Who doesn’t want to be that little bit healthier? Especially if improving your health involves minimal effort. With this in mind we’ve made it our mission to bring you news each week of a product, a foodstuff, an exercise technique or a pill that promises magical health-giving properties.
This week’s magic ingredient: Wild yam powder.
Not to be confused with: Wild party powder.
Yams. They sound familiar: Scientists are now working with over 110 species of wild yams and have identified and isolated numerous chemical compounds all with different and remarkable properties. Yams are commonly referred to as sweet potato, yet they come from completely different families. Anyway, we’re going to be looking at the powder you get from these fellas.
So the magic of the yam is in the powder, is it? It is. Wild yam is one of the more widely used tonic herbs. Because the vegetable has what is described as a ‘neutral energy’, and is therefore neither hot nor cold, it helps to improve your digestion and regulate metabolism.
What else can it do for me? It also helps strengthen and improve lung function and wild yam extract is commonly used in formulations designed to relieve coughing due to weakened lungs. So, all of you smokers can benefit. Also, the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan found that yams reduce liver function abnormalities. That’s the heavy drinkers sorted too.
What’s exactly in the stuff? Wild yams contain a high concentration of antioxidants, according to a November 2004 article that appeared in Food Chemistry. Antioxidants attack free radicals in the body and are therefore beneficial at preventing a number of diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disorders.
Covers a lot of bases. How do I take it? It can be used in a similar manner to instant mashed potato powder, although preparation is a little more difficult because of a tendency to form lumps. The yam powder is sprinkled onto a pan containing a small amount of boiling water, and stirred vigorously. The resulting mixture is served with a heated sauce, such as tomato and chili, poured onto it. To avoid lumps forming, mix the powder and the water before putting on the heat, then stir continuously as the temperature rises.
I’m pretty much sold. Where can I get it? Yam powder is available from grocers specialising in African or Chinese products.
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