b'TARO: FROMCANOESTO NUTRITIONW hen the first Polynesians arrived onHAWAII CANOE PLANTSHawaii Island, they were the ultimate practitioners of sustainable gardening. TheApeElephant Earfirst people to arrive in Hawaii broughtAwaKavaeverything they would need to settle a newAwapuhiShampoo Gingerland in the form of canoe plants. TheseIpuGourdplants provided not only food but alsoKALOTAROsupplies in the form of material for clothKamaniAlexandrian Laureland clothing, ship repair, medicine, andKoSugar CaneKukuiCandlenuttools. These first settlers realized that theirOhiaa AiMountain Appleactions in the present literally created theirMiloPortia Treefuture, and this kept them engaged andNiuCoconutdeeply connected to the Aina once they ar- NoniIndian Mulberryrived and cultivated these plants in Hawaii. OheBambooMaiaBananaSome of these plants are featured in ourWaukePaper Mulberrycookbook, and most grow in the gardens atOhlenaTumericPQ. Maia and Uala are familiar to most ofPiaArrowrootus and easily prepared. Others take a littleUalaSweet Potatospecial attention. UhiGiant YamUluBreadfruitKalo (Taro) is highly nutritious and is thought to be one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Poifermented, mashed kalocan even be used as a milk subsitute for infants. Taro corms contain more calories than potatoes, but are very low in fats. Kalo is gluten free and high in dietary fiber and antioxidants, in addition having moderate amounts of minerals and vitamins. The combination of slow digesting com-plex carbohydrates and moderate amounts of fiber helps to gradually raise blood sugar levels, as opposed to creating blood sugar highs and lows. This combined with flavonoids (great for preventing cancer), B-complex vitamins and potassium make taro a fabulously sustainable food. The luau (leaf) and kalo (corm) are the parts of the taro plant typically consumed. Both contain calcium oxalate crystals which make them inedible when raw and can easily irritate the skin during preparation if precautions are not taken. Always wear gloves when processing kalo!THE PACIFIC QUEST COOKBOOK89'