Fundamentals of Food Technology

Roots and Tubers

• The important foods in this group are potato, sweet potato, tapioca, carrot elephant yam and colocasia.

• They are, in general, good sources of carbohydrate.

• They are, however, poor sources of proteins, except potato which is a fair source.

• Carrot and yellow flesh variety of sweet potato are good sources of carotene but potato, tapioca and white flesh variety of sweet potato do not have much of carotene.

• Since they are poor sources of proteins, they can be used only in small amounts as a partial substitute for cereals.

• Consumption of excessive amounts of tapioca by young children is the main cause for the protein malnutrition.