Food for Purpose - YAM part 2.

All things Yam are still very much the order of the day.

I thought I would deal with a few questions I have been asked about yam.

 I hope you find this helpful

Is yam fattening?

Yam is low in fat. It is a starchy carbohydrate, which if you eat in large amounts, will provide excess calories from carbohydrate. If these calories are not burned you will gain excess weight. If you are seeking to lose weight it is worth looking at decreasing your carbohydrate load and increasing vegetable portion of your meals. (by this I mean ‘fat free’ vegetables) A medium sized slice of boiled yam is about 135-150kcal. Yam can be part of a healthy dietary intake.

Why does yam have that funny bitter taste?

Generally immature tubers contain bitter chemicals called alkaloids. Some of these water soluble alkaloids can be poisonous and harmful causing numbness, vomiting and even death. There is a particular yam called ‘Bitter yams.’ They are not usually eaten unless there is a scarcity of food. They are known to have medicinal properties.

Why does it itch when you cut yam?

The calcium oxalate crystals present in yam peel is thought to be responsible for causing the itching sensation when it contacts the skin. When peeling yam care should be taken – it has been  recommended that gloves are worn, or just simply rubbing your hands with oil to protect them before peeling yam.

What is the best way to cook yam?

There are numerous ways to cook yam. Most commonly it is boiled in salt water. To be honest no particular cooking method favours another. What does make a difference is what we add to the yam.. Avoid adding too much fat or sugar to your yam adds extra calories. Yam is a low fat food – we need to be careful to keep it that way. Yam can be fried, boiled, stewed, grilled, pounded, roasted, mashed  and even turned into yam flour! Portion control is crucial when serving yam – too much yam can lead to weight gain, especially if you are not physically active.

Is it true that Japanese yam can be eaten raw?

Japanese yam, unlike its African brethren can be eaten raw. The whole tuber is briefly soaked in vinegar-water solution to neutralize the irritant oxalate crystals that found in their skin. It is then cut into small slices or grated and added to foods.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TmHmKGKr9rUC&pg=PA243&dq=alkaloids+in+yams&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjT5taE347MAhXEiQ8KHRgwAKoQ6AEIIzAB#v=onepage&q=alkaloids%20in%20yams&f=false