Poi: The Hawaiian super food
Paste is made from taro plant
There are several foods unique to Hawaii that every seasoned foodie traveler must try. One of them is poi — the pale purple paste that results from pounding the kalo, or revered taro plant.
A root vegetable, taro is most often seen growing in large paddies, with sturdy stems standing 2 to 3 feet tall and supporting large, heart-shaped leaves. It is what many island residents on Maui grow in their own backyards. While every other starch is imported into the Hawaii islands, only taro is grown locally.
Every part of the taro plant has a use: The root is pounded into poi; leaves are wrapped around pork, fish or chicken and steamed to make a flavorful dish called lau lau; stems are used to flavor stews. Entire civilizations throughout the Pacific thrived on this food source, which is said to be one of the earliest cultivated plants in history.
One cannot overstate the importance of taro in Native Hawaiian culture: The oral histories (mo’olelo) say that the first Hawaiian, Haloa, originated from the taro plant. Literally meaning “long stalk,” “long breath” and “long life,” Haloa is worshipped with chanting, hula and festivals.
Despite its delicate flavor, poi can be an acquired taste — it is bland, and some do not appreciate its paste-like texture. Even food-fearless Andrew Zimmern, star of the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods,” didn’t care for poi when trying it for the first time. Learning to love the flavor, though, pays off. Poi is one of the healthiest foods you can eat.
A study was done on the effects of eating a poi-rich ancient Hawaiian diet. Subjects replaced bread, pasta and potatoes (all starches), for poi and sweet potatoes. Their findings were shocking: Cholesterol levels dropped by 14.1 percent and an average 17 pounds were shed.
Even though the dietary wonders of poi should be enough to convince anyone to incorporate it into his or her diet, we will admit that it is not the easiest of foods to eat. Do not expect to slurp it down by itself like yogurt — locals will applaud you if you can. Instead, enjoy it the way most locals do, as a complementary side dish to traditional Hawaiian dishes, like kalua pork and lomi lomi salmon.
When you are ready to try the purple stuff, there are an array of outlets to delve into — from luau and restaurants to factories and farms, and arguably Maui is the best island to enjoy a serving of poi thanks to those local farms and factories (like the Aloha Poi Factory) that make sure what you’re eating is not only healthy, but exceedingly fresh.
