Correct Way to Consume Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius)
Disease description:
A friend sent me some yacón, but I've never eaten it before and don't know much about it. I'd like to find out the correct way to eat yacón.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Yacon, a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, is native to South America. Its rhizomes are rich in fructooligosaccharides, which are beneficial to human health. There are several correct ways to consume yacon:
1. Raw consumption: After harvesting yacon from the soil, remove the surface dirt and peel, and it can be eaten directly as a fruit. If stored for two to three days after harvesting, its juicy, crisp, and sweet flavor, along with its aromatic flesh, will be more pronounced.
2. Yacon and Tremella soup: After soaking the Tremella (white fungus), add an appropriate amount of water and rock sugar, and cook until the Tremella becomes tender and soft. Then add the chopped yacon pieces and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. This soup has a refreshing sweet taste and offers multiple benefits including beautifying the skin, nourishing the lungs, and relieving coughs.
3. Yacon and pork rib soup: Yacon is suitable for stewing with pork ribs, chicken, or similar ingredients. The resulting soup is fragrant and delicious, and has the effect of stimulating the appetite and strengthening the spleen.
4. Yacon salad: Cut yacon and other fruits, such as apples and bananas, into small pieces, then mix with an appropriate amount of yogurt and honey to make a salad.
5. Stir-fried yacon: Yacon can be stir-fried with shredded meat to enhance its sweetness. It is appetizing and delicious when served with rice.
