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The Elephant Foot Yam
Photo
Credit- Wikimedia Commons by Bhaskaranaidu
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It
is known by different names in different regions of India. The people of Bihar
and Bengal call it oal, while it is suvarna
gedde in Kannada, oluo in Oriya, senai kizhangu in Tamil, pulla
ganda in Telugu, chhena in Malayalam, keane in Tulu, teve in
Tonga etc.
It
is is a tropical tuber crop of Southeast Asian origin and is also grown primarily
in Africa, South Asia and in the tropical Pacific islands. It grows in its wild
form too.
It is
cultivated in different parts of India.
The oal
curry, oal bharta or boiled paste, pickles and chutney or sauce is very popular
in Bihar. The oal sauce contains mango, ginger and oal in equal amounts.
In West Bengal the fried form of the yam
curry is very popular. The green plant body is also eaten as a green vegetable
called Bengali
ol shaak or green.
In Tonga
it is known as teve and is only
eaten if no vegetable is available.
Now
it is being raised as a cash crop due to its nutritional benefits. This
vegetable grows under the ground and has several medicinal properties to keep
anyone healthy and free from diseases.
Contents
It is rich in
calories, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B, folic acid and niacin. It also contains
minerals like potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus etc.
Benefits
1. The
application of the paste of boiled jimikand helps in ulcer, abscess, pimples
and other skin diseases.
2. The intake of
it gives relief in respiratory diseases and helps to alleviate cough.
3. It saves the
heart from several diseases as it has rich amounts of vitamins in it. It helps
to regulate heart beats and the blood pressure and removes the bad cholesterol.
4. It is a rich
source of antioxidants, vitamin C and beta carotene, which fight against the
cancer causing free radicals in the body.
5. It is helpful
in arthritis and asthma too.
6. The regular
intake of it regulates the digestive system and helps in constipation. The rich
amounts of potassium in it help in healthy digestive system.
7. It helps to
increase the memory and makes the brain sharp. It also saves from the
occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease.
8. The copper
present in it increases the red blood corpuscles in the body and regulates the
proper blood flow too.
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