Origin
Yam is native to Africa and Asia. They come in many varieties and most of it is grown in Africa. Yams in West Africa are typically harvested by hand using sticks, spades, or diggers. Wood-based tools are preferred to metallic tools as they are less likely to damage the fragile tubers. It can be boiled, cooked or fried.
Health Benefits
Yams come in 200 different types. They have different colours and species. Even though they have slight resemblance to sweet potatoes, they are nothing like them. Yams are great for health and can be added to a nutritional diet. Here are some of the many benefits it has to offer.
- Prevents Heart Attack: Yams are an excellent source of vitamin B6, a much-needed but hard-to-find vitamin that helps you to break down an amino acid known as homocysteine which damages your blood vessel walls, thinning them – and putting you more at risk of having a heart attack.
Many people who have heart attacks are indeed found to have higher levels of this amino acid, and for this reason it’s always a good idea to get as much vitamin B6 as you possibly can. - Heals Skin Diseases & Cures Respiratory Problems: Yam has been used as a traditional medicine in China, Korea and Japan since centuries. It contains allantoin, a cell proliferate that expedites the healing process when applied topically on ulcers, boils and other skin diseases. Its decoction is also known to stimulate and relieve bronchial irritation, cough and other respiratory problems.
- Aids Digestion & Improves Bowel Habits: The dietary fibre present in Yam reduces constipation and decreases bad cholesterol. It contains good amount of potassium which aids in healthy digestion and stimulates smooth muscle contraction in the stomach for proper bowel habits.
- Prevent Premature Birth: Yams must be super powerful indeed if they can even starve off a potential premature birth! The reason why yams can do this is because they’re loaded with iron, a key mineral that pregnant women need to consume lots and lots of.
Why? Because it is iron deficiency – among other things – that can lead to an early birth.
Eat more yams and you have a much better chance of having a super healthy baby. - Improves Cognitive Ability: Yams also provide the opportunity to boost learning as well as memory capacity within the human brain. In accordance with research, individuals who consumed yam for six weeks on a regular basis observed a substantial boost in the cognitive abilities of the subject. This really is mainly because of the antioxidant compound contained in yams. It may also assist to heal Alzheimer’s disease
Nutritional value
Water – g 69.6
Energy – kcal 118
Protein – g 1.53
Total lipid (fat) – g 0.17
Carbohydrate, by difference – g 27.88
Fiber, total dietary – g 4.1
Sugars, total – g 0.5
Minerals
Calcium, Ca – mg 17
Iron, Fe – mg 0.54
Magnesium, Mg – mg 21
Phosphorus, P – mg 55
Potassium, K – mg 816
Sodium, Na – mg 9
Zinc, Zn – mg 0.24
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid – mg 17.1
Thiamin – mg 0.112
Riboflavin – mg 0.032
Niacin – mg 0.552
Vitamin B-6 – mg 0.293
Folate, DFE – µg 23
Vitamin B-12 – µg 0
Vitamin A, RAE – µg 7
Vitamin A, IU – IU 138
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) – mg 0.35
Vitamin D (D2 + D3) – µg 0
Vitamin D – IU 0
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) – µg 2.3
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated – g 0.037
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated – g 0.006
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated – g 0.076
Fatty acids, total trans – g 0
Cholesterol – mg 0
Amino Acids
Other
Caffeine – mg 0
Source: Style Craze, Beauty and Tips, The Health Site, USDA
