Maranta Arundinacea Powder, also known as arrowroot, maranta, West Indian arrowroot, obedience plant, Bermuda arrowroot, araru, ararao or hulankeeriya, is a large, perennial herb found in rainforest habitats. Arrowroot flour is now produced commercially mostly in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Contents
Uses
- Arrowroot is used as a nutritional food for infants and for people recovering from illness. It is also used for stomach and intestinal disorders, including diarrhea.
- Some people sooth painful gums and sore mouth by applying arrowroot directly to the affected area. Babies cut teeth on arrowroot cookies.
- In foods, arrowroot is used as an ingredient in cooking. Arrowroot is often replaced with cheaper starches, including potato, corn, wheat, or rice starch.
Benefits
- Arrowroot has been used as an infant formula in place of breast milk or to help the baby adjust after weaning. A jelly made from arrowroot is often preferred by recently weaned infants to infant cereal or other farinaceous foods. Compared to other starches, arrowroot is believed to be the easiest to digest.
- Because of its demulcent properties, the herb has been used as a treatment for various bowel complaints.
- It is believed that the herb is an effective treatment against poisoned wounds, including scorpion stings, snake bites, and spider bites. Additionally, arrowroot has been used to treat gangrene.
- Fresh arrowroot juice mixed with water, if drunk, is said to be an antidote to vegetable poisons.
- The plant is used as an herbal remedy to alleviate nausea and to replenish nutrients lost through diarrhea and vomiting.
Cautions
- As with any herbal remedy, caution should be exercised when taking arrowroot. While a doctor should always be consulted before using herbal remedies, use special caution before giving it to children, pregnant or nursing mothers, or anyone with kidney or liver disease.
- If considering arrowroot for an infant formula, consult the child’s pediatrician first and monitor closely for allergic reactions.
- There are no known side effects linked to arrowroot, and it is not known to have any adverse interactions with drugs or chemicals in food.
- When using the herb to alleviate diarrhea, it should not be taken with any other medication or supplement for diarrhea, as this may lead to constipation.
Interactions
Unknown, please consult with your doctor.
Other names
Maranta starch, obedience plant, Bermuda arrowroot
References
Source: WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-283-arrowroot.aspx?activeingredientid=283&activeingredientname=arrowroot
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranta_arundinacea
HerbalSupplementResource, https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/arrowroot-herb.html
Image source: By Wibowo Djatmiko (Wie146) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10061180