Yacon is a sweet tuber native to Peru, now grown in other parts of the world. It contains inulin, a sugar that doesn’t raise blood sugar levels and can be used as a sweetener for diabetics. Yacon can be eaten raw or cooked and has nutritional benefits.
Yacon is an interesting plant native to Peru, producing sweet tubers that slightly resemble yellow sweet potatoes. It’s only recently that people outside of South America have taken an interest in Yacon, and you can now find the tuber somewhere in Europe and the United States. Some time ago, Japan also started growing the tuber and it became popular in dishes such as tempura.
The tubers can be eaten in various ways. They can be baked, boiled or steamed, or eaten raw, and many people think they have a slight apple flavor. Besides tasting good, they also have a unique element that makes them attractive as food.
Yacon tubers are sweet and crunchy when raw but contain a special sugar that humans don’t metabolize well. This sugar is called inulin or oligofructose. Yacon’s special sugar can be used to sweeten products for people with diabetes, because it does not raise blood sugar levels. In fact, you can now buy yacon syrup in some health food stores and on the Internet.
Many people compare syrup to molasses or honey, except most consider it even sweeter. It must be substituted carefully in recipes and used sparingly, or foods made with it can taste overly sweet. Some people prefer this syrup as a sweetener to things like processed sugars. Vegans who avoid refined sugars and who don’t eat honey because it’s made by bees may especially enjoy this naturally produced sugar substitute.
You certainly don’t have to think of Yacon being used only as a syrup. Since growers have started producing this tuber outside of South America, chefs and amateur cooks have responded with numerous recipes for its use. The curry can be excellent with the addition of chopped or grated yacon, and the tuber also lends itself well to use in salads. An interesting recipe is a Waldorf salad that combines carrots, walnuts, raisins and grated tuber slices with a mayonnaise dressing.
There are some nutritional benefits to eating yacon as well. It is considered a nutraceutical by some people due to its low sugar content, which may not only be a good sugar substitute for diabetics but could reduce the risk of diabetes. It can also promote good digestion. As a food, it is mostly eaten for flavor. It doesn’t have many calories but it’s also not a terrific source of protein, fiber or vitamins.
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