13 Incredible Health Benefits of Yam (Suran)

Yam (Suran) incredible health benefits includes supporting healthy pregnancy, helping with PMS and menopause, supporting a healthy digestion, enhancing the skin, good for the hair, supporting a healthy brain, keeps your heart healthy, helps get rid of anemia, promote a good immune system, a good source of carbohydrates, promote weight loss, and fight of cancer.

What is Yam?

Yam is an almost magical vegetable. It has even held a religious place in certain cultures like Africa. They even have an annual festival dedicated to Yams. Iwa Ji is held by the Igbo people, which translates to new-yam eating. In India, it is associated with the goddess of wealth. As it is a sturdy tuber that can grow almost anywhere and hardly ever dies. It is also said to have everlasting plenty, and people eat it on occasions like Dewali.

Besides its mystical nature Yams are highly nutritional food. They are consumed differently in various parts of the world and have numerous varieties. You can eat them in so many different ways and make them a part of your daily diet. You can use them instead of white potatoes when you make mixed vegetable soup. Or eat them with roast beef or even casseroles. You can even fry them and make fritters. A simple search on google will lead you to numerous easy and some not so easy recipes. Read on to know how this magical food can help you live a healthy life:

NUTRITION FACTS OF YAM

Amount Per 100 grams

• Calories 118
• Polyunsaturated fat 1 g
• Dietary fiber 1 g
• Cholesterol 0 mg
• Potassium 816 mg
• Total Carbohydrate 28 g
• Monounsaturated fat 0 g
• Sugar 5 g
• Saturated fat 0 g
• Total Fat 2 g
• Sodium 9 mg
• Protein 5 g

13 Incredible Health Benefits of Yam (Suran)

1. Good for Pregnant Women

Yams are particularly good for pregnant women as they are packed with numerous nutrients that are good for both the baby and the mom. They are especially great for the fetus in the early stage. Yams contain Folate with is essential for the brain and the CNS. Yams contain minerals that can help relieve morning sickness and keep bones strong during the pregnancy, which is essential for fetus development. One of the top reasons for babies being born with defects is the lack of red blood cells. Yams can prevent that because of all the minerals, especially iron.

2. Helps with PMS and Menopause

Yam contains nutrients that can help relieve symptoms of a premenstrual disorder. It is also good for women facing menopause. It helps restore your hormonal balance and also restores your vitamin B6 level.

3. Helps the Digestive System

Yams are packed with fiber, which is great for our digestive system. The fiber keeps your hunger in check and helps get rid of the harmful stuff. It is also great for bowel movement because of its potassium content, that helps with muscle contraction in the intestine. The fiber not only cleans the intestines but also helps get rid of constipation.

4. Good for Your Skin

Collagen is something that helps keep your skin firm, elastic and healthy. Yams help with the production of this chemical in our bodies. Yams are also rich in antioxidants, that help with cell regeneration. While they also fight with free radicals while fighting against premature aging. Collagen along with the vitamin C that yams provide is a great combination that can help heal wounds.

5. Good For Hair

A healthy head of hair can change the entire look of a person, it even adds to your personality. Yams can promote hair growth as they are rich in beta-carotene. Without it, your hair can become dry and lifeless.

6. Good for Brain Health

Yams are rich in potassium. Therefore, they are great for brain’s nerve activity. It also promotes better cognitive functioning.

7. Keep Your Heart Healthy

It also promotes cardiovascular health by getting rid of excess sodium in our bloodstreams. Sodium is responsible for hypertension and causes a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. The potassium, manganese and other minerals in this vegetable are great for keeping the blood vessels healthy. Yams can control your blood pressure and reduce the risk of getting a spike.

8. Helps Get Rid of Anemia

Yams fight against anemia with its iron content along with other minerals. These nutrients promote the production of red blood cells and help ward off anemia. These minerals also improve blood flow, by keeping the blood vessels healthy.

9. Good for the Immune System

Yams contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C and other minerals that work as anti-oxidants and help with the production of red blood cells. All these qualities improve the immune system and keep you healthy.

10. Healthy Carbohydrates

Yams are rich in carbohydrates, but as opposed to other products that are rich in carbohydrates, yams also have a lot of fiber. This way not only does it provide us with a lot of energy but they also get rid of the harmful stuff.

11. Yams for Weight Loss

A cup of yam only has 57 calories. It is also packed with vitamin B6 and potassium, vitamin C and fiber, that are essential for keeping us healthy, which makes them the perfect food for a weight loss program. They produce a lot of energy while the fiber keeps us from being hungry all the time and the nutrients make sure we stay healthy.

12. Wards Off Cancer

As you all know by now, yams are rich in antioxidants. Anything that is rich in antioxidants is good for keeping cancer at bay. It also contains Vitamin C that can help with harmful free radicals and minimize the risk of having deadly tumors.

13. Great for Ocular Health

Taking care of your eyes is essential. Can you even imagine losing one of your sense? Well, it’s possible with diseases like Macular degeneration. Yams are good for your eyes; they are rich in vitamin C. It helps by lowering the risk of macular degeneration, which is a condition that slowly takes away your sight and usually occurs after the age of 50.

Conclusion

Yams are the whole package they keep your cardiovascular, nervous and digestive system healthy. They can help you lose weight and keep your eyes healthy. They are even great for your hair and skin. If you want to lose weight or just are thinking of living a healthy diet adding yams to your diet can help you achieve your goals. It is great for people of all ages.

It helps keep you healthy in the womb till you get old. The calcium content is great both for pregnant women and old folks. It’s also a great way to keep osteoporosis at bay. To top it all off, they taste great, so there is no reason not to eat them. Just remember to keep in contact with your doctor and stay updated with your health requirements accordingly.