Yacón

Yacón ( Smallanthus sonchifolius ), root tubers.

Yacón ( Smallanthus sonchifolius, Syn: Polymnia edulis, P. sonchifolia ) is a plant from the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). Other common names in different languages ​​: aricoma, arboloco, aricona, arikuma, colla, Chiriguano, ipio Jacon, jicama, jiquima, jikima, jiquimilla, LeafCup, llacon, llacoma, mexican potato, polaco, poire de terre, potato bean, Puhe, shicama, Taraca, Yacuma, yacumpi. It comes from South America and grows in the Peruvian highlands in the Andes, where it is one of a valuable food for centuries. The taste is reminiscent of a pear.

Description

Smallanthus sonchifolius is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of 1.5 to 3 m. There are root nodules formed as outlasting which reach a length of 25 cm and a diameter of up to 10 cm. The leaves are opposite.

In the bloom conditions are tongue and tubular flowers together. The yellow to orange flowers are pollinated by insects. It can be formed without pappus achenes.

Use

The Yacón plant has a high content of fructose (about 75 % dry matter) mainly in the form of the memory molecule inulin or fructooligosaccharides as (FOS ) is available. With this composition, the Yacón plant is diätisch interesting. However, it is to be noted that fructose is not suitable as a sugar substitute in the diabetic diet.

Active ingredients that are present in the leaves of the plant to actively reduce blood sugar levels. Many diabetics take therefore in South America an infusion of the leaves to be. Meanwhile, some products from Yacón in the German food trade are available. It has been shown that a yacon - enriched diet in the rat leads to a reduction of blood glucose levels.

The Yacón root contains mainly water, saccharides (especially oligofructans ), potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron and some important vitamins ( B1, B2, C).