water during drying and storage. The starch content of the tiger nut tubers decreases and the reducing sugar (invert sugar) content increases during storage. Tiger nut can be stored dry and rehydrated by soaking without losing the crisp texture. Soaking is often done overnight. Dried tiger nuts have a hard texture and soaking is required to render them more easily edible and to ensure acceptable sensory quality. According to the Consejo Regulador de Chufa de Valencia (Regulating Council for Valencia's Tiger Nuts), the nutritional composition/100 ml of the Spanish beverage horchata de chufas is as follows: energy content around 66 kcal, proteins around 0.5 g, carbohydrates over 10 g with starch at least 1.9 g, fats at least 2 g. Uses Dried tiger nut has a smooth, tender, sweet, and nutty taste. It can be consumed raw, roasted, dried, baked or as tiger nut milk, tiger nut drink or oil. Drink In Spain, the drink now known as horchata de chufa (also sometimes called horchata de chufas or, in West African countries such as Nigeria and Mali, kunun aya) is the original form of horchata. It is made from soaked, ground and sweetened tiger nuts mixed with sugar and water. According to researchers at the University of Ilorin, kunu made from tiger nuts is an inexpensive source of protein. It remains popular in Spain, where a regulating council exists to ensure the quality and traceability of the product in relation to the designation of origin. There it is served ice-cold as a natural refreshment in the summer, often served with fartons. Horchata de chufa is also used instead of dairy milk by the lactose-intolerant. The majority of the Spanish tiger nut crop is utilised in the production of horchata de chufa. Alboraya is the most important production centre. The tubers can be roasted and ground into a coffee substitute. Food The tubers are edible raw or cooked. They have a slightly sweet, nutty flavour, compared to the more bitter-tasting tuber of the related Cyperus rotundus (purple nutsedge). They are quite hard and are generally soaked in water before they can be eaten, making them much softer and giving them a better texture. They are a popular snack in West Africa. The tubers can also be dried and ground into flour. In Northern Nigeria, it is called aya and it is usually eaten fresh. It is sometimes dried and later rehydrated