Yam: Good reasons to include it in your diet

You have probably heard of yam, but if you are not in the habit of eating this yam now, you will now have good reason to include it in your diet.

Yams can be a substitute for the main meal carbohydrate (lunch or dinner), can be used to make soups, or eaten as a healthy and tasty appetizer. Best of all, it is a food that can offer many health benefits. These and other tips you can check out below!

Yam is a tuber widely used in cooking in the North and Northeast of Brazil. Pâmela Miguel, nutritionist at the Functional Nutrition Clinic of São Paulo, explains that it can be considered a functional food, because in addition to nourishing the body, has nutrients that promote health benefits (ie, helps prevent some diseases).

Nutritional properties and benefits of yam

Pâmela Miguel points out that yam has several nutritional properties, mainly attributed to the presence of Diosgenin? a phyto-hormone that assists in female hormone modulation, and performs various functions in the body.

Below, the nutritionist explains about the nutritional properties of yam and what benefits it can offer:

Control of PMS symptoms. Pâmela points out that, by balancing female hormone levels, yam helps control PMS and menopause symptoms and may be an alternative to hormone replacement therapies (with medical follow-up).

Reduction of cholesterol levels. Dietitian Pâmela explains that Diosgenin also helps lower cholesterol levels (reducing intestinal absorption of cholesterol and increasing its excretion).

Increased fertility. According to Pamela, Diosgenin also helps in increasing fertility, being beneficial for women who intend to get pregnant.

Good bowel function. Pâmela Miguel explains that yam also contains vitamins and minerals important for the proper functioning of the body. "They are: iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin C and A, fibers that help control blood cholesterol and glucose levels and improve bowel function," he says.

Strengthening of the immune system. Because it contains several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, highlights the nutritionist Pâmela, yam acts in strengthening the immune system.

Help in weight loss. Yam can also help in the weight loss process, as explained by nutritionist Pâmela. • Although they contain carbohydrates, they are low in glycemic index (do not promote peak glucose and insulin in the blood); Yam is rich in fiber (which provides more satiety and good functioning of the intestine) and has substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, which help in the elimination of toxins from the body, improving its functioning and favoring the elimination of fat (when associated to physical activity!) ?, he says.

Cellulite improvement. According to Pamela, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of yam also helps in fighting cellulite.

Low fat. Pamela points out that the yam, besides being a low glycemic index food, has low fat content.

How to consume yam

Pâmela Miguel explains that to get the benefits of this food, yam must be consumed regularly within a healthy and balanced diet.

• It should replace the carbohydrate (rice, potato, pasta, bread) of the meal. It can be eaten cooked, roasted, in the form of purées and soups (when combined with dark green vegetables are a great option for dinner) ?, emphasizes the nutritionist.

Does Pamela stress, however, that raw yams (in juices or salads) contain oxalic acid? substance that, when consumed with other foods, can reduce the absorption of micronutrients such as calcium and iron.

Recipe: Yam Appetizer

Pâmela Miguel points out that in addition to being used in soups and replacing the meal's carbohydrate, yam can be a healthy and tasty appetizer. Below, the professional passes the recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 average yams
• herbs to taste
• extra virgin olive oil

Method of preparation: wash well and give a light and fast boil in the yams. Cut them into slices, sprinkle the herbs and pour 1 trickle of olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes.

Yam: ally in the weight loss process

According to Pâmela Miguel, yam can help in the weight loss process.This is because, although they contain carbohydrates, these are low glycemic index? That is, they do not promote peak blood glucose and insulin.

In addition, the food is rich in fiber, which ensures more satiety and the proper functioning of the intestines.

"Yams also have substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, which help in eliminating toxins from the body, improving their functioning and favoring the elimination of fat," says the nutritionist.

"Yam, besides being a low glycemic index food, is low in fat," adds Pamela.

But, it is noteworthy, can only enjoy these benefits of yam who follow a balanced diet and practice physical activities! After all, alone, neither yam nor any other food can help in a weight loss process!

Common questions about yam

Is raw yam toxic? Why does itch? Doubts such as these are common among people who do not yet know the food so well (or are not in the habit of eating it often).

Pâmela Miguel explains that raw yam contains oxalic acid, also present in other foods such as raw spinach. "This substance is not toxic, but when consumed with other foods, can reduce the absorption of micronutrients such as calcium and iron," he says.

Also according to the nutritionist, the itch happens by contact with this substance. "The more oxalic acid the yam contains, the greater the itching," he says.

Yam x character

Another relatively common doubt concerns the relationship between yam and character. After all, they are the same thing ?!

The nutritionist Pamela explains that the yam and the character belong to the same family, Dioscoreácea, which contains approximately 850 species of food. "For this reason, in some regions of Brazil, yam can also be called character," he says.

What to note when buying yam

Pâmela Miguel points out that at the time of purchase, the yam must be firm and with the whole shell, without buds or softened parts. "Always try to choose the organic option because it is free of toxic substances," concludes the nutritionist.

Now that you have all the information about yam, you can include this functional food in your diet! Besides being tasty, it can offer many benefits to your health and, in some cases, even help in the weight loss process (as long as its consumption is associated with a balanced diet and physical activity).

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