An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as for fulfilling some special purposes such as signaling. The earliest arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials; as human civilizations progressed, other alloy materials were used. Arrowheads are important archaeological artifacts; they are a subclass of projectile points. Modern enthusiasts still “produce over one million brand-new spear and arrow points per year”.^[rx] A craftsman who manufactures arrowheads is called an arrowsmith.^[rx]

Arrowhead also known as duck-potato, broadleaf arrowhead, Indian potato, or wapato is a widely grown aquatic perennial plant. Arrowhead scientifically known as Sagittaria latifolia belongs to the genus Sagittaria L. of the Alismataceae family. It is considered to have originated from southern Canada. Apart from that, it is known as Kiwi in Arabia, Kuwai in Japan, Pilblad in Sweden, Kunai in china, and Brutblatt in Germany. Arrowhead includes thicker round white or bluish tubers that is full of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Arrowhead Facts

Arrowhead is a thick round white or bluish tuber that grows as large as chicken eggs. Its taste is similar to potatoes and chestnuts and is fulfill with important nutrients, mineral,s and vitamins.

Arrowhead(Sagittaria latifolia) Scientific Classification

Plant

Arrowhead is a vigorous, deciduous, marginal aquatic perennial plant sized 2 to 20 meters in length found growing in full or partial sun, shallow water up to 1′ deep or wet conditions. It normally prefers wet, fertile soil that contains few organic matters. The root system includes a tuft of coarse fibrous roots and long-spreading stolons. No true stems are found since leaves are arranged in rosettes. The flower stem has spongy quality. Leaves are usually 8 inches wide and more than a foot long, Spongy and solid, have parallel venation, upper leaf surface is pale green, medium green, or yellowish-green, while the lower leaf surface is pale green or yellowish-green. Flowers have showy, white petals (1-2 cm) and are arranged in a whorled raceme. Three round white petals and three very short curved, dark green sepals. Male flowers are simply distinguished from females due to the difference between the 25 to 50 yellow stamens of the male as well as the sphere of green carpels of the female ones. Arrowhead flowers are found blooming from July to September.

Fruit

Fruits of Arrowhead are Globoid to sub-globoid (globoid, but somewhat flattened) in shape, consisting of a dense cluster of achenes that are 0.5 -1.5 cm long. It is usually green in color that changes to dark brown as soon as they mature.

Root

Roots are usually white and thin, creating white tubers covered along with purplish skin at a good distance (0.3 to 1 m long, 0.15 to 0.6 meter deep) away from the mother plant. Roots are thick round bluish or white or tubers that grow as large as chicken eggs which are 4-5 cm long. It has a taste that is similar to potatoes and chestnuts. Roots have long been a significant food source to ethnic peoples of the Americas. Tubers are separated from the ground by several methods: by feet, a pitchfork, or even a stick, and generally, then float on the surface. Ripe tubers are easily collected during fall and are frequently found floating very freely.

History

Arrowhead is native to southern Canada and most of the touching United States, as well as Mexico, Ecuador, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, and Central America. It is also adapted in Bhutan, Hawaii, Australia Puerto Rico, and much of Europe (Spain, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Switzerland, Romania, Germany, and European Russia. Later it was spread throughout the world which has a suitable environment for Arrowhead.

Nutritional Value

Apart from its taste which is similar to potatoes and chestnuts arrowhead is a good source of important nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Consuming 100 grams of Arrowroot consists of 197 mg of phosphorus, 881 mg of Potassium, 0.206 mg of Vitamin B6, 1.21 mg of Iron, 0.135 mg of Copper, 16.14 g of carbohydrate, 0.285 mg of Manganese, 0.144 mg of Vitamin B1, and 49 mg of Magnesium.

Health Benefits of Arrowhead

Arrowhead also known as broadleaf arrowhead, duck potato, Indian potato, or wapato belongs to the genus Sagittaria L. of the Alismataceae family. It is full of nutrients like protein, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, and vitamins like Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin C, and many more.

1. Bone Formation

Phosphorus plays an important role in the growth and maintenance of teeth and bones. Together with calcium it plays a vital role in making bones strong and helps to endure the normal wear and tear of human life. Arrowhead has a good quantity of phosphorus so consume arrowheads regularly to make our bones strong. Recent research also links the proper consumption of phosphorus-rich foods with heart health, you will be able to protect yourself from several cardiovascular diseases too.  One cup cooked arrowhead tuber consists of 197 mg of phosphorus which is 28.14% of the daily recommended value.

