How to eat yacon and its nutritional value

Yacon is called "Agong" in foreign countries. It is naturally delicate and is commonly known as "underground fruit" because it grows underground. Tianshan Yacon is a wild plant that does not require fertilizers and pesticides. It is a pure natural green health food. It contains a large amount of water-soluble fiber, high fructooligosaccharides and 20 essential amino acids for the human body. It also contains trace elements such as calcium, iron, zinc and rich minerals. It is a low-calorie food with the effects of cooling and annealing, clearing blood and detoxifying. Eating it raw can eliminate acne, constipation, reduce inflammation and diuresis, clear the liver and detoxify, and beautify the skin. It is suitable for diabetics and dieters.

Nutritional value of yacon

The nutritional value of yacon lies in the inulin substances it contains. Those with low polymerization degree are called yacon oligosaccharides. It cannot be absorbed by the human body, but it can promote the proliferation of bifidobacteria in the intestines, improve the balance of microecology, and indirectly play a role in detoxification, lipid reduction, and constipation prevention. Therefore, it belongs to the category of "bifidobacterial factor" and "dietary fiber". In this respect, its effect is very similar to that of burdock.

How to eat yacon

There are several ways to eat yacon:

1. After picking the yacon from the soil, just wash off the surface soil, peel off the skin, and eat it directly like fruit. If you can leave it for two or three days after picking, it will increase its sweetness.

2. If you stew chicken or pork ribs with yacon to make soup, it becomes a nourishing winter dish for the indigenous people;

3. Now some businesses have spotted the potential of this market and have developed yacon tea, yacon jelly, yacon pastries, etc. using yacon as raw material, allowing everyone to taste the yacon flavors of various tastes.

4. Stir-fried pork shreds. The sweetness of the stir-fried yacon is more pure, and the pork shreds also seem to have a little sweet taste. Paired with a bowl of white rice, it is very appetizing.

5. Steaming and stewing yacon is also a good cooking method, especially for winter tonic. Put a few pieces of yacon in the pork ribs soup and stew them together. The soup will be more fragrant and delicious, and can also have the effect of appetizing and strengthening the spleen.

6. Another method is to chop the yacon into pieces and make it into sweet cookies. Because it is sweet in itself, there is no need to add sugar for seasoning. It can become a delicious tea snack and is also in line with the concept of modern urbanites pursuing natural green health food.

Precautions for eating yacon

Although yacon oligosaccharide is a good ingredient, it is not without disadvantages. Eating too much may cause abdominal distension, diarrhea and other reactions. People who are prone to abdominal distension and diarrhea should eat less.

Many people ask: Yacon is a little sweet, can diabetics eat it? In fact, diabetics can eat it, but they cannot eat it in unlimited quantities, and they should not store it for too long before eating. Eating a small piece of yacon instead of other fruits will not cause a surge in blood sugar in theory, and it is also good for the intestines.

Since the energy of yacon is lower than that of most fruits, eating it as a fruit will not cause obesity. However, do not use it as the only food during the weight loss period, because its protein is not enough to meet all the needs of the human body. Using it to replace other foods can easily cause protein malnutrition and eventually lead to edema, just like the big-headed dolls of the past.

According to research reports, the fructooligosaccharides in yacon are easily decomposed into sucrose, fructose and glucose during storage. After 6 days of storage without protection from light, the loss can reach more than 50%. Therefore, after storage for too long, the benefits of yacon fructooligosaccharides will be greatly reduced. There are also concerns about increased blood sugar after consumption. Considering that the yacon on the market today is transported from long distances, it is probably impossible for fructooligosaccharides not to be lost.

Although yacon oligosaccharides raise blood sugar more slowly than glucose, they may increase blood lipids in large quantities. In addition, yacon tends to turn brown after being cut, so it is best to eat it immediately. Although the browning is harmless to the body, it looks like a black potato cube and can reduce appetite.