Cará: what is it, benefits, how to prepare

O guy is a tuber whose scientific name is Dioscorea Alata. It is a food that can be found in most fairs and markets, usually in stalls where potatoes and yams are also sold.

THE shell of the card has no "hairs" and looks like the one of the cassava, with the difference that it is brown and more rounded. When the tubercle is peeled, a slippery and slightly sticky texture can be seen.

THE inside part The yam is fleshy and has a yellowish-white and, in some parts, purplish color. Its smell resembles that of cinnamon, and its flavor is slightly sweet.

Yams are rich in vitamins and nutrients and have several dietary benefits.[1]

It is important to note that the purple pigments in yam have a substance called anthocyanin, which contains properties antioxidants that eliminate free radicals.

Know more: what are healthy foods

difference between yam and yam

Many people confuse yams with yams, but they are not the same food. Although they are from the same family and very high in carbohydrates, the two foods have different properties.

See the main differences:

Guy

• The yam's foot is a vine vine and has smaller leaves. The plant can be used for ornamentation. These tubers are generated in the ground, underground.

• The yam has a lot of fiber, so it improves intestinal transit, increases satiety, regulates the absorption of sugar in the body and balances the levels of cholesterol.

Yam

Yam has a rough husk, while yam husk is smoother.

• The yam stalk is smaller, but its leaves are larger, and its root does not grow much. The outer texture of the vegetable is "cracked" and has "hair" on the part from which the leaves come out.

• The yam has more potassium and concentration of vitamins B6 and B9, which act in the prevention of mal of alzheimer and in the treatment of leukemia and of the dengue. Yam also helps control blood pressure. If you want to know more about this important food, read: Yam.

Card Benefits

the card is rich in carbohydratescomplexes, that is, it has a low glycemic index, which means that the glucose it is released little by little into the bloodstream.

This food has plenty of fiber, especially pectin, providing satiety. Also, he does not have fat in its composition, so it is considered low calorie.

Considered to be very nutritious, yam has several vitamins and minerals. is rich in potassium, selenium, iodine, folic acid, Vitamin C and vitamins B6 and B12.

When peeling it, the more purplish it is, the more benefits it will have. See, below, the main ones:

• Helps in blood circulation, preventing the formation of clots;

• Collaborates in blood pressure control;

• Helps to slow down digestion, preventing problems with constipation or constipation;

• It is bactericidal, that is, combat bacteria harmful to the body;

• Controls sugar levels in blood;

• Helps to delay skin aging, preventing the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes;

• reset hormones, reducing the effects of menopause, such as nausea and hot flashes.

Know more:Dietary fibers - characteristics and classification

how to cook yam

The yam has a lot of fiber and, therefore, offers more satiety in meals. The food serves to replace rice, potatoes or cassava, for example.

The tuber can be used in many recipes. it can be done boiled or boiled, alone or with other foods such as meat.

You can also use yam to make purees, flour, baby food, etc. Some people also use it to make desserts, because of the taste and texture.

A curiosity is that people with celiac disease, that is, with intolerance to gluten, you can eat yam freely, as it does not have this protein. People with this disease can even substitute wheat flour for yam flour to prepare their recipes.

Photo credit

[1] Public domain

By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist