First and foremost: TigerNuts are not actually nuts.  I know, you thought peanuts were the only sneaky devils with "nut" in their names without actually being nuts (1).  WRONG.  Why don't we call them almond nuts? Or cashew nuts?  Walnuts and Macadamia nuts are the only ones steering us right.  English is hard.

Anyway, TigerNuts are actually tubers, spanning back as far as our ancestors 2 million year ago.  Some scientists even estimate that these tubers comprised up to 80% of their diet back in the day (2)!  And unlike peanuts (3), they're actually very beneficial for our health - providing prebiotics for our friendly little gut bacteria to munch on and continue to thrive in our colons (2). 

A company called Organic Gemini has seized the opportunity to bring these "safe starches" back into modern life.  They have begun selling these naturally delicious little packages of TigerNuts through Barefoot Provisions, and I recently got my lucky hands on some.  

These tubers have a sweet side to them that comes naturally and therefore the only ingredient in these packages is sliced TigerNuts.  They've got a unique texture, somewhere near a parsnip with the exciting burst of flavor that happens when you bite into a grape.  They're a bit tough, but the flavor lasts so long that you don't mind chewing them a bit more.  For someone who naturally eats quickly, this is good because I can actually allow myself to feel satisfied in real time from them. :P

I highly recommend you stock up on these bad boys for a fresh starch to add to your diet.  They are paleo/primal, yes, but they're also raw, vegan, and even AIP since they're not actual nuts.  Try using them in a cereal variation or take a quick handful for a satisfying energy boost - and be treating your gut well at the same time!

Sources

(1) n.a.  (2009).  Peanut facts.  Peanut Institute.  Retrieved from http://www.peanut-institute.org/peanut-facts/

(2) n.a.   (2014).  Sliced tigernuts dried raw snack by organic gemini.  Barefoot Provisions.  Retreived from http://barefootprovisions.com/collections/nuts-and-seeds/products/sliced-tigernuts-dried-raw-snack-by-organic-gemini#.V08x1TccDFI/#_a_aF2F

(3)  Dichter, C. R.  (June 1984).  Risk estimates of liver cancer due to aflatoxin exposure from peanuts and peanut products.  ScienceDirect.  Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0278691584903259