The Polynesians brought this plant with them when they came to Hawaii; it was very important to them because it was their main food. They brought only a few varieties with them, but over the years they made many more varieties so that finally they had almost 300 varieties. They used taro for other things besides for food -- one of these uses was for medicine.

All varieties of taro have very many crystals that look like needles -- these are very irritating to the inside of the mouth and to the tongue if any part of the plant is eaten raw. Cooking dissolves the crystals and then they are no longer irritating.

Some of the varieties have only a few crystals and these were used for medicine -- taro was used raw when used for a medicine.

For a laxative in a mild case of constipation, the taro "root" was grated and mixed with the juice from sugar cane and other plants. The mixture was pounded and the juice squeezed out. After straining, the liquid was drunk.

When constipation was severe, a suppository made from a core cut from the "root" was inserted.