At some point, restaurants quietly added a popular dish to their menus - cold tossed fern root powder. Fern root powder has a chewy and smooth texture, making it a favorite among diners. However, people often ask with skepticism: What is it? Where does it come from? What are its nutritional benefits?
The Three Benefits of Fern Root Powder
As the name suggests, fern root powder is made from the underground rhizomes of fern plants. Ferns are a type of low-level plant that does not have true roots, but rather has parts that absorb water from the soil called rhizomes, commonly known as fern roots. According to research, there are 13 fern species in China with high starch content in their underground rhizomes, which can be extracted to make fern root powder.
To make fern root powder, the starch from the fern root needs to be extracted. The fern root is crushed, soaked in a dilute alkali solution, filtered to remove impurities, and then the filtrate is left to settle. The starch will sink to the bottom. After repeated washing and filtering, wet starch is obtained. This starch also contains natural pigments, flavonoids, minerals, and other components, giving it a dark color. The process of making noodles, skins, and vermicelli from this coarse starch is similar to that of other similar products.
What does fern root powder contain? Like other types of noodles, it contains a high percentage of water and the most abundant dry matter is starch. According to reports, fern roots contain only 2.4% protein, 1.2% fat, and small amounts of minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, etc., but the levels are lower than those found in common vegetables and grains. The process of extracting starch and making noodles removes most of the protein and amino acids, as well as a significant amount of minerals and vitamins. In other words, the main active ingredient in fern root powder is starch, while other components are negligible and do not have a significant impact on dietary nutrition.
Now, let's talk about the nutritional aspect of fern root powder, which may seem disappointing. However, there are still three benefits to consider when consuming fern root powder at a banquet:
Firstly, although fern root powder is mainly composed of starch, it is different from regular starch. It contains a high amount of resistant starch and slowly digested starch. Therefore, for diabetic patients and those on a diet, they can occasionally replace a portion of white rice or noodles with fern root powder during meals at restaurants, as long as the total carbohydrate intake is not exceeded. This can be a way to maintain nutritional balance during festive occasions.
Secondly, fern root powder is often served as a cold dish at banquets. Due to its high starch content, it helps balance the intake of the three major macronutrients. Eating some fern root powder before consuming a large amount of protein and fat-rich dishes can reduce the waste of protein and provide a sense of fullness, preventing overeating. In this way, it contributes to maintaining health and balancing nutrition.
Thirdly, dark-colored fern root powder contains more flavonoids and other antioxidant components. Not only does it have a refreshing taste suitable for summer consumption, but compared to white rice, it also has certain benefits in preventing the rise of blood sugar and blood lipids. The cold noodles commonly served in restaurants are often bleached or dyed, so using dark brown fern root powder as a substitute provides certain advantages in terms of health.
Some people may be concerned about the dark color of extracted fern root starch and may want to bleach it. However, this is unnecessary and would actually remove the unique characteristics of fern root powder. In fact, the darker the natural color of a food, the stronger its antioxidant properties tend to be. Pursuing pure white food is not a wise preference.
