Colocasia (Taro) Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Raw taro has 112 kcal per 100g with 26.5g total carbohydrates — denser than potato (77 kcal, 17.5g carbs), sweet potato (86 kcal, 20.1g carbs), and comparable to yam (118 kcal, 27.9g carbs). Nearly all the carbohydrate is starch — sugar content is remarkably low at just 0.40g per 100g, making taro one of the least sweet starchy vegetables ^[1][2].

The starch in taro has unusually small granules (1–6 micrometers, compared to 15–100 micrometers for potato starch). This micro-scale structure affects cooking properties: taro becomes extremely smooth and almost creamy when mashed, unlike the grainier texture of potato. The starch also makes taro highly digestible after proper cooking ^[3].

For food journaling, taro should be tracked as a high-starch vegetable. One cup of sliced raw taro (104g) has 116 kcal and 27.5g carbs — roughly equivalent to 1.5 medium boiled potatoes in carbohydrate content. A medium taro corm (~120g) provides 134 kcal.

Raw taro provides 591mg potassium per 100g — 65% more than banana (358mg) and 75% more than sweet potato (337mg). Among root vegetables, only yam (816mg) and certain varieties of cassava consistently deliver more potassium. Cooking reduces the value to approximately 484mg/100g due to leaching, but this still exceeds most fruits and vegetables ^[1].

The broader mineral profile includes 43mg calcium (3% DV), 33mg magnesium (8% DV), 84mg phosphorus (7% DV), and 0.55mg iron (3% DV) per 100g raw. The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is 0.51:1. Manganese at 0.38mg (17% DV) is also notable ^[1].

For nutrition journaling, taro is an efficient potassium source at a moderate calorie cost. The potassium-per-calorie ratio is 5.28mg/kcal — better than banana (4.02mg/kcal). A single medium taro (120g) delivers 709mg potassium (15% DV) — a substantial contribution to daily intake.

Raw taro contains 2.38mg vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) per 100g — 16% of the daily value. This is remarkably high for a starchy vegetable: potato has 0.01mg, sweet potato has 0.26mg, cassava has 0.19mg, and yam has 0.35mg per 100g. Among common whole foods, only avocado (2.07mg), spinach (2.03mg), and nuts/seeds are higher ^[1][2].

Vitamin E is fat-soluble, yet taro contains virtually no fat (0.20g/100g). This means taro's vitamin E is embedded in cell membranes rather than stored in lipid droplets — a different biological context than the vitamin E in nuts or oils. Cooking reduces vitamin E content modestly: boiled taro retains approximately 1.80mg per 100g ^[1].

For food journaling, if tracking vitamin E, taro is a meaningful contributor that most people overlook. One cup of raw taro (104g) provides 2.5mg vitamin E (17% DV) alongside 116 calories — an uncommonly efficient ratio for a starchy food.

Boiled taro has 142 kcal per 100g — 27% more than raw (112 kcal). This apparent increase occurs because cooking drives off water, concentrating all nutrients per unit weight. Raw taro is about 71.6% water; boiled taro drops to approximately 63.8%. Total carbs rise from 26.5g to 34.6g, and fiber from 4.1g to 5.1g per 100g ^[1].

However, some nutrients decline in absolute terms: calcium drops from 43mg to 18mg (58% loss), likely due to calcium oxalate dissolving into cooking water. Potassium falls from 591mg to 484mg (18% loss) from leaching. Protein decreases from 1.50g to 0.52g — a 65% loss, suggesting soluble proteins dissolve during boiling ^[1].

For food journaling, use the cooked values (142 kcal/100g) when tracking boiled or steamed taro, and raw values (112 kcal/100g) only when eating taro in its uncooked form (which is uncommon due to oxalate concerns). The calorie difference is significant: 100g boiled taro has 30 more calories than 100g raw.

Raw taro contains calcium oxalate crystals — needle-shaped (raphide) crystals that cause intense irritation if consumed without cooking. Oxalate content ranges from 43 to 488mg per 100g depending on variety and part of the plant (corm vs leaves). Traditional preparation across all taro-consuming cultures involves thorough boiling, steaming, or frying to break down these crystals ^[3][4].

Boiling is the most effective method for reducing oxalate: studies show 50–70% reduction when taro is boiled in water for 15–20 minutes. Baking and roasting are less effective because there is no water to leach the soluble oxalates into. Soaking raw taro in water before cooking further reduces oxalate content ^[4][5].

For food journaling, the practical implication is that taro is always consumed cooked. Use the cooked nutritional values (142 kcal/100g) for accurate tracking. The raw values are provided for reference but represent taro in a form that is not traditionally eaten without processing.