YAM

In everyday life, called yam is a tuber (cormus) of the plant yam (Pachyrrhizus erosus). Yam plants belong to the tribe of legumes or Fabaceae. Yam is a tuber vegetables that come from the roots resemble potatoes, but it's great as brown turnip. In America these plants are known as xicama or jicama. In English, the yam tuber known as yambean. In Indonesia, the tuber known as yam or jicama, whereas in Java called Besusu.

Yam is usually consumed in the fresh form alone or as part of a salad, pickles, preserves, salads, cocktails, or juice. When eaten raw, it has a mild flavor with a crunchy texture, not like raw pears. Yam can be eaten raw, sprinkled with salt and lime juice. The addition of honey and lemon juice into the yam is believed to prevent ulcers. Yam also be used in stir-fry to serve as a side dish. For adults it is recommended to take 2 to 3 cups of vegetables to eat every day.

Besides as food, yam tuber traditionally also very well known in the world of beauty, which as a beauty mask for whitening and refreshing the skin. Yam is not just a skin whitening, antioxidants exist in food is to be able to prevent anticancer and other degenerative diseases. Can also be used to help overcome hemorrhoids and fever. In today's modern life, masks yam has been marketed in the form of powder or paste ready to use.

Yam Morphology

Yam is an annual plant that can reach lengths of 4-5 m, while its roots can reach 2 m. Spread and twisted trunk, with fine hairs that point downward.

Pinnate compound leaves leaf litter 3; stemmed 8, 5-16 cm; wide egg round leaflets, with a pointed end and a large-toothed, hairy on both sides; child leaves a big tip, lozenge, 7-21 × 6-20 cm.

Flowers gathered in bunches at the end or in the armpit leaves, alone or in groups of 2-4 bunches, up to 60 cm long, brown hair. Tube bell-shaped petals, browned, about 0.5 cm long. White crown bluish purple, bald, ± 2 cm long. Stalk flattened, with the tip slightly rolled; anthers form a ball, under the tip of the stalk pistil, stalk pistil beneath the stigma beards. The pods form a line, flattened, 8-13 cm long, hairy, 4-9 seeded grains.

Yam Cultivation

Historically, the plant yam comes from the Central and South America, in particular Mexico area. Yam plant was originally considered as drugs by the Aztecs, mainly due to the benefits of the seeds. Furthermore, by the Spanish, yam spread to the area of ​​the Philippines. Arrival of the Spanish to Asia in the 17^th century that had a big hand in spreading the yam plant, up to the rest of Asia and the Pacific. Yam plants into Indonesia from Manila via Ambon. Starting from Ambon, yam then cultivated throughout the country. Yam production centers today is Java, Madura, and in some other areas, particularly in the lowlands. Varieties are widely cultivated in Indonesia is the elephant yam and Badoer yam. The difference between the two types is the yam harvest time. Elephant yam varieties can be harvested when the plant enters the age of four to five months. Badoer yam varieties have a longer harvest time. This type can only be harvested when the plants aged seven to eleven months. In practice cultivation, yam plants are often planted on the sidelines of the pepper plant. This is because the roots of yam plants have the ability to symbiosis with Rhizobium which can tie up nitrogen from the air. With a wide range of climatic conditions, particularly the wet tropics, yam can adapt and grow well. The existence of yam plants that can fix nitrogen makes the supply of nitrogen for plants pepper fulfilled, so it does not need the addition of nitrogen from the outside (in the form of urea).

Yam tubers can not stand low temperatures, so easily damaged. Therefore, the tubers should be stored in a dry place a maximum temperature of 16 °C. Storage of tubers at the appropriate temperature and humidity will make yam hold up to about 2 months.

Yam Chemical Content And Pharmacological Effects

According to the literature, the pharmacological effects of yam tubers are sweet, cool, cool, cool and nutritious. Chemical content yam is pachyrhizon, rotenon, vitamin B1 and vitamin C. yam tubers contain protein, phosphorous, iron, vitamin A, B1 and C. The yam leaves contains saponins and flavonoids. While the seed yam contains saponins, flavonoids and essential oils. Yam contains vitamin C, flavonoids and saponins which is a natural sunscreen to prevent skin damaged by free radicals. Additionally, phenolic substances in yam quite effectively inhibit the formation of melanin, so that the pigmentation due to hormones, sunlight, and acne scars can be prevented and reduced. Although the edible tuber, yam plants containing organic toxins are fat soluble that rotenone in large numbers. It is concentrated in the top of the leaves, stems but the rate is much lower in the roots. Several studies have found that it is associated with the development of Parkinson's disease. However, the roots are peeled will be safe for human consumption, including among children. Rotenone works at the cellular level, by inhibiting some metabolic enzymes such as dehydrogenase in mitochondria. This poison is often used to kill insects or fish. Part of yam seeds and leaves contain toxins. Therefore, to avoid poisoning the amount of use of the two parts of the plants need to be considered.

Yam is naturally high in fiber, while the fiber is important for a healthy diet and can help reduce levels of blood pressure, prevent and relieve constipation. However, too much fiber in a short time can cause gastrointestinal side effects. It is specifically can cause abdominal pain and constipation can be if a sudden increase in fiber intake in the diet. To reduce the likelihood of this happening, especially when low-fiber diet at first, do it gradually to increase fiber intake. Dietary fiber soften with cooking, will make the fiber more digestible.

