Have you ever heard of yams? They are an an edible tuber coming from a perennial vine which originates in Central and South America. The starchy vegetable, which is similar to sweet potatoes, has almost 200 unique species and is commonly served boiled. Are you curious yet about its health benefits? If you so, keep reading, because this article will give teach you the 10 biggest health benefits of yams.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Yams
#10 Antioxidant
The first health benefit of yams that we want you to know about is that it is stuffed with antioxidants. Antioxidants can eliminate free-radicals in our bodies which damage cells, leading to the acceleration of aging and contributing to the development of cancer. Yam contains antioxidants like Vitamin C, known to help fight colds and flu. It also contains beta-carotene, which is believed to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
#9 Muscle Pain Reliever
Here is good news for every woman who experiences abdominal cramps during her menstrual period: eating yams can help relieve the pain you feel in your abdominal muscles. Yam acts as an anti-spasmodic agent, which has the ability to relax muscles. This property works for everyone who experiences muscle pains, including labor pains.
#8 Good Metabolism
Have you ever experienced indigestion? How about constipation? These are associated with poor metabolism, which is commonly a result of lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking or stress. The dietary fiber in yams can enhance your metabolism by improving the efficiency with which the body processes food. Good metabolism makes a person more energetic and can even boost their mood.
#7 Prevent Blindness
Consuming yams can help prevent blindness. Blindness can be caused by many different conditions, including macular degeneration, a disorder of the eye that causes a person to lose their central vision. The vitamin C in yams is known to build up and strengthen the immune system, thus decreasing the risk of macular degeneration.
#6 Weight Control
Yams are full of dietary fiber, which can help a person to feel full for a longer period of time. You should also consider eating yams as a snack if you are trying to maintain your weight or reduce it.
#5 Brain Booster
From your stomach to your brain, yams have a lot to offer. One of its health benefits is boosting your brain activity. Yams contain potassium, which sends oxygen to our brains, leading to better cognitive performance.
#4 Reduced Stress Levels
Stress can be overwhelming if it’s not controlled, negatively impacting our lives and health. Yams are known to reduce stress levels and regulate blood pressure. Normalizing blood pressure reduces the risk of kidney failure. It’s like a domino effect. Reduced stress levels can result in normal blood pressure, and normal blood pressure can result in healthy kidneys.
#3 Lower Blood Sugar
Yams are an antidiabetic plant; its Alkaloid Dioscoretine helps lower blood sugar. Diabetes is major disease nowadays, affecting millions of people of all ages around the globe. It’s important to make a variety of antidiabetic foods more widely known to the public.
#2 Healthier Hair and Skin
One of the reasons why you should consume yams is that they can make you beautiful. This may sound like magic, but it’s true. The vitamin B6 in them helps eliminate wrinkles, fine lines and dark circles. Their vitamin C can make our skin appear brighter and healthier. Lastly, it contains beta-carotene, which promotes the growth of ,healthy and thick hair.
#1 Avoid Acne Breakouts
Acne, more commonly known as pimples, has been encountered by most of us during our teenage years. Do you remember the first day you felt a pimple, and you wished that your superpower was to become invisible? That’s all in the past now, because yams can help you avoid acne. They contain enzymes which help our balance prevent a hormonal imbalance, one of the common causes of acne breakouts.
Those were just a few of the health benefits yams provide. There are so many more. We hope you enjoyed reading our article. Maybe now you’ll give a boiled or grilled yam a try. Be healthy!
