for their kitchens, so let’s make September the month to look back at an old-reliable: ARROWROOT (Maranta arundinacea). Soothe and relieve inflamed mucous membranes with timeless Arrowroot. This easily digested plant starch is a natural source of calcium and has long been used to provide a nourishing bland diet for convalescents and children. Arrowroot is said to be very helpful in the treatment of indigestion and useful for wounds and regulating bowel complaints. The lack of gluten in Arrowroot flour makes it useful as a replacement for wheat flour in baking (think of gentle, digestive Arrowroot cookies) and a great thickening agent for gravies and sauces. This is a must-have for every home.
Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Herbal Extracts Plus is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Arrowroot is a native of South America that has also been naturalized in southern Florida, and commonly grown in Brazil and Thailand. Cultivated in tropical regions for its starchy rootstock, it is an important source of commercial Arrowroot and also used as a cornstarch and tapioca substitute for thickening purposes. The Arrowroot plant is an herbaceous perennial, with a creeping rhizome with upward-curving, fleshy, cylindrical tubers covered with large, thin scales. Growing in pairs, the plant's numerous, ovate leaves grow to a length of ten inches with long sheaths often enveloping the stem. Traditional harvesting involves extracting the starch from rhizomes of less than a year old, which is then washed, pulped in wooden mortars, stirred in clean water, and the fibers then wrung out. Next, the milky liquor is strained, allowed to settle and then drained. Clean water is again added, mixed and drained, after which the starch is dried. The resulting powder looks and feels very much like cornstarch (they are often used interchangeably). Arrowroot is used as a clear, tasteless thickening agent for making gravies, sauces, puddings, fruit fillings and glazes, and is even said to prevent ice crystals from forming in homemade ice cream. Although there are many tales surrounding Arrowroot's name, the Aruac (Arawak) Indians of Central and South America apparently called it aru-aru, meaning “meal of meals," since they valued Arrowroot so highly as a food, but its popular name is said to be a corruption of the Aru root of the Arawaks who also used the powder as an antidote to arrow-poison. Moreover, Native Americans in both South and North America applied Arrowroot to sores and wounds inflicted by scorpions and black spider bites, and the Maya of Mexico used it to arrest gangrene and smallpox.
Let’s see how ARROWROOT can help YOU!
Arrowroot is now known to be a superior carbohydrate with demulcent properties that will soothe irritated and inflamed mucous membranes and can aid in the relief of the temporary discomforts of colic and indigestion.
As a rich source of digestible calcium, Arrowroot can be nourishing in porridges to children after weaning and for delicate persons during convalescence. Because of its easy digestibility and because it is extremely bland, Arrowroot is suitable for neutral diets, especially for people who suffer from nausea.
Arrowroot is believed to be valuable in the treatment and regulation of bowel complaints: It is used as a mild laxative but can also help relieve diarrhea. Somewhat like apple fiber, it is amphoteric in nature, which means that it can work in two directions: It may help to thicken bowels that are loose or loosen up bowels that are constipated.
It is said that when taken internally, Arrowroot is a good antidote for vegetable poisons and a remedy for pus in the urine, reaffirming its traditional uses by Native North and South Americans.
ARROWROOT is a must for every household, whether in your kitchen or your herbal medicinal cabinet. Everybody needs gentle help from time to time when indigestion or intestinal distress strikes, so let gluten-free, natural Arrowroot jump in and help – all year round!
Below, you may order ARROWROOT directly, or for more detailed information about this herb, visit our ARROWROOT web page, and you will find important, additional facts concerning the herb’s benefits, botanical constituents, contraindications, dosage, pricing and ordering options.
ARROWROOT from Herbal Extracts Plus is our Herb of the Month for September! When you add any Arrowroot Single Herb products to the shopping cart during the month of September, 2010, you will see the 10% Herb of the Month Discount applied.
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Arrowroot
Item # H-1300 (capsules)/B-1300 (bulk) |
Click to enlarge |
| 30 capsules |
$5.99 |
600 capsules |
$79.36 |
| 60 capsules |
$10.49 |
1/4 lb. Powder |
$12.09 |
| 90 capsules |
$14.00 |
1/2 lb. Powder |
$19.19 |
| 360 capsules |
$43.56 |
1 lb. Powder |
$33.38 |
| If purchasing Bulk powder, please click here. |
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