Health benefits of yams are known to many people who have benefited from yams in regulating blood pressure among other benefits. Yams are in the family of tubers. It grows underground and harvested the same way as cassava. Though not popular in the west, this food crop is popular in rural area in Africa where it is grown mostly in dry areas due to its hardy nature and drought resistant characteristics. Yams can either be boiled or cut and fried with some vegetables or baked on dry heat before being eaten as part of breakfast.
Benefit 1: Yams are Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals
Yams are very good sources of vitamins and minerals. For example, they are rich in vitamin B6 which is useful for breakdown of homocysteine. Homocysteine is a harmful amino acid which destroys blood vessel walls. If this amino acid is present in your blood, your blood vessels are weakened, exposing to the risk of heart diseases such stroke. This is because the amino acid leads or assists in the formation of cholesterol which is deposited in the arterial walls. Consumption of B6 is crucial for protecting your body against these diseases. Yams will provide you with the right amount of this vitamin.
Benefit 2: Yams are a Good Source of Potassium good for Blood Pressure
Potassium is required by the body for control and management of blood pressure. Deficiency or inadequate amounts of potassium in the body has been linked to hypertension. Yams will provide with the potassium that your body needs to control blood pressure. Yams contain a certain protein known as dioscorin which is useful for people with hypertension. Dioscorin assist the kidneys in receiving adequate amount of blood hence improving on its function in removing excess water and reabsorbing essential mineral salts. Invariably, this is a useful role in ensuring that fluid balance is maintained and ultimately, it plays a role in managing blood pressure.
Benefit 3: Yams are a Good Source of Ascorbic Acid
If you are seeking a good source of vitamin C, look no further. Yams contain ascorbic acid which is useful in the body for a healthy immune system as well as healthy skin. It also helps prevent diseases like scurvy. Over and above that, vitamin C is vital for managing high blood pressure by strengthening the vessels to ensure that they constrict and vasodilate as required. An improved blood flow is essential for the heart as well as the entire body. An improved circulatory system helps prevent occurrence of diseases such as congestive heart failure, thrombosis, high cholesterol as well as atherosclerosis.
Benefit 4: Yams are good for Fighting Cancer
Yams are important for fighting cancer. This is because they fight free radicals through their anti- oxidation properties. Anti-oxidants are substances that prevent the action of free radicals in the body. When free radicals combine with carcinogens, they form cancerous cells. The anti-oxidant properties in yams thwart such occurrences hence your body is protected from cancers such as cancer of the prostate.
Benefit 5: Yams Improve your Immunity
Your eyes are the windows to your soul. They need to be protected from any harmful effects. The vitamin C in yams improves on the immune system so that you are not plagued by diseases. Which affect your eyes, causing inability to see, partial blindness or even total blindness. The deterioration in eyesight and the resultant ailments such as macular degeneration are occasioned by a weak immune system. The vitamin helps bolster the body’s defensive mechanism.
Video : What Is the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?
Recommended Resources :
- Wikipedia : Yams
