Japanese yams provide an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and can be a tasty side dish. This tuber is a vegetable that can be consumed raw, as well as baked, sautéed or steamed. Japanese yams are also used to make soba noodles. One way to tell that you are choosing a Japanese yam is by looking for the reddish outer skin and pale inner flesh.
Vitamins
The Japanese yam is rich in vitamin C, a vitamin beneficial for healthy immune function, antioxidant properties, bone growth and the healing process. Yams also contain vitamin A. Your body requires vitamin A for normal vision, healthy central nervous development, maintenance of bones and mucous membranes and reproduction. Incorporating yams into your diet will increase your consumption of B-vitamins, such as pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid, which are essential for efficient metabolism function and other biological processes.
Minerals
This vegetable is also rich in minerals, such as potassium. A serving of 100 g, or a medium-size Japanese yam, contains 816 mg of potassium. Potassium helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure and heart function by aiding in fluid control within your cells. The copper found in Japanese yams helps in red blood cell production and protein metabolism, while the iron aids in forming hemoglobin, which delivers oxygen to your cells.
Calories
An average-sized cooked yam, or 100 g, contains about 100 calories. Although yams are a starchy, dense vegetable, their many health benefits stem from the high levels of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, such as beta-carotene.
Fiber
You can substitute the Japanese yam for a potato to provide you with greater levels of fiber. A 100-g serving of yam provides you with 4.1 g of fiber. Fiber plays a role in the health of your digestive system by maintaining a healthy rate of elimination, which helps to prevent constipation, bloating and flatulence. The unsoluble fiber, which creates bulk in your stool, also is an energy source for the healthy flora, or bacteria, in your colon. These bacteria not only aid in digestion, but they also produce vitamins, such as vitamin K.
References
- Nutrition-and-you.com: Yams Nutrition Facts
- The Journal of Nutrition: The Role of Vitamin A in the Development of the Central Nervous System
- Recipetips.com: Japanese Sweet Potato
- The Role of Vitamins and Minerals
- United State Department of Agriculture Nutrient National Database: Mountain Yam
- United State Department of Agriculture Nutrient National Database: Yam
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