The yacón root, from Peru is a distant relative of the sunflower. It grows in the warm, temperate Andean valleys at elevations below 3,500 m. It's delicious edible tubers, which are sweet and low in calories, hold a variety of benefits. It has a mild sweet flavour and an unusual moist, crunchy texture slightly reminiscent of fresh-picked apple, pineapple and watermelon.

 

The unique market potential for yacon is as a dietetic fiber due to its unique carbohydrate composition. Most other roots and tubers store carbohydrates as starch – a polymer of glucose; yacon stores carbohydrate as fructooligosacaride (FOS) – a polymer composed mainly of fructose. Yacon has a strong potential in international markets as an ingredient in diet, diabetes, and colon-related heath food products.

 

Dried yacon root powder contains 50-70% (dry basis) FOS and low proportion of simple sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose and sucrose). The human body has no enzyme to hydrolyze FOS, so it passes through the digestive tract unmetabolized, providing few calories, a marketing strength for dieters and diabetics. Yacon also acts as a prebiotic. The undigested portion of yacon serves as food for “friendly” bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus species, in the colon. Clinical studies have shown that administering inulin can increase the number of these friendly bacteria in the colon while simultaneously reducing the population of harmful bacteria.

 

Yacon syrup, pressed from the roots, has a sweet flavor, and is used as an alternative glucose free sweetener and prebiotic with few calories.

 

Other benefits noted with FOS supplementation include increased production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, increased absorption of calcium and magnesium, and improved elimination of toxic compounds. Preclinical studies indicate an increase in bone density after consumption of FOS. In addition, the beneficial effects of FOS on the presence of Bifidobacteria suggest an improved absorption of vitamins, such as the B complexes.

 

Yacón tuber provides an excellent balance of 20 essential amino acids. It has one of the highest levels of potassium found in any plant, and high levels of calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus. Yacón is a useful sweet food for diabetics.

 

Yacon is a useful food for managing weight control and obesity. It provides few calories 15-20Kcal/100g, whereas bread typically contains around 50Kcal/100g.

 

Yacon acts as a pre-biotic and thereby helps the intestines to function efficiently and eliminate toxins and waste products from the body. It strengthens and activates the good bacilli like L. acidophilus and B.bifidum which in turn enhances our immune system and suppresses putrefactive pathogens such as Candida albicans.