Tuber for Nutrition

The Tuber is the Pot of Nectar

For a Nutritious Diet

Our "Suyash Janajati Krushi Vikasak Sanstha" has been working for the economic transformation of the Vanvasi community for the past 40 years. Our work has now reached 6,000 hamlets across 7 regions. In Vanvasi areas, tubers and root vegetables are traditionally grown in households primarily for self-consumption. Considering their nutritional and medicinal value, we encouraged our Vanvasi brothers and sisters to cultivate these tubers on a larger scale for commercial sale.

At the same time, the nutritional and medicinal properties of the tubers produced were tested at Kulkarni Laboratory in Pune. In addition, organizations working extensively in this field, such as the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Kerala, and the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Delhi, have also conducted research on various tubers.

We realized that these tubers could potentially be beneficial for addressing certain lifestyle-related health concerns among urban populations, such as diabetes, obesity, and cholesterol-related issues. Therefore, we are sharing the following information to make these tubers available for sale in urban areas.

Key Benefit: Tubers and root vegetables are rich in dietary fibre and carbohydrates. They are also gluten-free. Regular consumption provides steady energy throughout the day.

91.3 kcal / 100g Elephant Foot Yam (Suran)

1. Elephant Foot Yam

Local name: Suran / Jimikand

A traditional tuber cultivated in rural and tribal regions. Cultivation provides tribal farmers an opportunity to diversify beyond conventional agriculture through harvesting, storage, and value addition.

Nutrition Fat 6.06g | Prot 4g | Carbs 5g

Medicinal Vitamin E, Antioxidants, Beta-carotene

86 kcal / 100g Sweet Potato

2. Sweet Potato

Hardy Traditional Crop

Provides farmers with an avenue for crop diversification and income generation. Tribal farmers move beyond selling raw produce by participating in grading, processing, and value-added activities.

Nutrition Fat 0.1g | Prot 1.6g | Carbs 20g

Medicinal Vitamin B3, B6, Folic Acid, Niacin

169 kcal / 100g Arvi / Kochai / Arbi (Taro)

3. Arvi / Kochai / Arbi

Taro Root

Widely grown across rural India. Training farmers in improved cultivation, post-harvest handling, processing, and market access enables tribal families to build village-based enterprises.

Nutrition Fat 5g | Prot 3g | Carbs 12g

Medicinal Vitamin A, C, E, B7, Polyphenols

169 kcal / 100g Potato Yam / Air Potato

4. Potato Yam / Air Potato

Karand, Gadalu, Varahikand, Gathera

Represents rich indigenous agricultural diversity. Systematic cultivation, collective processing, packaging, and organized marketing turn these lesser-known crops into sustainable livelihoods.

Nutrition Fat 6g | Prot 8g | Carbs 22g

Medicinal Vitamin C, E, Minerals

144 kcal / 100g Ratalu (Yam)

5. Ratalu (Yam)

Traditional Yam

Provides key economic opportunities for farmers, women's self-help groups, and local enterprises by transforming locally consumed produce into marketable high-value products.

Nutrition Fat 6g | Prot 3g | Carbs 20g

Medicinal Vitamin A, B, E, Folic Acid, Fibre