2. Lower Risk of Heart Problems

Potassium is the third most plentiful mineral in the human body and is a potent element in improving health. It includes the components for sustaining a high level of well-being and an improved lifestyle. Taking an adequate amount of Arrowhead will certainly help to lower the risk of developing heart problems like stroke and other heart-related diseases since arrowroot consists of a considerable amount of Potassium. It is essential to be conscious about your potassium level in case you already have heart disease.

Most of the potassium-rich foods also include antioxidants and other minerals in considerable amounts which will help your heart and result in overall wonderful health. Therefore include Arrowhead in your diet daily.

3. Helps Treat Anemia

Anemia is a disorder that develops when your blood lacks sufficient healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. Vitamin B6 contained in Arrowhead is required to produce hemoglobin in the blood, which is transported by red blood cells throughout the body to help bring oxygen to cells and to mobilize iron. Arrowhead intake helps to lower symptoms of anemia as well as prevents it from occurring in the future.

4. Fatigue

Fatigue is usually defined as a feeling of lack of energy and motivation which can be physical, mental, or both. As we all know that iron deficiency is the main reason for fatigue since it is an important component of hemoglobin. Arrowhead is a good source of Iron; therefore arrowhead intake is essential to eradicate different reasons of fatigue, which occur in both males and females. So, the inclusion of arrowhead in your diet keeps you fit and healthy.

5. Pigmentation of Hair and Eyes

Copper is the main element of the natural dark pigment melanin that imparts coloration to the skin, hair, and eyes. Melanin can be created by melanocytes in the occurrence of the cuproenzyme namely tyrosinase, which is derived from copper. In this way consumption of copper-rich food like arrowhead helps in defending against graying of the hair, it is often ignored as an antioxidant mineral; it protects the reliability of those cells and keeps you looking young! Regular consumption of copper-rich foods helps to maintain the color of the eyes and along with zinc, it helps to keep eyes beautifully colored in old age as well.

6. Supports Lung and Respiratory Health

Research recommends that consuming manganese-rich foods along with minerals like selenium and zinc can help people suffering from lung disorders, like a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Oxidative stress is supposed to be the main factor for smoking-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory complaints; therefore manganese’s capability to help lower inflammation and oxidative stress through the production of SODs makes it helpful for those in the necessity of lung healing.

7. Alzheimer’s disease

Research studies have shown that vitamin B1 is helpful to people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This is due to the fact that vitamin B1 mimics a neurotransmitter that is crucial for memory. It is supposed that elder individuals along with memory problems may benefit by including vitamin B1 in their dietary intake. Vitamin B1 can be obtained by consuming Arrowhead since one cup of cooked arrowhead consists of 0.144 mg of Vitamin B1 which is 12.00% of the recommended value. Therefore include arrowhead in your diet to remain safe from Alzheimer’s disease in your old age.

8. Prevents diabetes and regulates sugar level 

Magnesium helps to regulate the insulin reaction to blood sugar levels. Proper magnesium supplementation is essential for diabetic patients as many of them undergo magnesium deficiency. The magnesium contained in the arrowhead helps to regulate blood sugar status, therefore encouraging normal blood pressure.

Apart from that, it is also found that hypertension is caused due to magnesium deficiency. Therefore it is important to include extra nutrients and minerals supplements along with magnesium so as to avoid all kinds of medical complications.

How to Eat

• Tubers can be dried and ground into a powder, this powder can be used as gruel or combined with cereal flours and used to make bread.
• American Indians slice the boiled roots into thin sections and then string them on ropes to dry in much the same way as apples.
• Root raw or cooked, excellent when roasted, the texture is slightly like potatoes with a taste like sweet chestnuts.
•  Arrowhead tubers were high valued food sources for Ojibwa and other tribes.

Other Traditional uses and benefits of Arrowhead

• A poultice of the leaves is used to stop milk production.
• Tea made from the roots is used as a digestive.
• A poultice of the roots is used for the treatment of wounds and sores.
• Navajo used the arrowhead plant to treat headaches.
• Ojibwa consumes the corms (tubers) for indigestion.
• Algonquin of Quebec used the root to treat tuberculosis.

References

Previous

Asparagus - Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Recipes

Next

Globe Artichoke - Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Recipes