The family Dioscorea’s versatile vegetable known as the yam produces edible tubers. In parts of Asia and Africa, the plant is a staple food.
They are frequently confused for sweet potatoes. Yams, on the other hand, are less sweet and starchier.
These flexible, very nutritive tubers may be beneficial to your health in a number of ways, including lowering high blood pressure.
Persistently high blood pressure in an individual is what is diagnosed as hypertension. It is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high.
Heart attacks, strokes, and renal damage are just a few of the severe health issues that can result from this. To decrease the risk of these problems, it is crucial to monitor and control blood pressure.
Yam may be a good choice if you are struggling with high blood pressure.
Are yams good for high blood pressure?
Yes, yams are good for people living with persistent high blood pressure or diagnosed with hypertension.
Yams are a great source of nutrients that support heart health. Potassium and fiber are a couple of the key nutrients that support heart health.
They are among the foods with the greatest per-cup potassium content. Yams have a potassium content per cup of 1,224 mg or 35% of the daily recommended amount.
A cup of yams only has 13.5 milligrams of sodium, which is relatively minimal. Along with relaxing blood vessels and preserving adequate blood flow, this combination with folate also helps to lower blood pressure.
Health benefits of yams
Potential health benefits of yams include the following:
Could Improve Skin Health
Diosgenin, a plant steroid that prevents skin aging in women throughout menopause, is abundant in yams.
Diosgenin administration increases epidermal thickness in ovariectomized mice without changing the level of fat storage, according to in vivo animal experiments on mice.
You Can Improve Your Overall Digestive Health by Eating Yams
Resistant starches, which are found in yams and behave like soluble fibers, are present. The small intestine and stomach of a person who has a resistant starch virtually pass through them undigested.
It finally makes its way to your colon from there, feeding your digestive enzymes while also nourishing your good gut flora.
Resistant starches therefore have the ability to lower inflammation and lower your chance of developing colorectal cancer.
On a more positive note, the resistant starches found in yams can also treat a variety of digestive issues, including ulcerative colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and Crohn’s disease.
Yams may enhance mental cognition.
A number of yam nutrients, including potassium, folate, and several antioxidants, are known to have positive effects on the nervous system.
Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline have been shown to be less common in people who consume folate. Potassium has been shown to enhance cognition, concentration, and cerebral activity as well as boost blood flow to the brain.
Yams can benefit cardiovascular health.
Vitamin B6, potassium, and dietary fiber are all abundant in yams.
According to one study, people who ingested 4,069 mg of potassium daily had a 49% lower chance of dying from ischemic heart disease than people who drank less than 1,000 mg.
Can aid in preventing cancer
Diosgenin in yams has been shown in rat research to inhibit carcinogenesis by functioning as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance.
The study’s finding that yam can be effective against cancer is its conclusion. The same study discovered that eating more yams can considerably slow the formation of colon tumors.
To fully comprehend this effect of yams on people, additional research is necessary in this field.
Can lower cholesterol
The management of your cholesterol levels is another important function of yams. The reason for this is that yams offer a unique kind of soluble fiber, which is bad news for cholesterol.
To put it simply, soluble fiber reduces cholesterol in your body by adhering to it and moving about in its vicinity. The cholesterol levels of real women have also changed as a result of yam consumption.
Researchers found that women who ate 18 ounces of yams every day for 30 days noticed a reduction in their cholesterol levels.
A great source of manganese is yams.
Numerous enzymes that regulate thyroid function, energy metabolism, and blood sugar are dependent on manganese.
Thirty percent of the necessary manganese intake can be found in one cup of yams.
Congenital impairments, growth retardation, decreased fertility, and overall weakness could all be symptoms of manganese deficiency.
Can aid people in fighting illnesses
Yams provide 43% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C per cup. Vitamin C is a potent, naturally occurring, water-soluble antioxidant that helps the body fight off infections and get rid of free radicals that can lead to cancer.
Support the digestive system
A fantastic source of fiber is yams. A cup of yams has 6 grams of dietary fiber in it.
Men and women should consume 38 grams and 25 grams of dietary fiber per day, respectively. Fiber supplements can aid in preventing constipation and ease the management of your bowel movements.
Summary
Yams have been connected to a number of health advantages, including an improvement in blood sugar regulation, a reduction in inflammation, and brain health.
Fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, and antioxidants are all abundant in them and this makes them good for high blood pressure.
They are an excellent vegetable to add to your diet for both sweet and savory meals because they are adaptable and simple to prepare.
WRITTEN AND EDITED RESPECTIVELY BY:
Michael Sarfo
Michael Sarfo is a graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon. He is a content creator for enochkabange.com and a writer for Wapomu
Dr. Ehoneah Obed is a registered pharmacist and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. He has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and has experience working in a Tertiary hospital as well as various community pharmacies. He is also a software engineer interested in healthcare technologies.
His love for helping others motivates him to create content on an array of topics mostly relating to the health of people and also software engineering content.
He is knowledgeable in digital marketing, content marketing, and a host of other skills that make him versatile enough to uplift any team he joins.
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