Palmyra Tuber As a Functional Food: Nutritional Value and Potential Health Benefits
1
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. India
2
Department of Research, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. India
Received: 2025-05-15
Revised: 2025-06-04
Accepted: 2025-07-13
Published: 2025-08-04
The Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer) is a highly versatile tree, often celebrated for its extensive economic and cultural significance. In Indian mythology, it is revered as the “Kalpa Vriksha” or wish-fulfilling tree, as nearly every part of it serves a valuable purpose. The palm is predominantly distributed across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar. Despite its remarkable potential, it remains underutilized in South India, even though natural seed regeneration contributes to its growing population. The tender fruits, considered a seasonal delicacy, are rarely harvested on a commercial scale. Similarly, ripe fruits are not fully exploited for juice extraction or tuber processing, although the tubers are commonly sold fresh in local markets. Notably, Palmyra tuber flour is an important raw material in the food industry, particularly in the production of starch-based products such as bakery and confectionery items.
Palmyra tuber, composition, health benefits, bioactive compounds, value added products.