Yacon Rhizome
Information
Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a South American superfood, sometimes called ‘the apple of the earth’.
Yacon is sweet-tasting tuber that contains prebiotics which feed and help grow the microbiome in our guts - and that helps our immune system hugely!
When our gut microbiome is taken care of and are healthy, then we can optimally absorb the nutrients our body needs.
If we have gut issues with nutrients malabsorption, leaky gut or a bad imbalance of gut flora this takes a toll on our health. It affects our metabolism, hormone production, energy levels, sleep, immune system, etc.
So yacon can help:
- Boost your immunity
- Lower blood pressure
- Help regulate blood sugar
- Improve digestion
- Antifungal treatment
- Boosts liver health
- Supports weight loss
- Keeps 'unhealthy' cholesterol down
- May help prevent cancer
As well as promoting good bacteria in the human gut, Yacon is said to promote healthy bacteria in the soil also, so it's a great plant to have in the garden!
When Yacon is juiced and boiled down, it makes a delicious syrup with powerful health benefits. When extracted and used in syrup form, yacon root is a low glycemic natural sweetener, meaning it doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar.
This superfood is also a paleo-friendly natural sweetener. Yep, that’s right! This alternative natural sweetener can replace sugar in virtually anything.
Yacons are high in fibre and have a super-low calorie content, making them ideal as a quick snack, simply peel them and slice like a piece of fruit.
Or try them grated with carrots and apples with a handful of roasted seeds and/or nuts, accompanied by a vinaigrette mustard dressing.
Use them instead of apples in a Waldorf salad, with a splash of lemon juice. You can also make a type of sauerkraut with them and get all the benefits of the tuber plus the fermentation probiotics also!
Use yacon as a change from pear or pineapple upside down cake, or add them to a fruit salad.
And, you can bake them either whole or as chips with strong flavours like garlic and parsley, ginger and turmeric, sweet chilli sauce or soy sauce.
They are hardy and super easy to grow: they like a sunny or partly shady spot, with some compost or horse manure and mulch. Give each plant some space, as they will grow up to 2 metres tall and spread out.
Yacon aerates the soil and breaks up clumps nicely as it grows also.
After the first frost, and the plant has died down, harvest the tubers and rhizomes. The edible tubers are smooth and the rhizomes to replant are bobbly - it will be obvious when you harvest.
Organically grown herb, in a compostable or recycled pot.
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