What Is Yacon? What are the Health Benefits?
Yacon syrup is derived from the yacon plant, a tuber found in the Andean region of South America. Yacon is a distant relative of the sunflower and the Peruvian locals use it cut up in salads or in sweets. Because yacon syrup is plant based it is also vegan and a good alternative for vegetarians who want to avoid the high sugar content of maple syrup or honey. The roots contain potassium and the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E.
Yacon syrup is glucose free and contains at least 30% fructooligosaccharides (FOS). FOS is a common prebiotic that aids digestion and helps to stimulate the colon. FOS cannot be absorbed by the body which makes it naturally low in calories and low glycemic (some proponents of the syrup go so far as to say that yacon is non glycemic). Those sugars remaining in the plant that are not FOS are absorbed slowly into the bloodstream.