Tiger nuts, one of the hottest superfoods on the market, are not, in fact, nuts. These wrinkled, marble-sized orbs are small, tuberous rhizomes of a sedge grass (cyperus esculentus lativum) thats been cultivated for millennia around the world. Native Americans enjoyed tiger nuts, as did the ancient Egyptians. In Spain, where theyre known as chufa, they are the traditional ingredient for horchata.

With a flavor reminiscent of both coconut and almond, they earn their name from a tiger-striped exterior. They can be eaten freshly dug out of the ground, or cookedroasted, boiled, or juiced. Packaged tiger nuts have been dried to make them shelf-stable; theyre also sold as tiger nut flour, and as a tiger nut milk. All come with numerous health benefits.