Yam Nutrient Content Of Substances And Phytonutrients

Bulbs is the most widely consumed of yam plants. The inside of the bulb contains sugar, starch, and oligosaccharides known as inulin. Uniquely, inulin can not be immediately diasup by the body as a source of sugar, but need to process further breakdown by the enzyme inulinase. Inulin nature is very useful for applications of products for people with diabetes mellitus as well as being low-calorie diet. Yam tubers are often consumed because they give a fresh effect. This effect arises because the water content in the tubers are quite high, around 86 to 90 percent. The high water content can replace body fluids, so that we feel refreshed. In addition, the yam also contains high mineral. The minerals contained in the yam is the most dominant phosphorus, iron, and calcium.

In a study of 100 grams of yam containing the nutrient content as follows: 0.04 mg Vitamin B1, 20 mg Vitamin C, 0.04 mg Vitamin B1, 0 IU Vitamin A, 85g Water, 55 kcal Energy, 1 mg Iron, 1.4 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 12.8 g carbohydrates, 15 mg calcium, 18 mg phosphorus.

The main content of yam is water, which is 85 grams per 100 grams of tubers. Energy levels are quite low (55 kcal/100 g) allows the yam to be consumed as food that is good for implementing a low-calorie diet and diabetes mellitus. The content of vitamin C are fairly high (20 mg/100 g), allows the yam is used as a potential source of antioxidants to counteract free radicals attack the causes of cancer and degenerative diseases.

Yam Benefits

According to the literature that records the experience from generation to generation from various countries and regions, these plants can cure diseases as follows:

a.   Treating Hemorrhoids. 

b.   Treating Fever. 

c.   Diabetes Mellitus. 

d.   Treating Thrush. 

e.   Menopause Effects (For Natural phytoestrogens). 

f.    Blood Cholesterol Levels. 

g.   Stomach Acid interference. 

h.  Beriberi Disease. 

i.    Keep The Immune System. 

For the treatment, yam can cope with various diseases such as diabetes, fever, eczema, ulcers, and hemorrhoids. In addition to bulbs, other plant parts that can be used as medicine are the roots, seeds, and stems. For people with diabetes, can be shredded yam, filtered, and then taken twice daily melting section.

Although yam has a pharmacological effect as a remedy for various ailments such as fever, skin diseases, and abdominal pain, this plant is also dangerous because it contains a toxin in the seeds and leaves. Use of seeds and leaves part needs to be aware in order to avoid poisoning. Not only in the field of health and food, yam is also applied to the field of cosmetic industry. The roots or tubers yam cold powder used as an ingredient for skin care, thus becoming the face look more fresh, smooth, and white. Benefits as cosmetics, make yam identical with skin whitening effect. Yam in the form of herb mask, since time immemorial it has been believed to sublimate, whiten, and remove spots or stains on the face.

The main content of the yam is vitamin C, which in the yam tubers are vitamin C content of 40% and the rest is water and fiber. This is one of the yam tuber with the highest vitamin C content. To that end, yam can routinely consume sufficient vitamin C daily.

Similarly to the skin, vitamin C at yam is needed to regenerate skin cells, repair damaged skin cells and replacing them with new cells. Regenerate skin properly will avoid premature aging are usually marked with wrinkles and dark circles around the eye area. Yam use for beauty is often treated as a mask and scrub to get rid of scars and black spots on the skin of the face and body. From the description of the yam above, many benefits that impact both on the skin, include:

1.   Eliminate the black stains on the face. 

2.   Provide cooling effect. 

3.   Whiten face. 

How to make a mask of yam not difficult. Here are the steps. Prepare yam and wash thoroughly. Peeled and shredded. Squeeze the grated and the capacity of the water in the bowl and discard the waste. Let stand a few minutes before the results of juice. Let it settle to the bottom of the container. Discard the remaining water and sediment grab it. The precipitate that is used as a yam mask. When sediment much, the rest can be stored in containers hygienic bag after dry deposition and powder.

How to use a yam mask. Clean your face first. Apply precipitate yam on face and neck using a mask to help brush evenly. Let stand about 30 minutes or until the mask dries. Once dry, clean and dry face mask with a soft towel or that has been moistened with warm water.

How To Select And Store Yam

Yam generally available at any time on the market. Choose a color yam with firm, round and of medium size. Avoid wrinkled yam, or tubers with a cutting surface, cracks and skin bruising.

Once at home, yam can be stored like potatoes and also have a very good shelf life and keep well in a cool, dry, dark place for about 2-4 weeks. Exposure to temperatures below 10 °C will change color and texture. Also, storage extend the conversion of starch into sugar, which makes it less used in savory dishes.

Yam is often used in cooking as a crunchy texture even when exposed to heat. Yam can be sliced ​​into stick-shaped, because it will not discolor when exposed to air. Yam is also delicious made for a refreshing snack simply sprinkled with chili powder, lemon or lime. Yam can also be stir-fried or grilled, like radishes to soften but retain their natural flavor.