Thy food thy medicine- Water Yam Water Yam (Dioscorea alata), known as purple yam and many other names, is a species of yam, a tuberous root vegetable. The tubers are usually bright lavender in color, hence the common name, but they may sometimes be white. Common names Due to its popularity, In English alone, aside from purple yam, other common names include greater yam, Guyana arrowroot, ten-months yam, water yam, white yam, winged yam, or simply yam. Nigeria is not left out in giving it her own name, in Igboland, the southern part of Nigeria, it is called ji or ji abana; while for the Yoruba people of the southwestern Nigeria, it is called isu ewura. Medicinal In folk medicine, D. alata has been used as a laxative and vermifuge, and as a treatment for fever, gonorrhea, leprosy, tumors, and inflamed hemorrhoids. Water yam can slow down the ageing process and boost the immune system, a nutritionist - “Also, it contains small amount of vitamin E and beta-carotene level. The tubers are in deeded one of the vegetable rich sources that has a lot of minerals, like copper, it has calcium, it contains potassium, iron and also phosphorus; these are all essential elements contained in water yam. “It’s good for diabetic patients; it suppresses the blood sugar because of the high fibre content.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 09:52:00 +0000
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