Yam

Yam is a common name for some plant species in the genus Dioscorea that form edible tubers. Yams are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in many temperate and tropical regions, especially in Africa, South America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Oceania.

Description

Yams are monocots, related to lilies and grasses. Vines can grow up to 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.6 meters) in height. The tubers can grow up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length and weigh up to 70 kilograms (150 pounds). The tuber surface is usually smooth and brown, and the flesh is usually white or yellow. Unlike the softer, sweet potato (to which it is often compared), yam tubers have a harder, bark-like skin.

Cultivation and production

Yams are typically harvested by hand using sticks, spades, or diggers. The tubers can be stored up to six months without refrigeration, which makes them a valuable resource for the annual period of food scarcity at the beginning of the wet season. Yams are a primary agricultural commodity in West Africa and New Guinea. They are also important in the South Pacific and the Caribbean.

Nutritional value

Yams are high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese; while being low in saturated fat and sodium. A product of yam, the Diosgenin, is used in the production of synthetic hormones such as progesterone and cortisone.

See also

• Sweet potato
• Cassava
• Potato
• Taro

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