What Are the Benefits of Chinese Yam, How Should You Eat It, and What Is the Recommended Daily Amount?

Hello, this is Merry Plastic Surgery Clinic, which pursues natural and beautiful changes.

We have already entered March.

As March arrives, the weather gradually warms, and many people are looking forward to the spring season, when all things come back to life.

However, in March, seasonal changes often bring large temperature differences between day and night, creating an environment where immunity can easily decline.

In particular, fine dust tends to become more severe during seasonal transitions, so extra care is needed for bronchial health as well.

Today, let’s take a look at Chinese yam, which is known to help strengthen immunity and is also said to be effective for the bronchi.

What Are the Benefits of Chinese Yam?

• Rich in nutrients: Chinese yam is characterized by being rich in dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and more.

In particular, because it contains potassium and manganese, it is said to help various organs in the body.

It is also known to support the production of red blood cells and the absorption of iron because it is rich in copper and vitamin C.

• Improved digestion: One of the benefits of Chinese yam is that it helps improve digestion.

If you look at a cut surface of yam, you can see its unique mucus-like substance, and this mucus, which is full of a component called mucin, is said to help protect the stomach lining and relieve heartburn.

In particular, mucin acts like a lubricant in the large intestine, and because yam itself is rich in dietary fiber, it is said to help expel retained waste and is also good for people suffering from constipation.

In addition, Chinese yam contains a natural enzyme that breaks down starch, so it is said to help digestion for people who usually have stomach and intestinal discomfort.

• Anti-aging: Chinese yam may also have anti-aging effects.

The mucin ingredient mentioned above is a type of component that makes up the skin, and it is said to have better moisturizing ability than collagen.

For that reason, consuming it is said to be effective in preventing skin aging and maintaining elasticity.

In addition, its rich antioxidant compounds and dietary fiber are said to help promote cell regeneration and aid in the elimination of waste and toxins, which can help improve the skin.

• Strengthening immunity: As mentioned earlier, thanks to its rich nutrients, Chinese yam is known to help strengthen immunity and improve stamina.

In fact, Chinese yam is said to have the nickname “eel of the mountains.”

In traditional Korean medicine, Chinese yam was used not only as an ingredient in tonic preparations, but its mucus-like substance is also said to help prevent bronchial diseases such as lung conditions and support immunity.

• Improving diabetes: Chinese yam is known to promote insulin secretion and help suppress blood sugar spikes, making it effective for people with diabetes as well.

For that reason, it is said to be helpful not only for diabetes prevention, but also for preventing complications in people who already have diabetes.

• Promoting brain health: Chinese yam is also known to support brain activity.

A compound in Chinese yam called diosgenin helps the growth of neurons, which are nerve-transmitting cells in the brain, and stimulates brain activity, so it may also be beneficial for students who need to study and older adults who want to help prevent dementia.

How Should You Eat Chinese Yam?

As mentioned earlier, many people feel uneasy because a mucus-like substance comes out on the cut surface of Chinese yam.

As a way to eat Chinese yam, it is said to be helpful to consume it raw.

This is because heating destroys mucin, the mucus-like component.

However, if you dislike the mucus-like texture, lightly blanching it and eating it can also be one option, even if the absorption of the mucin component is incomplete.

If you feel uncomfortable eating Chinese yam raw by itself, it may also help to blend it with milk, yogurt, honey, and similar ingredients before consuming it.

Some people also add it to salads.

What Is the Recommended Daily Amount of Chinese Yam?

Chinese yam is a plant similar to sweet potato.

Unlike sweet potato, it contains less starch and is lower in calories and carbohydrates, so it has also been gaining attention as a diet food.

The recommended daily amount of Chinese yam is about 20 g, and if you consume too much, it may cause abdominal bloating, so please be careful.

Even if you follow the recommended daily amount, skin itching may occur due to calcium oxalate contained in Chinese yam.

If you usually have allergic reactions to calcium oxalate, you should be careful when consuming it.

In such cases, because itching may occur around the mouth or inside the mouth where the mucus directly touches, it is said that rinsing off the mucus with warm running water without rubbing can help reduce the itching.

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