13 Impressive Health Benefits of Yams YOU NEED TO KNOW

13 Impressive Health Benefits of Yams YOU NEED TO KNOW

Originating in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, yams are a delicious tuber vegetable that can grow almost anywhere. With a number of health benefits, yams are a versatile vegetable that you can eat with casseroles or roast beef, fry them and make fritters.

Lets take a look at each benefit more closely.
1. Yams Are Highly Nutritious
Yams are chockful of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. In a single cup of yams, which is around 136 grams, you will find:
• Fiber
• Protein
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Manganese
• Thiamine
• And Folate
In particular, Yams contain high percentages of your daily value of fiber, potassium, and manganese. These nutrients and minerals are key to maintaining your bone health, heart health, growth, and metabolism.
Yams also contain copper and vitamin C. Copper is essential for your blood health. More specifically, copper is key for healthy iron absorption and red blood cell production. Meanwhile, vitamin C is a vital antioxidant that can strengthen your immune system against illnesses and infections.
2. Yams Can Improve Your Overall Digestive Health
Yams contain resistant starches, which act similar to soluble fibers. A resistant starch essentially passes through your stomach and small intestine undigested. From there, it eventually reaches your colon and feeds your healthy gut bacteria while also increasing your digestive enzymes.


As a result, resistant starches can reduce inflammation and reduce your risk of getting colorectal cancer
3. Yams Can Help with Weight Loss
The roots of yams provide a beneficial fiber known as glucomannan, which is thought to help with weight loss. Essentially, when consumed, the fiber can turn into a gel that sits in your stomach and allows you to feel full for longer. As a result, you curb your cravings and weight loss is more achievable.
4. Yams Can Improve Cholesterol Levels
Yams also play a major role in controlling your cholesterol levels. This is because yams provide a special type of soluble fiber, which cholesterol’s worst nightmare. Soluble fiber essentially works by circulating around cholesterol, binding to it and removing it from your body.
Moreover, yams have also shown a real change in cholesterol levels in real women. In a study, women who consumed 18 ounces of yams a day over 30 days saw a decrease in their cholesterol levels.
5. Yams Have Potentially Cancer-Fighting Properties
In addition to a number of vital vitamins and minerals, yams also have antioxidants that may prevent cancer. A study conducted on animals found that a diet rich in yams showed a massive reduction in colon tumors.
Further studies suggested that these results were closely related to the many antioxidants in yams. Moreover, the peel of Chinese yams was found to prevent or inhibit liver tumors.
6. Yams Can Strengthen Your Brain Function
If you are looking for a way to improve your brain function, eat more yams.
True, it sounds quite unbelievable, but a study showed that people who consumed a yam extract supplement showed a higher functioning brain than those who used a placebo.
Yams are rich in diosgenin, which is a special compound that is known for improving neuron growth and overall brain health.
7. Yams May Alleviate Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is connected to a number of long-term health conditions, like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Fortunately, yams are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
A number of rat studies found that yams or a yam powder had a significant impact on inflammation. The studies observed that yams helped reduce risks of colon cancer, stomach ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome.


Additionally, the outer bark of the yam roots is full of saponin. Saponin is a compound that is thought to help with fighting inflammation and can contribute to healthy gut flora.
8. Yams Can Potentially Improve Blood Sugar Levels
Yams can improve your blood sugar control.
In a rat study, rats were given a dose of yam water or yam powder. As a result, the rats experienced a significant decrease in their fasting blood sugar as well as a decrease in their hemoglobin A levels, which measures blood sugar control.
In a different study, rats were given a high dosage of purple yam extract. These rats exhibited reduced appetites, improved blood sugar levels, and considerable weight loss