Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 10, 1 October 1988 — Nutritive Value of Kalo [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nutritive Value of Kalo

He Man IKīnau Ola

Some Health Questions Kekuni Blaisdell, M.D.

Ninau: E ke Kauka, as a kanaka I know that taro and poi are the best food for us, but I heard a haole on the radio say that rice, bread and potatoes are "more nutritious." How ean they be more nutritious than kalo? Pane: Mueh evi-

dence supports the view that our traditional staple, taro and its derivative poi, is highly nutritious for us kanaka maoli (Hawaiians). 'Oia ho'i, with taro as our principal vegetable food, over a period of more than 1500 years, we populated these mid-oceanic islands, later to be known as Hawai'i, with a nation numbering 800,000 or greater by 1778, when the first foreigners arrived in the form of Capt. James Cook and his crew. At that time, by all accounts, we were a hardier people than the European visitors, as previously detailed in this eolumn. However, in the ensuing 210 years since 1778, we have declined in numbers to circa 8,000 piha Hawai'i (pure Hawaiians) and 176,000 hapa kānaka maoli, with the worst health profile in our homeland.

The reasons for this tragedy are, of course, mulhple and complex: introduced infections to our kUpuna who lacked immunity, exploitation with loss of our lands, cultural conflict and despair, neglect, and our own adoption of harmful foreign ways, such as puhi paka (tobacco), inu loa (alehohol) and ka mea 'ai haole (Western diet). Kēia high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt haole diet is a major factor in continuing our shortest life expectancy, and greatest rates for nā ma'i pu'uwai (heart

diseases), n"ā ma'i 'a'ai (cancer), stroke, mimi kō (diabetes), koko pi'i (high blood pressure), and kidney failure compared to non-Hawaiians. Hope for a reversal of this poor health trend for us kānaka maoli was demonstrated in 1987 by ka Ho'okā'Ai (the Moloka'i _Diet Study), as recently described in He Mau Ninau Ola. In that study, 'umi (ten) Moloka'i po'e ho'okū'ono'ono (homesteaders) at high risk for heart attack because of elevated blood cholesterol and triglyceride values, showed a drop in these blood lipid levels after

'ekolu (three) weeks of adhering to a traditional pre-haole Hawaiian diet of taro, i'a (fish) and other native foods. Ka pane to your ninau also requires specific quantitative data comparing taro and poi to laiki (rice), palaoa (bread) and 'ualakahiki (potato), and understanding of some basic principles of modern nutrition. Ke kino kanaka (the human body) requires food as a source of nutrients, with water and air, for 'ekolu (three) main body functions: for energy; for growth and repair; and for regulation of body processes. The nutrients in food are chemicals. All of these nutrients fall into 'elima (five) main classes: (1) carbohydrate, (2) protein, (3) fat, (4) minerals and (5) vitamins. More than 40 of these nutrients are called "essential" because ke kino kanaka depends on food as their source. That is, ke kino kanaka cannot synthesize these chemicals.

A certain amount of these essential nutrients are needed Kēlā lā kēia la (every day). but the need varies for eaeh nutrient depending upon eonditions such as age, gender, physical activity, pregnancy and illness. To express these needed amounts in readily understood terms, nutrition experts have devised "recommended daily allowances" (RDA) for eaeh of these essential nutrients depending on particular conditions. Like'ole (different) foods provide like'ole nutrients in like'ole amounts. Nutrient amounts in foods ean also be influenced by food production, processing and preparation. There is no one perfectly nutritious or "best" food for all conditions. The closest ideal food is probably mother's waiu (milk) for the newborn kamaiki (baby). Pēlā, a proper mixture of a few basic foods is needed. Nutritionists eall this a "balanced diet."

With this background, let us nānā (look) at Table 1, provided by Professor Nao Wenkam of the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture. The table compares the percentage of RDA for some major essential nutrients for adults in usual servings of taro, as poi, taro corm, lū'au (taro leaf); and laiki, palaoa and 'ualakahiki. Please note that poi is a better source of calories, vitamins C and B and iron than laiki. Poi also compares favorably to palaoa and 'ualakahiki for most, but not all, of the considered essential nu-

trients. Lū'au (taro leaf) provides a rich source of vitamins A and C and B2 and ealeium. Pēlā", the combination of poi and lu'au, both taro products, clearly bests the other non-Hawaiian staple foods in most major essential nutrients. Of course, other basic mau mea 'ai, such as i'a (fish) furnish abundant amounts of other essential nutrients, such as protein and fat.

Nolaila, the traditional Hawaiian staple, taro, ranks well with non-Hawaiian staples, such as laiki, palaoa and 'ualakahiki, and no single food ean be considered perfect for all persons under all conditions. Kēia mahina a'e, we will consider some special uses of taro and poi, metaphorical and essential, but non-ehemieal aspects of kalo, and the importance of taro production by ka po'e Hawai'i to ka lāhui Hawai'i

*Percentage rounded to nearest whole number. Source: Modified from table provided by Prof. Nao Wenkam, UH Mānoa.

Table 1. NUTRITIVE VALUE OF TAR0, RICE, BREAD AND POTATO EXPRESSED AS PERCENTAGE OF RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCES (RDA) OF EIGHT ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR HEALTHY ADULTS.* Food Staple Measure Wei9ht Pro' vj* Vit Vit Vit Nia- Cal- , grams calories tem AC B1 B2 cin cium Poi (30% solids) 1 cup 240g 260cal 2% 0% 30% 10% 4% 6% 4% 20% (pa'i 1 ai ) Taro, corm 1 cup 130 180 2 0 15 10 2 4 2 6 Lu'au 1 cup 150 50 8 150 80 10 25 8 15 10 (taro leaf) Rice, white 1 cup 180 197 8 0 0 4 2 4 4 4 unenriched Bread, wheat 2 slices 50 122 10 0 0 15 8 12 6 20 unenriched Potato, Irish 1 medium 100 95 6 0 33 8 4 10 2 8