Benefits of yam
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, yam is known as Cat Can, Bach Cat, or Kau Cat. Yam is harvested in the winter and spring, then ground and sifted to obtain a fine powder. In 100g of yam powder, there are 14g of water, 0.7g of protein, 84.3g of carbohydrates, 0.8g of xylose, 18mg of calcium, 20mg of phosphorus, and 1.5mg of iron…
Yam has many benefits such as detoxification support, heat-clearing and liver-cooling effects, blood pressure reduction, and anti-arrhythmia. Yam also assists in detoxifying alcohol and limiting alcohol absorption. Pure yam starch can help relieve thirst and support digestion in patients with gastric ulcers. When starch enters the body, it neutralizes the remaining acid in the stomach, making the patient feel more comfortable and improve their appetite.
When you have sunstroke, fever, headache, restlessness, or confusion, yam can be used. Women with heat stroke and loss of appetite can also use yam for support.
During hot and exhausting work under the sun, consuming yam can help you feel cool, reduce fatigue, and feel comfortable.
Should you consume yam powder daily?
Yam is nutritious and beneficial, with good heat-clearing properties. However, according to doctors, it is not recommended to consume yam powder daily. Yam has cold properties, so continuous consumption can cause abdominal coldness. Young children, weak individuals, people with low blood pressure, or those who have just recovered from an illness may experience abdominal cramps, diarrhea when consuming too much yam powder.
Therefore, it is advisable to consume only 2 glasses of yam powder per day and not to use it continuously for a long period of time, as it may increase coldness in the body. In both summer and winter, excessive consumption is not recommended. In the winter, on the last days of the year, when you consume many hot foods, you can use yam powder to cool down.
In addition, when it is hot and you need a lot of physical activity, your body needs sufficient water supply, along with electrolyte replacement if there is excessive urine and sweat excretion. Besides, let your body and taste experience a variety of natural drinks, not just yam.
When preparing yam, it is best to use hot water to ensure better absorption because raw yam powder is difficult to absorb. Pregnant women or those at risk of miscarriage should not consume yam powder.
Especially in the current market, there are many types of mixed yam powders, so you should pay attention when purchasing. Yam powder should be purchased without pomelo flavoring so that you can easily distinguish between genuine yam and mixed yam powder. When you bite into a yam grain, it should be crispy and meltable to indicate that it is good quality yam. Yam powder is very difficult to detect mold, so you should rely on smell to distinguish it.
