May enhance brain function and ease symptoms of menopause

Consuming yams may help your brain. In one 12-week research, those who took a yam extract supplement outperformed the placebo group on a brain function test. Yams contain a chemical known as diosgenin, which has been shown to increase neuron development and improve brain function. Diosgenin has also been shown to boost memory and learning ability in mice in maze testing. More research in this area, however, is required to completely understand how yams may help brain function.

Yams may help relieve certain menopausal symptoms. In one 30-day trial, 24 postmenopausal women switched from rice to yams in two out of three meals (390 grams total) each day. Their blood estrone and estradiol levels climbed by 26% and 27%, respectively. During menopause, blood levels of estrone and estradiol, two estrogen hormones, normally fall. Improving estrogen levels may help to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Another six-month trial indicated that when compared to a placebo, topically administered wild yam cream had very little effect on menopausal symptoms such as flushing and night sweats.