Many parts of the plant are edible. Before the plant flowers, the tender inside of the shoots can be squeezed out and eaten raw or cooked. The starchy rhizomes are nutritious with a protein content comparable to that of maize or rice. Evidence of preserved starch grains on grinding stones suggests they were already eaten in Europe 30,000 years ago. They can be processed into a flour with 266 kcal per 100 grams, and are most often harvested from late autumn to early spring.