This is the yacon, my latest health food discovery. I found it recently among the local vegetables from Baguio City, being sold at Shoppersville supermarket. I thought it was a sweet potato, and would have boiled it had not someone told me that its like singkamas (jicama). Its also eaten raw - its crunchy, sweet, and tastier than the singkamas. So I googled to find out more about this wonderful food."Fresh Yacon tubers are crisp and juicy with a delicate flavor reminiscent of apple or melon and a surprising sweetness that increases in storage...While satisfyingly sweet and flavorful, Yacon remains low in calories. This is due to the fact that the sugar contains high levels of oligofructose (inulin), a form of sugar that is not metabolized readily by the human body. For this reason, Yacon shows much promise as a food for diabetics and as a base for a low calorie sweetener..." (from http://www.seedsofchange.com/enewsletter/issue_40/yacon.asp)
I don't think I'm prone to have diabetes, but I have some digestive system problems. Eating sugary foods can also cause many other illnesses - I'm just so glad I found another alternative for sweet treats!
These are real kiat kiat oranges posing with my apple keychain ;)
They're abundant during the holidays, and a popular symbol of prosperity especially during the New Year celebrations.
Striped Headband
