Colocasia esculenta is a tuber under many common names, such as Amadumbe (South
Africa), Taro (Pacific islands) or Cocoyam (West Africa).
It is a traditional food crop grown in the KwaZulu-Natal
(KZN) province of South Africa.
This “potato of the tropics” is cooked much like a yam. It is believed that amadumbe has been cultivated for over 6 000 years and originated in Oceania and South East Asia.
Nutritional evaluation showed anti-nutritional properties that reduce the availability of nutrients to animals and humans.
Amylase, present in Amadumbe prevents starches from being digested and absorbed by the body and this could be useful for treating obesity and diabetes mellitus.
