Yacón

Taxobox
name = Yacón


image_width = 200px
image_caption = Roots of Yacón
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Asteraceae
genus = "Smallanthus"
species = "S. sonchifolius"
binomial = "Smallanthus sonchifolius"
binomial_authority = (Poeppig and Endlicher) H. Robinson
synonyms = "Polymnia sonchifolia" Poeppig and Endlicher

The Yacón is a perennial plant grown in the Andes of Perú for its crisp, sweet-tasting tubers. The texture and flavour have been described as a cross between a fresh apple and watermelon which is why it is sometimes referred to as the apple of the earth. The tuber is composed mostly of water and fructo-oligosaccharides. It has recently been introduced into farmer's markets and natural food stores in the US.

Although sometimes confused with jicama, yacón is actually a close relative of the sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke. The plants produce propagation roots and storage tubers. Propagation roots grow just under the soil surface and produce new growing points that will become next year's aerial parts. These roots resemble Jerusalem artichokes. Storage tubers are large and edible.

These edible tubers contain inulin, an indigestible sugar, which means that although they have a sweet flavour, the tubers contain fewer calories than would be expected.

Yacón plants can grow to over 2 meters in height and produce small, yellow inconspicuous flowers at the end of the growing season. Unlike many other root vegetables domesticated by the Inca (ulluco, oca), the yacón is not photoperiod sensitive, and can produce a commercial yield in the tropics.

Yacón provides for two nutritional products the yacón syrup and yacón tea. Both products are popular among diabetic people and dieters who consume these products because of its low sugar properties. The low sugar characteristic is due to the fact that the tuber is comprised of FOS (fructooligosacharides), a special type of fructose that the human body can not absorb thus it leaves the body undigested. The syrup is also a prebiotic which means that it feeds the friendly bacteria in the colon that boosts the immune system and helps digestion.

Yacón Culture

Yacón can easily be grown in home gardens in climates with only gentle frosts. It grows well in southern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, where the climate is mild and the growing season long. It has recently been introduced to the Philippines, and is now widely available in markets.

Propagation roots with growing points can be planted in a well-dug bed in early spring, near the time of the last expected frost. While aerial parts are damaged by frost, the roots are not harmed unless they freeze solid. Yacón is a vigorous grower much like Jerusalem artichokes. The plants grow best with fertilization.

After the first few frosts the tops will die and the plants are ready for harvest. It is generally best to leave some in the ground for propagating the following spring. Alternatively, the propagating roots can be kept in the refrigerator or buried away from frost until spring. While usable-sized tubers develop fairly early, they taste much sweeter after some frost.

Yacón leaves

The leaves of the yacón contain quantities of protocatechuic, chlorogenic, caffeic and ferulic acids, which gives tea made from the leaves prebiotic and antioxidant properties. As a result, some researchers have explored the use of yacón tea for treating diabetes and for treating diseases caused by radicals, e. g., arteriosclerosis. [cite journal|journal= Eur J Nutr.|month=January | year=2003|volume=42|issue=1|pages=61–62|author=K. Valentova K, L Cvak, A Muck, J lrichova, V Simanek|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12594543&dopt=Abstract|title=Antioxidant activity of extracts from the leaves of Smallanthus sonchifolius|doi=10.1007/s00394-003-0402-x]

Other

In colonial times yacón consumption was identified with a Catholic religious celebration held at the time of an earlier Inca feast. In the Moche era, it maybe have been food for a special occasion. Effigies of edible food may have been placed at Moche burials for the nourishment of the dead, as offerings to lords of the other world, or in commemoration of a certain occasion. Moche depicted these yacón in their ceramics. . [cite book
author=Berrin, Katherine
title=The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera
publisher=Larco Museum New York: Thames and Hudson
year=1997]

Notes and references

Other references

* cite paper
author=C. Boon
year=2003
title=Making yacon candy
publisher=International Potato Center
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/making_yacon_candy.pdf Mimeograph, 9 tables, 11 figures, 27 p.
* cite paper
author=G. Butler G, D. Rivera
year=2004
title=Innovations in Peeling Technology for Yacon
work=Project Report.
publisher=International Potato Center
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/2004-1127.pdf
* cite journal
author=S. Graefe, M. Hermann, I. Manrique, S. Golombek & A. Buerkert
year=2004
title=Effects of post-harvest treatments on the carbohydrate composition of yacon roots in the Peruvian Andes
journal=Field Crops Research
volume=86
pages=156–165
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/docs/Graefe_Yacon.pdf
doi=10.1016/j.fcr.2003.08.003
format=PDF
* cite book
author=A. Grau, J. Rea
year=1997
title=Yacon. Smallanthus sonchifolius
publisher=Poepp. & Endl.
editor=M. Hermann and J. Heller (eds)
booktitle=Andean roots and tubers: Ahipa, arracacha, maca, yacon. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops
volume=21
publisher=Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben/International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy
pages=199-242
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/artc_hermann/yacon.pdf
* cite conference
author=M. Hermann M, I. Freire & C. Pazos
year=1999
title=Compositional diversity of the yacon storage root
booktitle=Impact on a changing world, Program Report 1997-1998
publisher=International Potato Center
pages=425-432
url=http://www.cipotato.org/publications/program_reports/97_98/51yacon.pdf
* cite book
author=I. Manrique, M. Hermann, T. Bernet
year=2004
title=Yacon - Fact Sheet
publisher=International Potato Center
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/factsheetyacon.pdf
id=ISBN 92-9060-244-9
format=PDF (Also available in Spanish.)
* cite conference
author=I. Manrique & M. Hermann
year=2004
title=El potencial del yacón en la salud y la nutrición
booktitle=XI Congreso Internacional de Cultivos Andinos, Cochabamba, Bolivia
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/docs/Manrique_Hermann_2004_yacon_en_la_salud.pdf
* cite journal
author=I. Manrique, A. Párraga & M. Hermann
year=2005
title=Yacon syrup: Principles and processing
journal=Series: Conservación y uso de la biodiversidad de raíces y tubérculos andinos: Una década de investigación para el desarrollo (1993-2003)
volume=8B
publisher=International Potato Center, Universidad Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrión, Erbacher Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/1919-Yacon_Syrup.pdf 31 pages. Available in Spanish http://www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/1919-Jarabe_Yacon.pdf -->.
* cite book
author=D. Rivera & I. Manrique
year=2005
title=Zumo de Yacón - Ficha Técnica
publisher=International Potato Center
id=ISBN 92-9060-251-1
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/cip_crops/docs/fichazumoyacon.pdf
* cite book
author=J. Seminario, M. Valderrama & I. Manrique
year=2003
title=El yacón: fundamentos para el aprovechamiento de un recurso promisorio
publisher=International Potato Center, Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Lima, Perú
url=http://www.cipotato.org/artc/docs/Yacon_Fundamentos_password.pdf 60 p.

External links

* [http://www.newcrops.uq.edu.au/newslett/ncnl1221.htm Yacón description from the Australian New Crops Newsletter]
* [http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Yacon.htm Yacon - Polymnia sonchifolia]