Mountain Yam Steamed for Weight Loss

The outer skin is light-brown, cylindrical in shape with fine hairs, and has a slightly sour and sticky mouthfeel when chewed.Yam. Although not particularly attractive, it has been regarded as a cost-effective "tonic" since ancient times due to its rich nutritional value.It can be used as the main food, vegetable, or made into sweet snacks like haws on sticks. Or or.

Vice President of Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, Wang Guowei, introduced in an interview with Life Times that yam is sweet and neutral in nature, rich in nutrition, and has the effects of tonifying the spleen, kidney, and essence, making it a mild tonic."Yam has the effect of nourishing the stomach. Those suffering from diarrhea or other gastrointestinal diseases can try eating more."I once encountered a patient with chronic diarrhea who recovered after eating yam for two weeks without taking any medication..Recent research suggests that the most nutritious components in yam are contained in its mucilage, mainly including mannans and mucoproteins.. Mannans are water-soluble half-cellulose that can expand 80-100 times after absorbing water, which can create a sense of fullness. Many women also regard it as an excellent "weight-loss food". It also has the function of improving sugar metabolism and enhancing insulin sensitivity, making it beneficial for diabetes. Mucoproteins can lower blood cholesterol levels, prevent lipid deposition in blood vessels, and help prevent arteriosclerosis..."Therefore, the saying 'yam can prolong life' has scientific basis."

Wang Guowei pointed out that from a health perspective, two best cooking methods for yam are:

One is to steam yam."Personally, I most recommend this method. Firstly, it preserves the original flavor without any additives;secondly, it well retains its nutritional value and does not easily destroy effective components;thirdly, it's convenient as you just need to clean the yam and place it in a steamer. When eaten, I like to dip it in sugar. A bite is truly tender, soft, refreshing, and full of aroma. However, people with diabetes should eat it plain."

Another method is to stir-fry yam with black fungus.. Wang Guowei introduced that black fungus has the effects of clearing and moistening the lungs and replenishing blood and qi. When combined with yam, the result is even better."This dish suits people of all ages and has high nutritional value."

It's worth noting that due to its high starch content, those with constipation should eat it in moderation. In addition, being slightly tonic, neutral in nature but slightly warm, yam may be suitable for people who are easily affected by heat or have a hot constitution."Some people like to use yam for hot pot and if accompanied by spicy sauce, it's even more warming. This should also be consumed in moderation."Nowadays, "sugared yam" is popular on many restaurant menus but from a nutritional perspective, this method of preparation is somewhat wasteful. Because during cooking, the yam needs to first be fried with oil and then coated with thick sugar syrup. The nutrition of the yam is offset by the high oil and sugar content."Nowadays, many restaurants list '"Baked Sweet and Sour Yam' on their menus, and it is quite popular. But from a nutritional standpoint, this really is somewhat wasteful. Because when cooking this dish, you first deep-fry the yam, then coat it with thick threads of sugar; the nutrition of the yam and the high oil and sugar content perfectly offset each other."Since this dish involves frying first and then coating it with thick sugar threads, the nutrients in yam balance out the high oil and sugar content.