Is yacon a fruit or a vegetable, and what are the benefits of the "king of underground fruits"?

Yacon, another name for the yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia), is known in Sichuan, China as “wan'gen shao” and is native to South America, enjoying the reputation of the “king of underground fruits”. So is yacon a fruit or a vegetable? What are its effects and benefits?

Yacon is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, native to the Andes Mountains of South America. The inhabitants of the Andes cultivated this plant as a root vegetable for eating; the tuberous roots of yacon are rich in water and fructooligosaccharides, taste both sweet and crisp, and can also be eaten as a fruit. In the markets of Taiwan, China, vendors sell the tuberous roots of yacon under the names “underground fruit” or “Tianshan snow lotus”; in fact, yacon and the snow lotus are two different plants.

The nutritional value of yacon

The fructooligosaccharide content of yacon is 60-70% of its dry matter, the highest content of any plant, and it is also rich in minerals and trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and selenium. Research in Japan has found that taking 3-6g of fructooligosaccharides daily can reduce the content of toxic carcinogenic compounds in human feces by more than 40 percent within 3 weeks. Yacon's carbohydrates are poorly absorbed by the human body, so it is very suitable for diabetics and people trying to lose weight.

Fructooligosaccharides have the following effects: (1) aiding digestion and regulating the gastrointestinal tract; (2) acting as a growth promoter for beneficial intestinal flora, producing bifidogenic factors; (3) regulating the blood, clearing high blood lipids, and effectively controlling cholesterol and diabetes; (4) relieving constipation and preventing diarrhea; (5) reducing internal heat and clearing toxins, and preventing facial pimples and acne; (6) improving immunity.

How to eat yacon

The most original way to eat yacon is raw; that is, after harvesting yacon from the soil, simply wash the soil off the skin, peel it, and bite into it directly like a fruit. Eating it raw can remove acne and relieve constipation, reduce inflammation and promote urination, clear the liver and remove toxins, and nourish the skin and beautify the appearance; it is suitable for diabetics and people trying to lose weight. This is the most authentic way among all the ways to eat yacon.

However, yacon contains a chemical component - tannin, also known as tannic acid. After yacon is cut open and peeled, it turns brown when exposed to air. The reason for the discoloration is oxidation: the phenols in tannin generate quinone polymers that form brown pigments, that is, melanin. To prevent discoloration, the peeled and cut yacon can be soaked in clean water to isolate it from the air, which prevents oxidative discoloration.

Other ways to eat yacon

Yacon and chicken soup

Ingredients

1 yacon, 1 chicken leg, 2 shiitake mushrooms, 2 slices of ginger

Method

(1) Peel the yacon and cut it into pieces, soak the shiitake mushrooms until softened and cut them in half, peel the ginger and slice it

(2) Add cold water to a rice cooker, put in the chicken leg, yacon, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and the water used to soak the shiitake mushrooms

(3) Start the soup-making function and select 50 minutes

(4) Add salt to season when done

Job's tears and yacon sweet soup

Ingredients

40g Job's tears, 1 yacon, honey

Method

(1) Wash the Job's tears and soak overnight, peel the yacon and cut it into pieces

(2) Use the rice cooker's soup-making function for 20 minutes

(3) Let it cool when done and add honey

Can pregnant women eat yacon?

Of course they can. Yacon is rich in protein and amino acids, can enhance immunity, provides nutrition for the fetus's development, and helps brain and intellectual development, but it should not be eaten in excess; those with weak and cold spleen and stomach, or diarrhea, should eat it with caution.

Can postpartum women eat yacon?

Do not eat it. Yacon is cold in nature, which is not good for the body's recovery, and during breastfeeding it can also cause diarrhea in the baby.