Description of the yacon vegetable. What is included in its composition and how it is useful for a person. Are there any contraindications and what harmful manifestations can occur with abuse. Cooking recipes with yacon. An interesting fact is that due to the presence of the trace element selenium, yacon is called the "elixir of youth." It has a positive effect on the nervous system and tends to maintain clarity of mind in old age.
Harm and contraindications to the use of yacon
Even the most seemingly harmless food products can have a negative effect on the human body. The yacon root crop is no exception.
In case of an "overdose", the following ailments may occur:
- Stool disorder - more often observed in people with personal intolerance to the components of the vegetable.
- Frequent urination - due to the high percentage of water in yacon.
- Loss of appetite over a long period of time is due to the presence of polyfructose, which makes you feel full.
- Allergic rhinitis - can be characterized by prolonged sneezing, lacrimation and slight swelling of the eyes.
- Poisoning - occurs when the plant contains an excessive amount of nitrates.
In general, there are no absolute contraindications to yacon. With moderate consumption of vegetables and foods that contain it, undesirable consequences will not occur, unless you have an individual intolerance. If you experience ailments, you should exclude the plant from the diet and consult with a qualified specialist to avoid problems in the future.
Yacon recipes
Yacon is a very useful plant for humans. It is especially popular among those who want to control their weight, since root vegetables are low in calories and have a high percentage of water. Once removed from the ground, the tubers do not have a distinct taste. They must be kept for several days in a lighted and warm place. Then inulin will be split into fructans in them, which will determine the sweet taste. There are the following recipes for yacon, which are distinguished by their exotic taste:
- Sesame and yacon salad … The root is peeled, cut into thin strips and placed in water for 5 minutes. After that, the yacon should dry well. Next, mix 2 teaspoons of miso paste, ready-made straws, 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons of low-fat mayonnaise and add salt at your own discretion. Then mix and sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.
- Various pastries … The roots of the vegetable are dried and crushed to a powdery state. From the resulting flour, in contrast to wheat and rye, you can prepare low-calorie food.
- Yacon Pastila … The plant is peeled, cut into circles and baked in the oven for 5-7 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar on top. The result is crispy sweet chips.
- Baked yacon with cheese … The "earth apple" is peeled and cut into thin slices. Then add spices and salt, mixing everything thoroughly. A baking dish is liberally greased with vegetable oil, half of the chopped yacon is poured onto it. Finely rub the cheese on top. After that, put the next layer of the vegetable and sprinkle it again with plenty of cheese. The form is covered with foil for even baking and placed in the oven for 35-40 minutes at a temperature of 200 °. At the end, remove the foil so that a golden crust appears. Then the dish is taken out of the oven and sprinkled with finely chopped herbs.
- Yacon tea … The leaves of the vegetable are cut, washed and dried for several weeks. After that, tea is brewed, which quenches thirst well and gives a feeling of fullness.
- Raw Yacon … A fairly common dish. The vegetable does not require any special processing. All you have to do is cut off the peel and cut the yacon into slices. The tubers are crispy and firm.
- Yacon cabbage rolls … Vegetable leaves are dipped into boiling water for 2-3 minutes, making sure that they do not fall apart. Then the filling is made. 1 kg of meat is twisted into minced meat. Boil 1 cup of rice until half cooked. After that, mix everything and add grated fried carrots and onions. Next, the filling is spread on ready-made yacon leaves, rolled up with a tube and laid with a seam down in a saucepan. Then 3 tablespoons of tomato paste are diluted in 2 glasses of water and poured into cabbage rolls. It is important that the water does not reach the top layer by about 2 fingers. After that, the cabbage rolls are placed on the stove and brought to a boil, then they make a small fire and simmer for about 45 minutes. Salt is added to taste.
- Fried yacon with mushrooms … The vegetable is peeled, cut into slices and poured onto a preheated frying pan, abundantly greased with sunflower oil. Fry without a lid for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Meanwhile, the mushrooms are cut into small slices and added to the yacon together with chopped onions. Then cover the pan with a lid and fry for about 10-15 minutes over low heat. Salt and pepper at your discretion. The dish will be ready when it acquires a rich bronze hue.
- Stew with yacon … One chopped onion and grated carrots are fried until golden brown in vegetable oil. 4 yacon tubers are peeled, cut into cubes and fried too. Seeds are removed from green peppers and zucchini, cut into slices and added to vegetables. Cut 3 tomatoes into small slices and place in a skillet. After that, the ingredients are fried for about 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly. Add pepper, salt and garlic at your discretion. Then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and simmer the stew for about 10-15 minutes. After that, the dish is allowed to infuse a little and soak in its own juice.
- Yacon juice … Peeled vegetable slices are placed in a juicer and a nutritious sweet drink is obtained. Add a few tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon if you like. The juice perfectly quenches thirst and refreshes in hot weather.
Yacon can be added to any traditional dish to add a savory flavor. The vegetable goes well with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, meat, nuts, honey, pineapple, mangoes, apples, melons and raisins. Salads with it can be seasoned with both mayonnaise and sour cream. Pickles, pancakes and soups are also prepared with yacon.
Interesting facts about yakon
The name of the vegetable comes from the transformed by the Andean dialect of the Spanish word llaqon, which literally means "juicy". This is due to the high percentage of water in the root crop. Since yacon is a tropical plant, its cultivation in the northern regions is not recommended. The benefits of root crops and leaves are greatly reduced. Inulin, which is traditionally a part of a vegetable, may be completely absent, and part of the digestible carbohydrates is replaced by excess fructans. Over time, the yacon lost its seed propagation ability. And since the large roots of the vegetable do not have renewable buds, the plant is bred, as a rule, with small tubers.
In Latin America, using a special manufacturing technique, a specific alcoholic beverage is made from yacon with a melon flavor. They have it quite common on store shelves.
Yacon is famous for its high content of "storage carbohydrates", which are characterized by a long chain of conversion to energy. Although inulin is a part of other plants, but it was the "earthy apple" that turned out to be the most optimal gastronomic option. Low-calorie and sweet yacon syrup was created by American physician Mehmet Oz. He was the first to draw public attention to the dietary characteristics of a vegetable. In his project, he involved 40 women who took a spoonful of syrup for a month before each meal. The results were satisfactory, and the subjects lost a few extra pounds, and the metabolic processes in the body improved.
In its homeland, the yacon grows for several years, and in other people's conditions - only a year. The vegetable is tolerant to a wide range of temperatures and various weather conditions; heavy rains do not spoil it.
How to grow yacon - watch the video:
The wide popularity of yacon is explained not only by its taste, but also by its useful composition, as well as a combination of important difficult-to-digest carbohydrates. If you follow the measures in the use of products that contain "earthy apple", you can feel a beneficial effect on the body.