Smallanthus sonchifolius, commonly known as yacon, is a tuberous crop native to the Andean region which is known for its crunchy, crisp texture and sweet taste, similar to that of a pear or melon.
Yacon is a high-potential nutraceutical food – it’s 95% lower on the glycaemic index than cane sugar. Yacon syrup contains 25-30% less calories than conventional sugar, as well as being more suitable for diabetics, providing immunological functions, and improving overall digestion and blood glucose levels. Due to its high content of non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) such as frutooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin, consumption of the yacon root can improve the growth of bifidobacteria in the colon, which digest these otherwise indigestible sugars and help regulate blood glucose.
These bacteria also improve the health of overall gut flora and enhance digestive metabolism. As well as being rich in FOS, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, yacon also contains iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorous and vitamins B1, B2 and C. It is also a good source of dietary fibre.
